Saints Row 4 released on August 20, 2013 developed by Volition and published by Deep Sliver. Is the sequel to the over the top Saint Row: the third and fourth installment of the Saints Row series. Brings forth a twist to the series turning it upside down into something special that is left for players to decide whether it’s good or not. Nevertheless, its Saints Row being over the top and doing something different is what it has been good at doing. From street gangsters, to pop culture icons, to President to virtual super heroes.

Well for $59.99USD, what Saints Row 4 can offer? Is a solid a story that is roughly 15 to 32 hours to complete Along with side, activities and diversions to complete achieving 100% would probably take around 70 to 80 hours to complete. I personally finished my 100% play through around 81 hours. Certainly time well spend in my opinions. Since everything in Saints Row 4 can be played co-operatively, so multiply those hours spend solo with numbers of friends who’s willing to play with you, otherwise firing up the matchmaking can pair you with a co-op partner who’s in the same progress as you.

From a technical standpoint, most assets in Saints Row 4 are more or less the same from last year Saints Row: The third with some modification and addition to fit the setting and accommodate super powers. With these modifications to setting comes an annoyance, since you are stuck in a simulation, which for the most part locked in the night state for the duration of the main story and by the time you unlock daytime settings you are pretty much stuck with a very noticeable simulation glitch visual effects that ruins the experience.

Luckily, on PC the community may have the mods to deal with those visual annoyances. While most assets remain, couples of favorites are missing such as all business Hoodie, varsity jacket, and a couple of hairstyles. At least the DLC outfits from SR3 are available as outfits instead of individual pieces, which is a bummer.

In terms of gameplay and replay ability, Saints Row 4 does what it does best simply chaotic fun. The story of Saints Row is probably the main selling point, its light hearted, funny moments that parodies other pop culture. The nine loyalty missions with your crew members that takes the opportunity to uniquely depict each of their personalities portraying them more as your close friends.

If you have been with Saints row series from the beginning expect to see some great cameo moments in some of the loyalty missions. The music usage is also worth mentions throughout the main story such Haddaway -What is love and Stan Bush - you got the touch creations some great nostalgic moments that also parodies from the 90s.

Super powers are the best form of transportation, while guns are still good for killing in my opinions. So yeah, the use I found for super powers was getting around in style, since you can get unlimited sprint fair early in the game a side quest. Rendering vehicles largely forgettable, while still available to drive and customize cars like Saints Row: the third is a nice optional for those who want it. But seriously who can resist gliding, running on walls, and jumping really high as a way getting ground. Using a custom character you created makes it an even more immersive experience.

Since early on super powers need to recharge-shooting aliens with guns is a lot faster. The guns in SR4 feel a lot better too, with a faster fire rate at less of a kick. By the time you fully upgrade your powers there will be a lot less to kill which forces you play co-op since one of the achievement require 1000 aliens kills it’s a lot easier to do it during the story rather farming the fight club activity. Super powers itself is restricted to your own player simulation and is disabled for most of the main quests. That nicely balances out super powers and the traditional run and gun gameplay.

The activities themselves make up city take over diversion disguised as side quests of Saints Row 4. Which was a real bummer, as they don’t extend the story. The three-tier medal score system for activity means you have to achieve certain scores to earn a medal. This means you have to get gold in order to master it. Completing the bronze tier gets, you pass the side quest requirement. This is replability incentive for activities. Though I have to say, telekinesis activities left an awful taste. Professor Genki murder fun time replaced with a telekinesis mind over matter wasn’t as fun as Genki in SR3. Out of the 12 activities offer super power insurance fraud is probably the most fun in my opinions.

Saints Row encourages players to replay the game with co-op partners since the game does not offer mission replay once again. The story alone is good for one or two solo play troughs before it loses its magic and become repetitive. To balance out co-op the powers available depends on the host so joining a game with a 100% character does not you grant you all powers but will make available what the host progressed into the story.

Since the story progression determines what unlocks will become available rendering a mission replay nonexistence once again. Gladly finding someone to replay the game in matchmaking is simple just is caution before saving if you joined a host using in game cheats. Because it still disables achievements and/or causes corrupted saves, if in-game cheats are enabled.

Overall Saints Row 4 largely being a sequel of Saints Row: The Third that takes most aspects of it and introduces super powers and aliens with a great story is sufficient to earn its full price tag. However, the absence of some great features from past titles was somewhat disappointing. However, Saints Row 4 isn’t the traditional gangster gameplay that it used to be. Although it wouldn’t have hurt if they had gone with the traditional Saints Row formula and had super powers as a togglable ability through a menu instead of cheat code.

The new direction that volition has taken Saints Row in is surely a breath of fresh air as the series starts to uniquely define itself. Almost everything you loved in Saints Row: the third is present with just a hint of super powers and aliens in Saints Row 4. I would recommend checking it out if you are looking something fun to do or simply something that takes it self-less serious. Having gone through the game itself and season pass content, picking up the season pass is enough of GOTY edition. Unless you can wait four to six months for the inevitable Full package edition for half the current price, do so.

My verdict Score: 8.3/10
Good

• Great story from start to finish.
• Super powers are fun.
• Many past characters make an appearance.
• Filled plenty Parodies moments to get a good laugh.
• The entire game is playable in co
• op.
• More memorable and better soundtracks compared to SR3.
• The ability Character import from Saints Row: the third was nice.
• It makes good use of the simulations setting to bring back past characters for a cameo.
• Lots of customizations/ personalization available similar to SR3, weapon skins being one the new options in SR4.

Bad

• No mission replays.
• Even though similar assets were used, it still manages to miss some good clothing, hair, and taunts from Saints Row: the third. Only an issue if you liked using the missing stuff from SR3.
• Like the previous title, there still isn’t a no cheat filter for co
• op match making.
• Glitch visual effects ruin the experience.
• No random repayable survival waves to play while free roam like in SR3.
• If you played a lot of Saints Row: the third, the gimmicks in SR4 dies out pretty quick in my opinions.
• Super powers activities/ diversion is kind of meh.

Tags:Game Review, PC Games, Playstation, Saints Row, Saints Row 4, Steam, Xbox