Once again, this isn't really true to my first intention for "Late to the Party" Ryviews, as I played this when it was still new. But I've decided that any time I write a Ryview for a game that's been out for a long time and enjoyed reasonable success, it should be labeled as a Late to the Party.
Anyway, Saints Row: The Third is the third entry in the Saints Row series (as the name suggests, I suppose). After Saints Row 2 basically repeated the first game with improvements across the board, THQ and Volition took the third game in a different direction. They created a new city and a new feel to the series (one that sticks around in Saints Row 4, I might add).
The game was a departure from the "GTA clone" feeling of the first 2 games. The Third saw a new upgrade system, a simplified clothing system, and fully embraced the comedy aspect of the series (Saint's Row 2 featured a bit of self awareness, but it was still much more serious). It was a new game, designed to be a separate entity from the GTA series and designed to attract a more casual audience.
I still maintain that Saints Row 2 is the best in the series. It still felt like you were in a gang, fighting an unending turf war with rival gangs and corporations. Saints Row: The Third feels more like a cheap, comical story about a guy who like crotch punching and killing zombies.
And, of course, leaping out of exploding planes while killin' dudes.
And I wouldn't say those attributes are a bad thing. But they definitely change the feeling of the game. The developers also experiment with meaningful choices in the game, and some of them fare better than others. I will say that the choices for which powerup or weapon to receive definitely make the choices matter, but they also frustrate a player like me who would like to have everything unlocked during a single uninterrupted playthrough.
The controls have been tweaked for the better in this title, too. You can run and jump easily, you can carjack by jumping into a window, the shooting feels organic and overall the game is easy to maneuver. The new city obviously offers its share of confusion, especially if you spent hours in Stilwater studying every nook and cranny. But the game offers a robust map and a good cell phone menu.
The game is still Saints Row, but given that it's not even near the geographical location of "Saint's Row", it's obvious that things are not the same. You still steal cars, you still throw yourself in front of cars to rob insurance companies, and you still kill a whole lot of people for no good reason.
Everything is more fun when you're in a tank. Even when it's on fire.
So, I see two scenarios: If you never played the previous games, I definitely recommending downloading this and playing through it. It's free right now, and it's a great experience. The storyline from the earlier games really doesn't have much to do with anything here, and the game really is quite a fun romp. If you find yourself wanting a more gang-style feel, go out and get a cheap copy of Saints Row 2.
If you have played the previous entries, you should be warned that this game is unlike its predecessors and it shows. The game plays differently, and it could just as easily pass as a new series, where for some reason everyone is still wearing purple hoodies with a Fleur de Lis everywhere. But it's still very fun, and it's still a great open world mayhem game where you get to blow shit up. So, when it's free, why not give it a try?
For everyone, even if this game isn't your cup of tea, at least watch some youtube videos featuring Professor Genki. His minigames and mascots make the game infinitely more fun.
Scorecard:
Category
|
Score
|
Time Value
|
8
|
Money Value
|
7*
|
Originality
|
8
|
Ryplayability
|
9
|
Fulfillment
|
7
|
Final Score
|
7.8
|
Let me know what you think of Saints Row: The Third!
Until next time,
Ryan
Pictures courtesy of THQ
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