Saints Row 2 review (PlayStation 3)

We might as well cut to the chase. Saints Row 2 is a ridiculously fun game. While the first game seemed merely a very good rip-off of Grand Theft Auto, SR2 goes its own way for the second outing. The game feels very different in tone and gameplay from Grand Theft Auto IV. And while the two games do share a common heritage there's enough new and exciting here in Volition's game to see it as an innovator in its own right.

The game isn't perfect. Few games are. But some technical and script issues aside there's so much to admire in Saints Row. This is a game that will excite you and also have you laughing, whether playing alone or with friends.

Jailbreak

The game begins in Stilwater Prison and the tutorial mission will see you break out and in the process learn the game's controls. Those controls are pretty easy to master. The original Saints Row showed how weapons targeting should be implemented in a sandbox game and once again firing the many weapons in the sequel is easy.

The prison break also introduces the game's focus on customization. There are few games where even character creation is very funny, but this is one. Take for example choosing your character's body type is on a slider - so you can create a male character with a feminine body. And the freedom extends to giving a female character a male voice and vice versa. Should you wish to play the game as an old fat trans-gender you certainly may.

Customization is a theme that runs throughout the game - you'll be able to design your crib to your tastes, customize vehicles, buy many styles of clothes and save particular outfits and even dress up your gang as you wish.

The Boys Are Back in Town

The thrust of the game concerns the 3rd Street Saints, your particular gang. At the beginning of the game the gang has ceased to exist. Your character is now the gang leader, but a leader of nothing. So the early hours of Saints Row are about putting the gang back together, recruiting members, finding some funding and somewhere to call home.

Once these early missions have been completed then it's very much up to you how to proceed. Main story missions concern battles against other gangs, where the outcome is usually a reduction in the powers of those enemies and another area of city belonging to the Saints. Each area owned brings in more income to your gang. As you progress you'll be able to call on more help from the Saints, at first with just one sidekick, but after a while you'll be bringing several friends along to each gunfight.

At the time of writing I've not completed the campaign. But with much of Stilwater under my control and no let-up in how much fun the game is I can assure you that this is a game with plenty of endurance that will keep your interest for some time.

And while completing a mission unlocks the next in many cases it doesn't mean you'll be able to take it on right away. The player has to earn respect to be able to take on each mission. And earning that respect is what makes Saints Row 2 so much fun.

Johnny the Fox

Respect is the currency here in Stilwater. Almost every activity you are involved with earns respect. Some of these earn plenty to fill your respect bar to the next level, others offer minor incremental boosts.

The range of activities is what really sets Saints Row 2 apart from Grand Theft Auto IV. Take for example something as simple as driving. Performing stunts earns respect, so finding those stunt jumps is a good way of increasing your reputation. But so is just throwing yourself out of the car at high speed because long spills across the tarmac for your character are yet another activity.

Taking a car with a passenger inside opens up the hostage minigame, where evading the police and driving crazily will ultimately have your hostage paying to be released and in the process you'll gain more respect. Most vehicle highjacks or thefts will result in some form of minigame, taxis, police vehicles etc. come with obvious linked activities.

But there are so many other things to do. Streaking, seeing how many citizens you can offend with your naked body, is hilarious. Then there's spraying real estate with sewage to lower its value. Or carrying out targeted hits. Drive by shootings. The list goes on. The city has been beautifully designed to feature several interesting and fun things to do in every borough.

Massacre

Another unique aspect for Saints Row 2 is the way that multiplayer is integrated into the game. The best mode to play with friends is the co-op. Played online or via system link you can drop in and out of friends' games with ease. You can complete a few missions with them and you'll take the progress and earnings back to your own game with you.

Other modes including typical multiplayer deathmatch style shenanigans. These are less successful because this kind of game doesn't lend itself well to such modes. But it's all well balanced and fun, if not spectacular.

If you do want to play with a friend co-op is definitely the way to go.

Dancing in the Moonlight

Saints Row is a great technical achievement. There's much to admire in the design, complexity and detail of Stilwater. The engine is surprisingly powerful, allowing you plenty of detail when on foot, but still looking great when you steal a business jet for a flight around the game's taller buildings.

In terms of physics and animation there's plenty to admire. The pedestrian activity is particularly varied. You'll meet characters engaged in all kinds of behaviour that lends a realism to the city. Characters playing craps on a street corner for example, reading a newspaper at a bus stop, police offers fighting with pimps and pedestrians taking photos with their phones when you beat up an innocent bystander.

That detail and need for an city that works at street and altitude levels comes at a cost though. Certainly this is a game that isn't as pretty as Grand Theft Auto IV, despite it's technical wizardry. And if there's one strong criticism that can be levelled at Saints Row 2 it is the lack of vehicle traffic. The streets often seem too quiet and the lack of many parked cars means you'll often be running for a while until you find some wheels.

Warrior

Volition has created a great and worthy sequel here and one which has crawled out of the shadow of that particular Rockstar Games franchise.

Saints Row 2 is a game that thrives on just having crazy fun. At times the game is just plain silly - a good thing. I do have some reservations about the gang culture and cussing in the game - at times it just comes across as too forced, but the gameplay makes up for that in a big way. And we know this is a game for responsible adults, not for children, oh boy it certainly isn't for children.

Not too many games will have you running naked through the streets one minute, the next flying thousands of feet up before parachuting down and the next trying to blow up as many police vehicles as possible.

Saints Row is an explosive mix of gameplay elements that will always provide you with something to do, something to see and something to destroy. Go out and buy it, your PlayStation 3 deserves it.