Bear in mind Saints Row? That’s proper, the dildo bat collection. Nicely, not anymore it’s not. This delicate reboot lastly places the tasteless and dated vulgarity of the unique video games to relaxation, however retains the enjoyable and absurdity intact.
Its Saints are scrappy kids with caffeine addictions and pupil loans to pay. They’re a discovered household of free 20-something stereotypes, however they’re brilliant and charming sufficient to tug you into their quest for self-sufficiency. There’s some eye-rolling dialogue that feels virtually determined in its makes an attempt to enchantment to the Gen Z crowd, however I’m a lot happier to be cringing over armchair activism jokes than blatant misogyny.
And there’s a considerably relatable story that unfolds between all of the chaos, too. Your character and their flatmates are sick of their poorly remunerated, dead-end jobs and wish to strike out on their very own, making use of their particular person skills to type a powerful collective. That simply so occurs to manifest as a bunch of part-time crooks forming a legal empire, besides there’s a transparent anti-authority slant right here that’s straightforward to get behind.
That tonal shift largely serves to make Saints Row’s iconic model of satirical, action-packed silliness extra palatable, and when you get your first style you possibly can’t resist going again for extra.
All of it begins with the character creator. You may tweak just about each aspect of your Saint, from the plain stuff like their hair fashion and construct proportion, proper the way in which all the way down to how a lot their veins bulge and what dimension their areolas are. Pores and skin tint choices run the rainbow gamut, you can provide them lizard eyes, and there’s a ‘glossiness’ slider in case you need your character to seem like they only survived a head-on collision with a tanker of Okay-Y Jelly.
It’s a daft, good factor, however it solely works as a result of the gameplay and world are simply as ludicrous. Among the many varied ventures you possibly can embark upon throughout Santo Ileso, you’ll discover a city-wide Mad Max-inspired LARP, and a tech startup through which you get to check wallhack devices and stick thrusters to unwitting mercenaries earlier than watching them jet off into low orbit. Insurance coverage Fraud returns, difficult you to get hit by site visitors as regularly and brutally as doable.
These highlights are sadly matched by some actually tedious facet missions. There’s a collection of waste disposal errands through which you rigorously ship truckloads of risky barrels everywhere in the map, which is considerably tense the primary time you do it, however inconceivably uninteresting the subsequent 12 instances.
The fight and driving mechanics that make up the majority of gameplay have been finessed throughout the lengthy layover since Saints Row 4. With punchy audio, tons of recoil, and satisfyingly squishy gore combining to make successive hits really feel nice, however it’s the addition of melee finishers and unlockable expertise that tie fight collectively. Whereas on-foot fights in earlier Saints Row video games have been rote run-and-gun affairs, the reboot is impressively dynamic. You may roll out of canopy, land a number of pictures on a close-by goon, after which execute a slick melee finisher, earlier than sprinting over to the subsequent baddie and utilizing a ability like Pineapple Specific, with which you sneak a stay grenade onto an enemy after which toss them in the direction of their colleagues.
Driving can also be a much more polished expertise than in earlier Saints video games. Each automobile feels completely different to drive and the handbrake flip is so highly effective that you could drift with just about any automotive. Gradual, heavy autos nonetheless go quick sufficient that they’re really enjoyable to make use of, whereas a brand new sideswipe mechanic makes slamming pursuers out of the way in which addictively straightforward – simply look forward to them to get alongside, hit the sideswipe button, and watch with glee as they careen off the street, generally exploding in a fiery ball of dying.
Sadly, the gameplay enhancements are sometimes overshadowed by questionable physics and a few important AI bugs. You may actually get a really feel for the load of a truck when swinging it round a good nook, however it solely takes a slight bump within the terrain to ship you bouncing up into the air and flipping like a Micro Machine. Equally, having a number of enemies freeze mid-combat, unable to maneuver and even hearth their weapons, is a sure-fire option to pull you out of the motion, particularly when it occurs throughout a climactic boss struggle.
It’s an identical story once you take a look at the revamped visuals. Animations are pure and there are some big lighting enhancements that actually stand out after darkish, however character fashions and textures severely lack element – the Saints’ pet cat is so stiff and plasticky it wouldn’t look misplaced in a LEGO sport.
Santo Ileso itself feels a bit extra fleshed out than Steelport, with easter eggs and comedy lore objects scattered all through its plazas and alleyways. It’s nonetheless fairly superficial in comparison with different open-world video games – the one buildings you possibly can enter are clothes and gun outlets, and also you shouldn’t anticipate to be swept up in a random encounters – however it’s vibrant, various, and at all times nice to take a look at, whether or not you’re rushing round on a hoverboard or parkouring your means throughout a rooftop searching for some misplaced narcotics.
It’s a disgrace that a lot of the most important story attracts you again to the identical area, time and time once more, as a result of there’s numerous Santo Ileso that you just’ll solely drive by way of en path to different aims. The approximation of Vegas and Reno within the north is well one of many coolest areas on the map, however the story will solely take you there a few instances. By the point you roll credit you’ll know the world across the Saints headquarters just like the again of your hand, however the remainder of the map appears like a forgettable blur of repetitive facet missions.
In a world of re-remasters and unsolicited remakes, this new Saints Row does a superb, obligatory job of wiping the collection’ slate clear. There’s a dearth of unapologetically enjoyable triple-A video games on the market, and if that’s what you’re on the lookout for then this reboot confidently ticks that field regardless of its flaws.
Saints Row
Generally repetitive, generally eye-rolling, and generally simply plain busted, Saints Row 2022 is much from excellent, however that doesn’t cease it from being a chaotic good time.
7
