Saints Row IV

Saints Row IV is an open-world action game that bucks the series' roots and turns the absurdity dial to the max. Players once again explore Steelport as the leader of the Third Street Saints gang, but this time, the context is much more sinister. With the entire universe in danger following an alien invasion, the boss of the Third Street Saints must use his newfound powers to defeat them and save Steelport. Luckily, there's a huge variety of wacky weapons and intense superpowers to help the Saints on this adventure to save the world. Although it deviates from the established formula of the franchise, Saints Row IV should be a satisfying romp for fans of the genre.

Main Game Features

• Open-world map with tons of content
• Powerful new superhero abilities
• Gleefully absurd sci-fi story

Story

Saints Row IV takes place around 5 years after the events of the previous game, with the leader of the Third Street Saints now elected as the President of the United States. During a press conference, the White House is attacked by an alien overlord named Zinyak, who abducts the player and the rest of their crew. Forced into a simulation of Steelport, the Saints must reassemble and figure out a way to defeat Zinyak from within. As the heroes begin to realize their ability to alter the simulation, they soon become superhero entities, possessing god-like powers over the simulation. With their renewed sense of power, the Saints prepare to unleash a climactic revolution against Zinyak and his army.

Gameplay

The gameplay in Saints Row IV is just as goofy as its plot, featuring a large selection of ridiculous weapons, abilities, and missions. Instead of driving around the city and stealing cars, it's now far more simple to leap hundreds of feet in the air and glide across the landscape at will. Players can also earn various offensive powers, including fire and ice projectiles, telekinetic throws, and more. Unlike previous Saints Row titles, missions are now self-contained levels, taking you to other simulations or challenge areas. This allows for some much more creative mission designs, such as a parody of The Matrix or Mass Effect.

Unfortunately, the side activities are a bit less inspired than in previous Saints Row games, with most of them centered around destruction or racing. Racing across rooftops as you bound through the air is fun enough, but can grow repetitive when other side activities are similar in nature. You can find data clusters scattered around the map, which can be spent on a character upgrade skill tree, which encourages players to explore the map as well. There are also tons of cool futuristic guns to use, such as the dub-step gun that fires weaponized bass waves. Although some of the open-world missions are a bit lackluster, the goofy arsenal and abilities make up for it.

Conclusion

While fans of the older Saints Row games might be slightly disappointed with its deviations, Saints Row IV is still a lot of fun. The game feels more aligned with modern open-world game design, featuring lots of activities, skill-trees, and ridiculous powers. However, the consistently funny scenarios make the story worthwhile, and the core gameplay is exceptionally rewarding.

Pros:

• Superpowers are tons of fun to use
• Great characters and a wild story
• Fun and zany weapons

Cons:

• Loses some of the charm of the previous games
• A bit too easy
• Side activities feel uninspired