Seven years ago we were introduced to the Third Street Saints, a ragtag bunch of hoodlums in a game that many brushed away as a Grand Theft Auto clone; other gamers, myself included, were intrigued by this brash new kid on the block and, despite the first showing not being as strong as it could have been, thought “hmm, not a bad start.”
Now the fourth installment of this series has reached store shelves and the series has blazed quite a trail. What started off as a subtle, open world gangland adventure had become an insane, over the top action adventure romp filled to the brim with wit, excitement, and multiple forms of humour. Last time we saw our beloved Saints they were beating up zombies with mayor Burt Reynolds using baseball bats with giant purple dongs attached to them, so where could they possibly go from here?
Give some bastards super powers and let them run wild? Sounds fun.
Plot
The Saints have come a long way, under the rule of your new recruit that you created back in the first game, the gang has gone from basic street thugs to a global phenomenon, and now even the rulers of the United states, as “the boss” is now president.
All does not stay well for long, however, as aliens attack Earth in an oddly charming way.
Now you must escape the Matrix-esque world that you’ve been dropped in and save the day; just another day for the Saints.
Graphics
Saints Row 4 is pretty much on par graphically with Saints Row the Third. Though animation is noticeably smoother, the overall look of the game doesn’t deviate far from its predecessor. Flickering textures on the artificial world and people is a very nice touch and gives the game a different vibe than the Third, but ultimately the game sticks with what works.
Sound
This has always been where Saints Row has dominated over other similar series, in my opinion. From witty banter in the wonderfully hilarious dialogue to the even more hilarious musical cues, the audio presentation of this game delivers more entertainment than almost any other element of the game; if you saw the stupid grin that crossed my face in the opening scene as Aerosmith’s “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” started while my character heroically climbed an armed nuclear missile while it ascended into the atmosphere, you would see the silly joy that these cues give me.
As previously stated, the dialogue is simply terrific in this series, and Saints Row 4 has somehow made the script even more amusing. Taking a more self-aware turn in the writing, the characters point out clichés and stereotypes that are happening in the game, add to that the invading aliens who also point out the unnecessary actions that are staples of action and it makes for a hilarious and entertaining romp. Side note: giving these huge, scary aliens very coy British accents was a great touch and provides further comic elements in the right moments without taking away from times that are presented more seriously.
Gameplay
Here’s where I may sound kind of like a jerk without meaning to. The gameplay doesn’t wander far from Saints Row the Third, for the most part. Once the players receive their super powers, however, things just feel too different.
The addition of super powers is awesome, but it is an awkward transition. Once the player receives super powers, the game begins to feel less threatening and more at your mercy. The premise of growing stronger is there and makes sense, but the enemies around you don’t develop nearly as much to the extent that your character will, and soon many staple gameplay mechanics become moot in the face of these powers. Being able to run at super-sonic speed dismisses the need for vehicles, which is half the fun of playing Saints Row. Upgrading weapons isn’t as crucial if you can hurl elemental attacks on a whim, or pulverize enemies barehanded.
Other problems with this new element is that sometimes you’ll have mission in the real world where suddenly these powers that you’ve grown dependent on are suddenly gone. Now, yes this is a realistic avenue to take and it is trying to balance the realistic world gameplay with the fantastical, but it just feels jarring and ultimately feels like you’re flipflopping back and forth from Grand Theft Auto to Prototype.
For what they are, the gameplay itself is solid and responsive, the presentation just feel a little off.
What I Liked
I did have fun with this game despite the jarring sensation of going from being an all-powerful demigod one minute then going back to a regular joe the next.
The humour is better than ever and has a great array of sophisticated, tongue in cheek, ironic and, of course, potty humour to appease any level of comedic enjoyment.
Quicktime event where you eat pancakes, finally this world is complete.
What I Would Have Changed
I don’t know how or if it could have been done, but just a more subtle application of the new super power gameplay mechanics.
Make the Matrix-y world grow tougher as your character grows more powerful.
The negation of previous gameplay mechanics as they become inferior to the super powers.
Final Thoughts
I’m still going to have a lot of fun with this game. The trademark create-a-character suite is as robust as ever and the open world to explore is still a lot of fun to cause commotion in.
Ultimately this game MAYBE could have been an expansion DLC for Saints Row the Third, but it’s no less deserving of its own attempt to shine as it has introduced an even more over-the-top element to a franchise already know for being insane.
If you’re a Saints fan, you will not regret adding this to your library, but if you’re not then maybe wait for it to drop by twenty bucks and pick it up then as the action and the humour will leave you feeling quite fulfilled.