Saints Row: The Third

"Cars, guns and…naked bandits?!"




Developer: Volition Inc.
Publisher: THQ
Release Date: Nov 15, 2011
Platform(s): PC. PS3, X360
Genre: Action Adventure




Far from being a direct competitor to the supreme reign of Grand Theft Auto, the Saints Row series has always been caricatured as an alternative to criminal incidents developed by Rockstar. Fleeing this unfair comparison, as not to highlight the merits of Saints Row, the numerous technical flaws always stood for the total lack of modesty and extreme rudeness.


In Saints Row: The Third, Volition seems determined to abandon the underdog position among the open-world games. The first part is the graphics quality - one of the most frequent complaints over the first two games. Instead of offering a narrow way with graphics and advanced technical requirements, the previous edition of the Stillwater city - with raw geometry and laughable textures - was abandoned by much more meticulous creation.
 

In its third edition, the Saints Row franchise is preparing another insult to the senses with open-ended gameplay and characters with no morals and respect. A demo version of Saints Row: The Third emerged during Gamescom 2011 and made it clear that Volition is committed to creating a truly offensive game - in a good way of course. The story remains the same uncompromising and hilarious pastiche of previous versions. You will again be thrown into an organic environment composed of many gangs, all engaged in a perpetual war for the "alternative" Stillwater market share.

After a bank robbery goes awry, the Saints end up behind bars – a surely degrading situation for a gang that had become somewhat superstars among the media. The gang was then released by the notorious Syndicate, represented by Philippe Loren from the Morning Star gang, who then invited the group to a private meeting in his private plane. This is the "attractive" proposal from Loren: The Saints win a permanent seat in the union if they give up two thirds of their profits. Considering the outrageous proposal, the gun fighting begins out of the jet, starting the mission that opens the doors of the revamped version of Stillwater. But yes, you have to again shoot multicolored enemies, who come from a comic book about gangsters.


The Morning Star, for example, is described simply as "the pimps of the XXI Century," who managed to turn the prostitution business into something tremendously lucrative. In addition to Loren, the organization also responds to the excesses of the flamboyant De Winter sisters. As for the Luchadors (inspired by the Mexican wrestlers), they represent the muscles of the game. Finally, the British Deckers are responsible for handling cybercrime in Stillwater. The troupe is led by Internet star Matt Miller, who is probably more courageous by telephone than in person.
 

Following the new proposal from Volition, this change of objectives and gameplay should be intact throughout the game. Volition told PCgamer.com that different objectives should count to three quarters of the history of the Saints Row: The Third. The idea is to deliberately evade the challenges traditionally associated with open-world games.


Okay, so there will be some traditional challenges in Saints Row: The Third. But that does not mean that Volition will not fill your belt with a veritable arsenal, especially for those times when good old shootouts are the only possibility to escape. The weapons in this game range from simple and classic guns to the most technologically absurd and destructive weapons. Although at the beginning of the story, you have only the simplest things like shotguns, pistols and rifles available for you and things get progressively in more interesting as the plot progresses.


You’re probably asking, “What about using military technology in a gang fight?” No problem. There are things like the laser designator which can be used to summon air strikes (like the Hammer of Dawn), let alone a missile ship a la Call of Duty. But things get even more interesting as you take control of vehicles, skills that can be further evolved to remotely control helicopters and other large vehicles.
 

Even those who do not remember much about the plot of the first games should be reminded of a feature in Saints Row: customization. After all, it was not only to simply change the color of hair or putting ice in a convertible. It is actually a game that allowed changes in even the mannerisms of the protagonist - walking style and facial expressions, among others. Those features will remain in The Third, which should also include several possibilities to change the horizon of the despoiled city of Stillwater, while maintaining the ability to maintain a varied wardrobe and other cosmetic changes. Of course, without this, it wouldn’t be a Saints Row game.


Since we are talking about an open world game, the possibilities are endless, but the challenges posed by the developers are already interesting. One is the Mayhem Zones, which rewards the player for the level of chaos created in the shortest possible time. Another is the Insurance Fraud, in which the player must collect damages for accidents you caused.


It is too early to say whether the third edition of Saints Row will be a success or not, but one thing is certain; the title remains within the true origins and shouldn't disappoint the fans. Even with the entire comical mood, the title still reserves some clever moments, such as power expansion, which is based on land acquisition and consolidation of its influence in a given region. With mixing elements with creative ways to play relaxed, the staff at Volition is on track to deliver an engaging sandbox title, even if it’s not necessarily a direct competitor to the best game of the year. Saints Row: The Third day is scheduled for Nov. 15, with editions for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.




Marco Cecilio, NoobFeed