Saints Row 2 PS3 review (also available on Xbox 360 & PC)My first impressions of this game were dismal. I thought the graphics were ropey & even the character movement needed a lot of work, boy was I wrong. The graphics were easily fixed by selecting better frame rate in the options menu & as for the character movements.. Well. When you first start off playing you have the ability to create a fully customizable character & when I say fully I mean it, from make-up to nose size everything can be tweaked. There really is so much to this game that I have to split it up into categories to truly do it justice ..so here goes.
Story:After 5 years from the previous game you wake up in hospital on a prison island from which you have to escape. After escaping you make it back to the city of Stilwater where you hook up with old friends & build new contacts, after you were put away the city has gone to hell & gangs of rivals roam the districts. Back on the scene your goal is to rebuild the saints empire so you can reclaim the city, the gangs are the brotherhood/the sons of samedi & the ronin. The missions themselves blend very well with the story, and the rewards you can earn are well worth the effort of playing through the game.
Activities & diversions:
When gta4 was released it was a great game but it lacked on some of the fun activities of the past series, like the lack of a parachute & random mini-games, perhaps it was too grounded in reality. SR2 sets out to deliver all those activities & then some! There really are so many that I haven’t tried even half of them yet. base jumping speaks for itself/fight club offers underground fighting against multiple opponents/crowd control lets you perform bodyguard tasks for a celeb/fuzz is like the tv show cops where you earn money for apprehending criminals/heli-assault lets you command an attack helicopter in a series of missions/demolition gives you the opportunity to earn big bucks as you go on a rampage to destroy property/zombie uprising is a 3d survival horror game like resident evil, and there are many more.
Vehicles:I cant begin to list all the vehicles in this game but trust me there are a lot! Cars/trucks/vans/bikes/aircraft/boats & as you progress through the game you unlock car modifications & sets of gang cars to use for your own gang. The thing that really impressed me was vehicle customization option it really is a impressive & I spent ages tweaking & modifying my collection of cars & such, things that can added would be nitro/racing mods/spoilers/body work/lights/paint work/torque/tyre control & the usual selection of rims & tyres. The paint selection is very impressive with so many types & colours to choose for your head will spin.
Shopping:
Oh yes one of my favourite things about this game was the wide selection of shops & the different variety of clothes you can kit your character out in. the stores from the original game return along with some new ones & they all offer multiple colour & designs. Impressions sells formal wear such as a suits & dresses while lets pretend is a fancy dress store that features costumes like a ninja/cat/serial killer/dr/pirate/masks etc, leather & lace is a lingerie store that has everything from bondage costumes to bikinis, nobody loves me is an emo store that sells punk styled clothing & that’s still not even half of them, there are jewellery stores that sell the usual bling & restaurants for food and even liquor stores for all your drinking needs. They really outdid themselves with the variety of stores & clothing.
Soundtrack:I hate to say it but the soundtrack for SR2 is so much better than gta4, the reason? Variety & lots of it. The stations are as follows easy listening/reggae/funk/pop rock-alt/hip hop-rnb/electronic/metal/80s/indie/classic, some of my fav metal bands are featured such as lamb of god/trivium/chimaira/avenged sevenfold & even 3 inches of blood. Some other bands that appear include duran duran/simple minds/tears for fears/kelis/mcr/the used/taking back sunday & even the deftones. I’m hoping the gta guys take a lesson from this & provide a stronger soundtrack on their next game.
Weapons & playability/lifespan:
A whole arsenal of weapons is available to help you on your way to the top & these can be purchased at gun stores or collected from enemies, some can also be awarded for game progression . Everything you can think of is here including hand guns/assault rifles/rpgs/explosives/smgs/shotguns, other weapons that can be found scattered around the gaming environment include katana swords/chainsaws/hammers/stun-guns/knives & even flamethrowers. On top of all that there are a number of fighting styles that can be unlocked & applied to your character through the plastic surgeons .. Plastic surgeons? that’s right you still have the option to tweak your character completely after you build it by visiting the your local plastic surgeon. The combat is impressive & its very hard to run out of something to shoot at ..rivals I mean, the police show up on the scene just like in gta only this time taking them out & losing them is not a huge chore, as you progress you will even be given the ability to unlock personal bodyguards to protect you & your turf. The option to buy & customize property is also there & you can pimp your crib just like on mtv.. Doing this earns you reward & respect points.. Oh boy.
Conclusion:I really cant say anything bad about this game it really has everything that a game should & I have yet to even try the multiplayer which I’m sure is great fun. If you are looking for a game with a long lifespan that features gta sandbox styled game play then this wont disappoint. The biggest thing going for it I think is the customization options & the many side missions & activities/diversions - they really are enjoyable & highly addictive. The overall package is a game that features great game play/a good lifespan/engrossing story/entertaining music & is generally great fun - its not just for fans of games like gta/streets of nyc-la etc but for people who want a rich & polished gaming experience.
My overall rating:
9 out of 10
