User Reviews

All of the Promise, None of the Polish

2012-02-02T17:30:00Z

Saints Row 2 starts off with a bang but, at least for this gamer, went out with a frustrating whimper. The game took several missions to draw me in, but only one painfully poorly thought out segment to send it back to Gamefly.

The mission in question was one of the game's many Stronghold missions. For those of you who have played Infamous or Crackdown you're already familiar with the go to location X and complete objective Y in order to control area Z on the map. Like much of the rest of the game it wasn't the concept of these mission that caused a hang up, but rather the execution. This Stronghold mission from the Sons of Samedi arc tasked me with destroying drug stuffed fish and boat used to transport them at docking area.

Unfortunately, like with many other mission, the enemy AI seems geared entirely towards making your life harder than it should be. In one of the freezers is an enemy with a machete who, for some reason, requires multiple clips from almost any weapon to kill. After one warehouse your reputation meter, kinda like GTA's stars, will be so high that vehicles full of enemies start coming after you. Now this wouldn't be an issue, if it weren't for the fact that unless they are stopped within about five feet of you enemies consistently stay in their vehicle and attempt to run you down with reckless abandon.

The result is cars constantly blocking doors in buildings and trips across open ground normally winding up with you being run down and then killed even before you get back up. Throw in a dash of enemies with rocket launchers blowing you to kingdom come the second you step outside and it quickly became frustrating. That's not even the worse part of the mission though. No matter what time I accepted it, this particular assignment was performed at night in pouring rain that coats the camera, making attempting to navigate the flurry of gunfire and kamikaze cars to get to the docked boats nearly impossible seeing as, for all intensive purposes, I might as well have been blind.

Unfortunately, many of the later missions in each of the game's story arcs eventually build to the same cacophony of annoyance. Gunplay is serviceable, as is navigation, but many of the assignments strain the mechanics well beyond their individual breaking point. Also strained is the game's engine which, when it's not displaying last generation draw distances and textures, is chugging along at frame rates somewhere in the low to mid teens. To put it plainly, for a game that is only a little over two years old it looks horrible. Surprisingly contrary to the engine's other shortcomings, the game's character models possess a fairly nice level of detail and variation.

That's not to say the game isn't fun though, there's a lot to do outside of the missions full of endlessly spawning cars trying to run you down. I found the majority of the tongue in cheek side-missions to be enjoyable, especially the Septic Avenger, with the exception of the Helicopter escort missions which I found to be a massive missed opportunity. There's just something about driving a flaming ATV or crap flinging truck that makes me smile every time.

Outside of missions there is literally a metric ton of little things out and about in the world. From collecting everything from character accessories to tracks from the excellent selection of available songs, or customizing cars and cribs there's plenty else going on to keep you busy. I'd almost venture to say that messing around with vehicles and clothing is more fun than the actual game itself. For those just looking for an inexpensive title to mess around with, a world slightly more wacky and outlandish than GTA, then you've got something good here. Just don't expect a full game's worth of quality.

In the end Saints Row 2 has all of the gameplay aesthetics you could ever want, but none of the polish that it needs. All of the pieces are in place, but they're held together by scotch tape and white glue. For every round of Insurance Fraud there's an enemy waiting to spawn from the nether and run you down. In many ways the game is a parody of itself, with so many great things there so comically cobbled together. It's a godsend for those looking to pick it up that it'll only set you back about $18 from your local GameStop, or a little over $20 if you pick up the Platinum Double Pack of the first two games, because that's about all it's worth if you ask me.

A Blast to Play.

2011-09-21T12:20:00Z

This game is great beginning to end, but once you finish the story there isn't really much left to do. Yes, you can always do the side missions except to me they're terribly boring. I love the physics in this game, & i love tossing people twenty feet in the air and off of bridges. It is definitely the right direction for the series. Its made several improvements over the first game, & has even added more things to do in the city of Stillwater. One noticeable thing i've noticed is the cars. Only like 5 or 6 cars can be on screen at a time & when you turn around and look back new cars have appeared. Overall, a great game but its not GTA.

BUY SAINTS ROW 2!

2011-07-09T22:46:00Z

IM NOT A FANBOY BUT THIS GAME BLEW ME AWAY. THE STORY WAS GREAT AND IT FOLLOWED THE STORY OF THE FIRST SAINTS ROW. I LIKED THE NEW OPPTIONS FOR CUSTOM CARS. IT HAD SOME NEW ACTIVITYS LIKE THE DIVERSIONS SUCH AS FIREFIGHTING, HO - ING, MEDICAL TREATMENT, AND MY FAVORITE STREEKING. BUT IF YOU CARE ABOUT GRAFFICS THEN IT WASNT MUCH DIFFRENT THAN THE FIRST. BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE A HINT THERE ARE SOME UNCHARTED ISLANDS NORTHWEST OF THE PRSION ISLAND YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT. PERSONALY I LOVED IT AND I WOULD RECOMEND IT TO ANYONE.

And I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way

2011-01-08T18:39:00Z

Being a review of Saint's Row, the inevitable comparisons to GTA must be made so lets just get this over with first. Saint's Row is, without shame, and GTA rip-off. You start the game alone in a totally open city, you build up a gang, you take down other gangs through a combination of escort quests and stronghold missions, and you end the game controlling the city with a hoard of troubled youth under your questionably moral rule.

This is where the similarities end. While GTA is a shaky journey through semi-realistic grittiness, Saint's Row is a quirky exploration of madcap fun. In GTA, you take your friends and family out to lunch and hope they don't take to long to finish their godd*mned burgers, but in Saint's Row, you drive a truck around the projects hosing everything down with sewage. Saint's Row is a game that refuses to take itself too seriously in the minigames while not forfeiting a grave tone in the plot (applause for the segue).

Saint's Row's plot is split up into 3 distinct sections, building up your gang, wrecking everyone else's, and taking down the big evil company that takes over Mars. Each one has a good pace and mixes up the kinds of missions. What is so interesting about the plot thought is how honestly compelling I found them and, while I may be the only person on the planet who thinks this way, there was one mission which was intended to be emotional and moving which anyone could enjoy. Being the sucker I am, I thought it was intense and quite sad but if you aren't like me, you would most likely be able to enjoy the mediocre b-list writing as some sort of overdone joke.

In the end, the question really is, is the game enjoyable and the answer, yes. Every moment you spend playing Saint's Row, whether you are building up street cred by running around naked or finding the secret blow-up doll cave in the cemetery,there is no denying that this is, and most likely will always be, one of the most fun games you will every play. It may not be that serious but it nails the tone and pacing and if you do ever get bored, you can just hijack a plane and point it a building.

It may not be mature, but it doesn't give a crap and neither should you.

Awesome

2010-06-14T16:46:00Z

This game is awesome. There is so much to do, it is almost impossible to get bored of. Although, the graphics may lack a little compared to more up to date games, it is a definite must buy. The missions are fun, and running around killing people is even more fun. This game makes me want to say one thing, and one thing only, Awesome.

A non-GTA game for GTA fans

2010-01-30T18:03:00Z

Saints Row 2 is the type of game that’s going to draw a lot of comparisons to the Grand Theft Auto series, and for good reasons, too. Both series use tongue-in-cheek humor to point out the stereotypes that the world has about gang culture, both feature a large, open world meant for exploration and both showcase a robust cast of talented voice actors. Even though Grand Theft Auto IV has chosen to take a more mature or adult path to its story, with its love interests and consequences for choosing one side over another, Saints Row 2 has instead gone a very different route: by making a game that everyone that plays a GTA game says they’re playing.

That last sentence may have been a bit confusing if you’re new to sandbox-style games, but it’s true. Though GTA was applauded for its story telling and relatable characters, all the stories you hear of people playing GTA is of how high their wanted level was and what crazy stunts they happened to pull off. And that’s exactly what Saints Row 2 is – an adrenaline-filled sequence of car chase after car chase with exciting characters, over-the-top missions and a sense of humor that anyone could find entertaining.

If you’re not familiar with the original Saints Row, you’re character, whom you could customize to your liking, was used by a group of undercover cops to systematically take over the city of Stilwater by eliminating rival gangs. Once your gang, the 3rd Street Saints, managed to rise to a dominant power, an assassination attempt was made on your life, but, instead of killing you, all they managed to do was place you in a severe coma. Waking up years later, you begin the main story arc of Saints Row 2: take back the city and seek revenge on the ones responsible for your condition.

Once back on the streets, it’s up to you to decide which series of missions to tackle first. Since your time in a coma, three other gangs, the Brotherhood, the Sons of Samedi and the Ronin, have all but ran the Saints into obscurity. With these missions, you can start or stop any story progress at any time. If you’re getting bored with the Brotherhood, you’re more than free to start up the Samedi storyline, then the Ronin storyline, and when finished, pop back in with the Brotherhood uninterrupted.

With all three of these story arcs, you’re introduced to characters, both good and bad, that really draw you into the story and the world that developer Volition has created. The bad guys are over-the-top and melodramatic, while the friend characters constantly crack jokes that provide a much needed break from violent mission after violent mission. In order to progress a story arc, though, you’ll have to complete various side-missions placed throughout Stilwater.

Much like some of the extracurricular activities in the GTA games, Saints Row 2 features side-missions that help you discover new control schemes, weapons and vehicles. Ranging from the typical hitman-styled missions to demolition derbies, races and more, Saints Row 2 seemingly copies GTA in every way, shape and form. The only difference, though, is that these side missions, when completed, fill a meter known as the “Respect Bar,” which can earn you character-based perks, allow you to have more and more gang members and unlocks the next chapter in your active story arc. Though much of the activities are somewhat tedious, the one that truly shows the individuality of Saints Row 2 is the returning insurance fraud missions.

During insurance fraud, it is your responsibility to rack up as much damage to your character as possible. Helping shady doctors earn more and more face time in the media, you must throw your character into oncoming traffic to earn fraudulent insurance money during a given amount of time. By running into various cars or trucks and pulling one of the left or right triggers, your character will go limp and fall into traffic. Though this may sound simple, the ideal situation is for your character to hit one car, then ping pong back and forth between as many cars as possible before hitting the ground. Do this enough, and you’ll go into “Adrenaline Mode” – a timed sequence which allows your character infinite sprint and the ability to glide with the left stick into more traffic.

During Adrenaline Mode, you’re character will run faster, be flung higher and higher by vehicles and also earn more money depending on the type of damage you take. If you get good enough, one trip through Adrenaline Mode can net you almost all or more than the amount of money you need (which ranges from $50,000 to $500,000). Also, when completing the 6 levels of Insurance Fraud, you’ll earn the abilities to either sprint twice as long as normal or sprint forever. In a lot of the story chapters, running is just as important as shooting or driving, so I suggest you complete this activity first.

Speaking of shooting and driving, Saints Row 2 does not attempt to reinvent the wheel, and instead uses what has been proven time and time again. Driving uses a simple, pick-up-and-play mechanic that only uses the absolutely necessary buttons. On the 360 controller, the Y button gets in and out of cars, the A button is used for acceleration and the X button is your brake or reverse. The only complaint I can note about driving is that the camera may be placed a bit too close for your liking. When reversing, it’s easy to mistake the direction you want because the camera is constantly swinging around your character. What was once a left turn one second, is now a right turn, and if you hit the accelerator, your controls quickly switch back to being left is left and right is right.

While the driving may take a few confusing segments to master, the shooting does not. Controlling like other third-person games, the left joystick controls your character’s back, forth and side-to-side movements, while the right joystick directs your character's aim. Your right trigger fires your weapon (which ranges from basic pistols to machine guns and rocket launchers), when your left trigger causes your character to swing his or her weapon at anyone in their near vicinity. If you want to get a bit more accurate, though, a quick click of the right joystick will bring your character’s view in tighter and slow their movements to a walking pace. Though you move slower than normal, you’re now able to pick enemies apart from afar. Whether it’s shooting their weapon arm or crippling them with a nut shot, which the game rewards you for doing, an expert marksman can easily take down their enemies with the greatest of ease.

Much like Saints Row 2’s initial ad campaign said, Saints Row is a game made for the fans of Grand Theft Auto. If you found the relationship segments boring or felt that Rockstar toned down the action in GTA IV, Saints Row 2 is more than a capable replacement. With there being so many sandbox-styled games coming out year after year, it is my honest opinion that the Saints Row series could soon be held in the same high regard as GTA. At least... it could be.

Where GTA has really shined is in its technical stability, which is exactly where Saints Row 2 falls short. Besides the technical hiccups, some plain frustrating moments are common place when things get hectic. Paired with a crippling drop in the frame rate, I've seen characters fall through architecture, get stuck in vehicles and more. What's worse is that most of these situations occur during the last segments of the three story arcs when you're facing waves of angry gang members and pinpoint accuracy is absolutely necessary. Running into one of two of these snags may be passable, but when you have to restart a lengthy mission numerous times because of the same issue, you can only wonder why someone didn't put this on the to-do list for things to fix.

Presentation: 4/5
Saints Row 2 quickly throws you into the world of Stilwater by greeting you with gritty street tunes and spray painted graphics right from the main menu. Without even seeing a video or reading a review, you know what this game is about.

Graphics: 3/5
With so much going on in the background, there is a bit of a graphics pop-in and the graphics style seems a bit dated. Though these are things that can be forgiven, get too many things going on screen and it’s not uncommon to notice a sever frame rate drop. If you have the option, install this game to your hard drive.

Gameplay: 4/5
Saints Row 2 doesn’t do much to redesign the wheel – which helps. If you’re familiar with other games in this genre, you’ll feel right at home whether you’re flying a helicopter, driving a car or shooting out someone’s tires with an AK-47.

Replayability: 4/5
The world of Stilwater is one that is entertaining and filled to the brim with side-missions. Between races, vehicle ramps, hidden CDs to collect, graffiti markers to cover up plus all the various housing available to purchase, Saints Row 2 has tons to do well after the story is finished. If you feel like another trek through Stilwater, you can even play the entire game co-op over Xbox Live or the Playstation Network.

Saint's Row 2 Review

2009-12-03T03:13:00Z

Everyone has a dark fantasy. It could be killing 3 people for a buck or ruling the world, but how about we make it somewhere in between? That's where Saint's Row 2 comes in.

As you begin, you create you male or female protagonist through one of the deepest character creators ever made.** Your character wakes up from a coma caused from an explosion at the end of the first game (I sold the first game, so I'll have to download it if I'm to review it.). You escape the prison's hospital through a exciting prison break that show off the game's awesome gunplay. There's the constant lagging of the screen, but once this is done, you probably won't have to worry about it. But still... After this, you can explore ALL of the city of Stilwater. You have most of the freedom in the beginning as you do in the end, so it isn't forcing you to do missions to unlock the rest of the city a la GTA.

The activities are fun, though some can be challenging. All activities from the first game made the cut to this game plus more. Oh, yeah. Demolition derby is so much better this time around. Completeing 3 levels of any activity will upgrade your character and there's 6 levels per activity so you get 2 upgrades for each activity completed. This is an addicting way for the game to get you back to doing the activities. You need to do the activities, however, to get respect to do mission. What I never understood, though, is why you LOSE respect for helping the Saint's. If you are helping your gang, shouldn't they respect you MORE?? Whatever. As long as you get weapons and infinite ammo, you shouldn't care. The missions are kind of the same, but I found myself never noticing until I thought about it in my head. This is all due to fun gunplay. Shooting enemies isn't as satisfying as Frontlines: Fuel of War, but it still feels good.

Of course, there are the negatives. Some activities are a bit hard, and there are some framerate stumbles, but overall, its a great game and nothing feels as good as getting money for doing nothing.

** Yeah, once creating your character, if you put every slider all the way to the left or right, you should have one of the freakiest looking characters ever. If you tired of looking at their freaky faces, go to a plastic surgeon.

Great game

2009-10-30T13:51:39Z

Saints Row 2 is a game you can play anyday of the week.It has a fun open worlds, many different vehicles and weapons, and funny easter eggs. The story isn't great , the multiplayer feels tacked on, but the co-op is a blast. I would recommend this game to anyone since it's only about 20 dollars now.

Saints Row 2: The Complete Expierence (on the go)

2009-10-10T21:41:25Z

Saints Row 2: The Complete Expierence

~on the go~

part 1 of the Complete Expierence: Story Mode

If you like a game where there's shooting(check), Driving(check), Jacking(check), again driving(check), occasional jumping out of planes, doing drivebys on old ladys(your sick), and slicing people on motorcycles with your katana(check,_, & Check) then your in the right arena.

A sandbox shooter, that is not Grand theft auto, may leave you a bit timid about this one, but trust me, this is a fun, laid back game which hits the nail on doing 'anything' to get money (and i mean anything).

You play as the same protagonist from the initial predasessor, except now your locked in a prison and have gone through "MASSIVE" surgery (even going as far as being another gender or in between if you wish). So any true ganster, in prison, has to break out right? So as soon as you begin on the first level your busting out of jail, sailing in a ship, blowing up Helicoptors (A way to begin a game, huh?)

It's a big city, rich with many activities (in which you need in order to build up your rep to play missions), and other landmarks. Your still playing through the same landscape as the first game, though this time around you'll see it remodeled with additions and new islands, which is explained throughout the course of the game.

The missions are pretty solid, and taking over the city from the many Colorful (i mean that literally too) and unique gangs about, its pretty fun. The last level is a blast, and once you think you beat it they blow you away with facing yet another Organization, who's not even a "gang" (in the sense of gang) at all. Which ends with an Explosive ending. This with some top notch graphics of any sandbox shooter (shadows GTAIV though), and great arsenal and quality of weapons make it a blast to way, by yourself on a boring summer day, or with a group of friends, taking turns jumping out of airplanes.

part 2 of the Complete Expierence: Multiplayer Mode

So if playing solo got bored, or just in the mood for some competition then multiplayers the mode for you. Though the Campaigns story arc allows up to two individuals, this mode allows for up to 12 players. With different modes, and game types to play, you shoud find your favorate in no time. Though you may get overshadowed from games just as Gears of War 2 and the halo genre, still fun to play time to time or when bored of playing big shooters.

Overall, a nice package of gaming galore with downloadable content on the net for new levels and places to go, and a cheap price tag. A great present to give to a loved one during any birthday bash.