In the early days of the Saints Row franchise a criticism that was often levelled against the game was that it was nothing more than a GTA clone, with Saints Row: The Third, however, the franchise really began to develop its own very separate identity, and with Saints Row IV the game further distances itself from the GTA way.
With the majority of the Saints Row IV gameplay set inside a simulation, you spend most of the game attempting to infiltrate the main frame as you gain superpowers and smash your way through the Steelport setting, using your powers to try and take down the system. Steelport is the same setting as was utilised in Saints Row: The Third, we’re now five years on from the events of the third game though and the world is now a very different place with the leader of the Saints having now been elected president of the United States.
For those that enjoyed Saints Row: The Third, Saints Row IV is a nice little followup to the game that provides an insight into what happened next. It’s unpredictable, out there, and a lot of the things that made Saints Row: The Third such a fun game to play return here, it’s just amped up a level, with the fairly regular open world gameplay of the third game ported into a world of simulation where telekinesis comes as naturally to you as walking and running, and where driving cars around the city can at times just be a drag when you could happily glide to your next location just as quickly.
Saints Row: The Third had some very cool elements of humour, and this aspect of the game is carried through into Saints Row IV with some at times rather amusing aspects of sexual humour and the inclusion of good fun weaponry such as the dubstep gun. The game doesn’t take itself too seriously, and when you first start playing the game it’s a huge amount of fun to roam around Steelport as you take advantage of your superpowers, launching your way up buildings and gliding your way through the city. The quests are on the whole quite entertaining to take on and there are some decent elements of gameplay throughout, at times the game can feel a little bit repetitive, however, and some of the gameplay can feel like a bit of a slog as you wade through the dull parts in order to reach the more fulfilling quests that the game has to offer. Even when the game is bland it’s still not bad, just a little on the repetitive side and it therefore falls a little flat at times when you’re not being hit with crude humour and amusing weaponry to keep you entertained.
If you played and enjoyed Saints Row: The Third then Saints Row IV is definitely a game to consider adding to your collection as the chances are that you’ll find a fair amount of enjoyment in its gameplay. If you’re a Playstation owner with Playstation Plus, Saints Row: The Third is currently available in the instant game collection and therefore well worth a download if you’re not yet familiar with the Saints Row franchise, and if superhero antics and sexual humour are your bag then Saints Row IV should certainly be your kind of game.
Open world environment aside, Saints Row IV is an extremely different game to Grand Theft Auto V, the focus here is very much on fun and humour rather than aesthetic beauty and movie-like storylines, if you’re looking for a fun way to spend your evenings/weekends though then this may well be the game for you. Grand Theft Auto V is an absolutely brilliant game that you’ll want to be playing for months to come, sometimes you just require a bit of light entertainment in your gaming life though and for occasions like those? Saints Row IV is a very good choice of game.
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
