Gangstas In Space Offers Familiar Action For Saints Row Fans

Those who bought Saints Row: The Third's season pass have known that they'd be getting three mission packs with their purchase. Genki Bowl VII was the first, and was disappointing since it offered little we hadn't seen in the main game. Gangstas In Space is the second, and it was released today (the third, The Trouble With Clones, is coming this spring). I just finished playing the brief DLC, and it's yet another pack that's light on fresh content.

Included in the Gangstas In Space download are a couple of new homies (including an extraterrestrial brute), some alien costume parts, two new vehicles, and three missions. While Genki Bowl was essentially a collection of activities, this download is more of a true mission pack. As the leader of the Saints, you've been selected to star in a movie about an invading (and scantily-clad) alien menace.

There isn't much of a story to talk about, as you'll simply act out the required scenes for the movie. Things start with a far-too-long vehicular chase scene, and eventually move towards a laser-filled shootout across the set of the movie. You'll eventually access the Aegean, a slick alien ship that behaves almost identically to the useful VTOL aircraft.

The only unique element to these missions is the fact that alien weaponry is involved instead of the standard tanks and helicopters. If these three missions had instead utilized the standard human vehicles and weapons, they'd easily be some of the most uneventful in the game.

You'll also unlock the Scythe hover bike, and – like the Aegean – it behaves identically to its regular counterpart already available in the main game. It's a shame that more silly offerings aren't in place, as the alien origin is the perfect excuse to go even crazier than usual with the weapons and crafts.

If you enjoy Saints Row: The Third enough to purchase its DLC, there's a good chance you're already leveled up to the point of almost being invincible. This makes the Gangstas In Space missions even less exciting than they already are, as you can casually saunter from room to room without a care in the world. The game's upgrades allow you to be invincible against bullets, explosions, fire, and more, but there aren't any upgrades for laser defense. Despite this, the enemies' lasers didn't hurt me at all. I'm not sure why Volition didn't make the player vulnerable while still offering new anti-laser upgrades, which would make sense, add some sense of difficulty, and give fans something new to shoot for.

Gangstas In Space feels more substantial than Genki Bowl, as it does offer some actual missions. However, they're straightforward affairs that don't offer anything new in terms of gameplay. Considering the high quality level of the main game's story missions, it's disappointing to see the game plodding along on what seems like autopilot for its first two DLC offerings.