User Review : Saints Row 2

Saints Row 2 "is" much more "fun" than Grand Theft Auto 4

I've always heard from certain Xbox 360 owners that Saints Row was equal to the GTA franchise, of course with bold statements like those I could have only imagined what they meant. After playing Grand Theft Auto 4 and Saints Row 2 I may have understood what those Xbox 360 owners meant when they got a taste of the 360 exclusive Saints Row.

Saints Row 2 has you play as a notorious gang leader who apparently was a high ranking officer in his gang when the original Saints Row took place, after being caught in an accident he was sent to an island prison in their medical center. The game opens up with a lengthy conversation between two unimportant characters that puts people up to speed to certain facts that would allow people who've never played the original to more or less understand the story. After waking up from the coma he meets a member of his gang he does not know who further briefs the story and through this encounter the main story begins to develop on its own as the player then takes it upon himself to re-establish himself and his gang in a city where they are forgotten. The aspect of the story is divided into five different forms, from the first mission that establishes your gang, the missions that would lead to the ending, and three sets of missions that provide the most entertainment of the game. The stories for each set of missions have been divided in terms of style where the Ronin are more action packed, the Samedi feel laid back and in a way creepy and the Brotherhood storyline which felt mean and vicious, with each style different it will come to a surprise that all provide enough humor and excitement to satisfy anyone’s single player needs. The story itself is unrealistic which has proven the lack of realism isn't really a bad thing rather it has shaped this game. Still the lack of the first Saints Row does not help in allowing the player to fully be immersed in the characters relationships with people he used to work with and the emotional moments (although few) that happen.

The graphics are nothing special in fact it looked like a Playstation 2 game or a launch 360 or launch PS3 game at best. Not only are graphical inconsistencies a staple in the game but the textures were poorly made and the character models didn't prove itself to be up to standards. The sound in this game is good, I felt that the chosen soundtrack used for the radio were a hit and miss factor but the voice acting was better you can tell in the emotional aspects that happen in certain missions that shows that the chosen voice actors are great at what they do. The immersion you feel is present in the environment the explosions, the trains and the civilians that populate Stilwater, the game does a good job in attempting to place the player in the world of Stilwater.

The game allows you to create your own character from body build to gender, from hair color to race and from posture to taunts, the character creation tools are so broad in what they can do it is in its own enjoyable. The game is not only broad in its character creation tools but it is also broad in its missions, aside from the main missions there are loads of side missions that can allow the game to extend past its story. Customization is further emphasize in cribs and cars the latter being just as fun as the game since only a handful of cars are not allowed to be customized the rest can be customized. The gameplay is action packed the lack of a cover system keeps you in a run and gun mindset keeping the adrenaline high especially when you get in trouble with the police and the gang members. The weapons range from strong weapons like Shotguns to quicker weapons like the sub machine gun which like certain other small weapons can be dual wielded and even goes to lengths to include a weapon that’s fun in the sense with it you can kill others and revive them the weapon known as the defibrillator.

The game may not have the serious story or graphical power of Grand Theft Auto 4 it is definitely more humorous and more fun. This game is what I'd call a Grand Theft Auto San Andreas sequel. Why? Because of the sheer fun that comes with this game far outweigh that of Grand Theft Auto 4. Overall it might be more fun than Grand Theft Auto 4 but it being better will be based on your opinion.