Saints Row Review (PS5)

Saints Row became synonymous with the open world experience that tries to offer mindless fun, by taking the jokes, the story, the characters, and the combat more and more into the realm of ridiculous. In the latest episodes, the developers tried every over-the-top trick they could think of just to attract the attention of gamers. No topic remained sacred, and the cast of original characters managed to conquer not just the White House, but also hell. Now the story continues with a reboot and a new Saints Criminal Empire with updated cultural references.

To top the latest adventures of the 3rd Street Saints would have been a very tall order, so it is no surprise that the developers from Volition chose to reboot the series. they chose new characters much more in touch with the times we live in, a new origin story and they toned down the extreme approach, positioning the new game close to the second episode. The result, simply called Saints Row, is a mixed bag of candies that feels way shier than the previous experiences.

The new story begins in Santo Ileso, that can be best described as the budget version of Las Vegas mixed together with New Mexico. You will play one of the four friends, who despite their membership in different factions manage to live together peacefully in a condo. Trying to meet ends meet and paying the rent means that they all have to pull jobs that they are not exactly comfortable with.

You are no exception, starting your career as cannon fodder for the Marshal troops. Before being thrown in the deep end you first have to go through the character customization, a lengthy and detailed process, that lets you configure your hero to your liking. You can alter even the smallest details having the chance to create the anti-hero of your dreams. The options are almost unlimited, Saints Row allowing you to recreate any fantasy from She-Hulk to Johnny Silverhand. The only limit is your imagination.

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After feeling comfortable with your chest and crotch size you will have the chance to discover the game world that is filled with main and secondary missions, bounties, side activities and even criminal enterprises that fill your pocket. Your conflict with the rival factions will escalate with each heist you pull and towards the end of the game the story will evolve to explain the rise and fall of the Saints.

There are no major plot twists, and the character development is flimsy at best. But these were never the main attractions of the series. Many fans will be disappointed that the new episode tries to play it safe, maybe too safe. Although there are plenty of one liners and sexual innuendos, the new Saints tries to be more relatable, with more down to earth situations and weapons. It is obvious that instead of shocking their audience, the developers tried to build a more personal connection between the players and the game.

As a result, beyond the roughly 12 hours long main story line you will discover a plethora of content that will keep you entertained, at least if you don’t mind repetitive tasks and missions. The game does a better job making you feel more invested in the game world and activities, but after a couple of hours you can’t help but notice that Saints Row is built on a handful of ideas recycled over and over again.

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But the biggest problem of the game is that it feels rushed from every point of view. The pace starts slowly by holding your hands through a very long tutorial that spans several missions, but towards the end of it you feel like some design ideas are not culminating. It’s like the developers started building something very promising but, in the end, pressured by time, they just focused on making it functional, not polished.

This impression is also supported by the numerous technical issues that plague the game before release. Without a day-1 patch, Saints Row feels a very buggy game that will try your patience. Starting from the character editor that can trap you by making the controls unresponsive, to cutscenes that fail to load and aim assist that either does not work or it is literally stuck to targets, Saints Row does not feel like a finished game.

The graphics are not very well optimized either. Using the 4K preset the game does look very detailed or truly next gen, while using the 1080p preset the framerate remains choppy. During the day the desert setting does not do too many favors to the game, the many shades of brown and empty vistas being rather disappointing. On the other hand, the night scenes and the story missions prove that the game can look pretty convincing. The few moments when the art style shines proves that there was potential greatness in the new Saints Row.

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The Good

The Bad

Conclusion