Saints Row: The Third – Game Analysis & Review
By Patrick Newman
Developer: Volition, Inc.
Publishers: THQ, CyberFront (Japan)
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Onlive
Release Date: November 15, 2011
Genre: Open world, Action-adventure
Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
Rating: Mature
Saint’s Row: The Third (The title referring to the plot’s central Steel Street Saints crew) is a glorious celebration of gore, fireballs, misogyny and carjacking that nearly transcends the similar pleasures offered by its looming competitor, Grand Theft Auto. Instead of going the darker, grittier route, as would be typical in these post-Dark Knight 2010’s, Saint’s Row has become a near parody of the genre that GTA revolutionized. It’s an absurdist, arcade-like experience, enhanced by cooperative multiplayer action and an exaggerated setting that plays like a potpourri of all the accumulated gangster pop culture over the last 20 years.
Mostly bringing its grab-bag of juvenile antics and brainless viscera to the table to woo audiences already saturated with this material, Saint’s Row: The Third succeeds by crafting extremely varied gameplay that keeps the rewards coming – and players coming back. While failing in crucial narrative respects (there are two endings, one of which is tonally out of step with the whole game, and the other misguided to the point of being nonsensical), The Third never makes the fatal mistake of being dull or repetitive. This is a place where the Saints are treated like Wu-Tang or NWA – celebrities who are congratulated for their rampant public destruction instead of immediately thrown in the can.
Whereas Stilwater was the setting for the first two games, The Third drops the crew into the burgeoning city of Steelport. Three local gangs have the territory locked down, and it is the dismantling of these organizations through a variety of violent, extreme means that defines much of the gameplay. Most all activities a player could engage in here has been incentivized, and will earn that talented player either money or respect. Money buys territory, upgrades, weapons, and sleek outfits. Respect levels fall in more with RPG-like experience points, unlocking abilities that give players unlimited sprint or no fall damage.
Every action performed within the narrative – even something trivial like nearly hitting another vehicle – Allows the player constant rewards, which is fantastic when one considers how compulsively playable that makes the game become. The Thirds’ campaign mode can be marched through using local cooperative play, online, or through a system link. The addition of a co-op mode has pros and cons, since it’s a joy to create wanton chaos with a buddy, but a drag to bring them along on more dialogue, story-driven missions, where their presence feels less vital to the proceedings. Nevertheless, all progress carries over to the single-player game, which enhances the experience all around.
The visuals, though not up to par with contemporaries such as Uncharted, are very smooth to observe. The soundtrack is packed with licensed – and high quality – hits, ranging from hip-hop to classical, of which you can create your own playlists. This is an open world, but like, say – a similarly detailed game like L.A. Noire – I wouldn’t say it’s a living world. “Mayhem” activities place a time limit on destruction, but the game can surprisingly leave you at a loss for destructible objects. There are pop-up issues too, as well as a variety of rare glitches, such as disappearing vehicles and the some mission objectives that can’t be reached because of nonsensically-closed doors. These problems fade, though, once the unbridled insanity of The Third kicks into gear, and that happens quite often.
Saint’s Row: The Third is so enjoyable precisely because it isn’t a Grand Theft Auto clone, and embraces its juvenilia rather than working hard to obscure it. GTA practices much of the same irresponsibility with a higher level of visual and storytelling polish, to be sure, but hides behind a veil of pretentious self-seriousness (especially in the case of IV) and social commentary while working it’s devilish charms. The Third has no such qualms about delivering such an unbridled, indefensibly dark and entertaining crime saga to the home, and for that it deserves congratulations.
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