Saints Row: Why so... not serious?

So this came out this week.

I have a long history with Saints Row. I played the first Saints Row back in the day when nobody played it. Understand, I had never played Grand Theft Auto or any kind of open world game like this. So when I played Saints Row, I lost it and fell in love at first sight. It didn't have the greatest or most realistic storyline in the world but it was gritty enough to hook me and enjoy what I was doing. It also allowed me to just roam and do activities as opposed to doing the main story. That is a strength all the Saints Row games have over Grand Theft Auto is that you can play the story but you can also do activities and roam and just have fun.

So with the success of Saints Row one in my mind, I obviously bought Saints Row 2.

And I loved it!

Again, it was the simple feeling of being in a gang. Was it a realistic representation of being in a gang? I couldn't tell you because I've never been in a gang. But it was just fun, gangster, free-roam gameplay you could enjoy. And if you were like me and actually liked the storyline of the first game, you were pleasantly surprised that the story of the second game is a good sequel. At least that was my thoughts on it.

Before I go on, I must put out a disclaimer. As with all the movies and other stuff I have reviewed, I will mostly be addressing the story and all around entertainment value of the game. I may add a little bit about gameplay but I will add little to nothing about controls or the graphics of the game... cause frankly if the story is good and I'm entertained, the graphics to me don't matter.

Anyway, and then the trailer for Saints Row: The Third came out.

I'm going to contradict what I just said and mention the graphics of the game for a second. I saw how the game was designed and I was very confused. Why change up the look of the game? But that wouldn't have mattered if the story and game were entertaining. It couldn't have changed that much, could it?

It did... a lot.

Saints Row: The Third stepped away from the dark gritty feeling of Saints Row 2 and stepped into a flashy comedic direction with the third installment. In many ways, the first two games are totally different games from the third and fourth game.

Like I said before, the story of Saints Row has never been phenomenal but the third game kind of threw all attempts at a story out the window. And the outrageous nonrealisticness of the series was brought to a whole other level.

Now I am in no way saying that Volition made a bad choice when they decided to go in the comedic flashy direction with Saints Row: The Third, I'm only saying its not a direction I personally like. The Saints were no longer a gang, they were a brand name. They were selling energy drinks and when they were robbing banks people would want photos and autographs. (Not kidding, one of the things you find in the game are people wanting to take pictures with you) It no longer had that Grand Theft Auto crime feeling, I just kind of felt like a corporate sellout... that committed crimes. And they mention that a little bit in the game but it doesn't really amount to anything. The Saints don't make any attempts to hide the fact that their merchandise is funding a criminal organization. But again, I'm probably missing the point. Saints Row: The Third brought the series to a level where suddenly crime did pay and nobody has any morals, crime rules.

In Saints Row 2 you still fought gangs that seemed like they could actually exist. You had the Ronin, a Yakuza like biker gang, and the Brotherhood, a group of tattooed monster truck junkies, and the Sons of Samedi, a group of Jamaican drug runners. All of them exaggerated but had a sense of realism to them.

Saints Row: The Third throws that all out the window.

Giant Purple Dildo: Case and Point

I'm guessing that Volition looked at the poor ratings of Saints Row 2 (ratings I still do not get) and realized they needed to switch up the style of game they were making. Saints Row always road the line between Grand Theft Auto and Duke Nukem. The Third drifted more and more in that direction. While there were drastic steps... like the purple dildo... It still remained somewhat based in a criminal world. You still felt as though what you were doing was wrong and criminal. 

Saints Row 3 was kind of a disappointment for me as it stepped away from the gritty criminal world I had come to enjoy in the first two installments, even if others hadn't. 

And now there's Saints Row 4. 

Another Disclaimer: I haven't played Saints Row 4. I'm kind of disappointed I spent the money I did on Saints Row 3 and don't intend to spend too much money at all on Saints Row 4... and here's why. 

You are the President of the United States... The catchphrase of certain trailers is "Hail to the motherfucking chief"... And not only that, but there's an alien invasion. So you're no long having a gang war... you're fighting aliens. And not only that, you have superpowers... screw the cool weapons you could have in the past games, lets just have superpowers. 

Once again, I'm probably missing the point here. But

I'm slowly realizing that I can't take this series that seriously. I mean you recruit Keith David to be your Vice President... that is hilarious. 

This game is not Grand Theft Auto. I knew that from the beginning but now Volition is making it crystal clear that this is not, in anyway, Grand Theft Auto. 

I probably should have stopped taking it seriously after the purple dildo but I wanted to so badly. I played the first Saints Row and saw an alternative to Grand Theft Auto. I thought the gameplay and just style of the game was unique enough to make it its own game and provide gamers another option when it came to the gangster free roam game. Obviously, I was wrong. 

Reading into this game, they're bringing back characters that were thought dead and bringing them into the fourth game. I hope they don't take a shit on the games I cherish... but then again it is Saints Row... I wouldn't put it past them.

So I have no intention of playing the fourth Saints Row game. At least for a very long time. (unless I got it for free) It just seems like the game is better known for its wacky comedic gameplay rather than a gritty story with a dark sense of humor. I'm probably making the first Saints Row something they weren't but it could have gone a totally different direction. 

They're obviously going in a direction that works for them. I just think it could have been a lot more. Perhaps I saw it going in a subtle Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction Tarantino direction. Serious direction but a dark humor addition.

Last time I'll say it. Not the direction they were going. But I wish they had gone that direction.

It would have done more for the story which is my main thought process as you know.


So are you going to get Saints Row 4? What style do you like more? Saints Row 1 and 2 or Saints Row 3 and 4? Let me know, comment below.