Saints Row 2 - The Review - 8/10
Saints Row 2 Review Written By Skua
“free your inner sinner”
Saints Row 2, abbreviated to the common “SR2” is an open world free roaming 3rd person action/shooter. The game itself is presented in a well manner, by the front cover, and the rear cover, adding a more gangster appeal. The game is presented in a unique matter itself, many will find this very interesting. The game is more fun over serious, which makes this game suitable for most gamers that have much interest in this genre.
The Game
In Saints Row 2, you will find yourself roaming the streets of Stillwater, the same town as the previous Saints Row , but much bigger this time around. The game offers players a majority of customisation options, and fine tuning to nearly everything. The game starts off in a hospital in Stillwater’s prison, where the protagonist is all bandaged up, after an explosion which ended the first saints row. The game gives you the option to fully customise the protagonist, giving you male , female, and for those who dare, transsexual. You can choose from different races, body size, hair and more. The game starts after your protagonist is unwrapped, and another inmate is injured and breaks you out. You were in a coma for 2 years. Then you find out that, your gang, the 3rd street saints, broke up. You then break out of prison and the game starts. The game features many features, such as car customising, crib customising, music shops, plastic surgeons, car dealers and much more.
The Gameplay
Saints Row 2 will feel very very different from other games that fit into the same genre. The car handling is the main reason. Vehicles have very unrealistic handling therefore making it hard to drive sometimes. But thats ok, after a few goes you get used to it. THQ also added “Cruise Control” to all vehicles so you can leave it at the same speed without holding buttons or triggers. The onscreen display is good, with a minimap on the bottom left and the health on the top right in circles. There is respect meters, gang hate and more included into the HUD. Walking around is good aswell because you can alter the way your character walks. For some gamers from the last gen of these games , it will feel a tiny bit like Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, in the way of what you can do in the game. Its not a bad thing, but its similar in some ways, such as the car customising, tattoo parlour and gangs.
The game feels pretty solid when playing, and the fine aim is good aswell, but could have been done a bit better. The game will be very interesting at some times, as you discover more features in the game. Some of these things are unrealistic, such as “Kneecappers” on the rims of cars, when driving they will come out of the rims. Other than that the game play on Saints Row 2 is enjoyable, and very solid. The game is very different in terms of missions. The game requires you to gain respect in order to do the story line, so you will find yourself doing many side missions to gain rep. Some of these side missions are; taking a hostage in a car, drug trafficking, escorts , chop shop and demolition derby. Or if you don’t like doing these sorts of things you can always roam the streets and kill enemy gangs for more rep.
The Graphics
Saints Row 2 has good graphics in its cut scenes and players in the game, although the open ended world does not look like a next gen game. But, what would you rather? Quality or quantity. Quality being the graphics and quantity being bigger map, more things to see and do. The graphics wont stun you like the graphics of Grand Theft Auto IV, but is still a great game with descent graphics that make the game solid still. There isn’t many problems graphics wise on Saints Row 2. The cars and motorbikes in Saints Row 2 are all unlicensed cars, so some cars are very well designed and visually good. The violence in the game isn’t very violent, but is still good.
The Online
Saints Row 2 has online features that enable up to 12 players in an online mode. There are a select variety of modes, and unfortunately there is no online lobby, and sometimes this becomes very frustrating waiting for players to join. The online is similar to the offline single player, solid game, and all out action.
The main thing people will want to do online is the co-operative online mode , so you can do the whole campaign with someone online. It is the exact as offline so you aren’t missing out on anything if you don’t have any connection to the playstation network (PSN) I think that the online should be fixed, there should be a lobby, and more features, as well as more characters to choose from. You can customise your character like in the single player game. There is also supposed to be some downloadable content, which is supposed to be released in early 2009.
The Sound
Saints Row 2 has a variety of radio stations in-game, which are spread over a category of different genres. There are 11 radio stations with genres such as; music from the 80’s , heavy metal, reggae, international music, indie rock and electric. The game contains coarse language, and most often word used is the F word.
The Verdict
The Game Itself 8/10
The Gameplay 7/10
The Graphics 7/10
The Online 8/10
The Replay Value 9/10
The Overall Score 8/10
I reviewed this game with a score of an 8 out of 10, because I personally think it is a very unique game that brings fun and action together, and I think that Saints Row 2 would make a great present for Christmas, or anyone’s birthday, or just for yourself. The game takes a while to get used to, but after a few times playing you will get hooked into the game and its customisation.
Saints Row 2 Is Avaliable At All Gaming Retailers For The Playstation 3 / Xbox 360 And Coming Soon To Games For Windows In 2009
Submitted by skua
07/12/2008
542
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