Some might say no one has made a better 3D Platformer than Super Mario 64, a better 2D Platformer than Super Mario Bros., or a better FPS than DOOM. These games either created or popularised their respective genres. Ever since some gamers and critics have disregarded subsequent games inspired by these as mere rip-offs. If there is a game that has never been bettered by its mimics it is the Grand Theft Auto series. Saints Row was undeniably a game that aimed to do just that. But it also became the set-up for a series that lived and breathed on its own merit.
Although The Getaway and the True Crime series tried with some success, no game has even really come close to challenging the supremacy of the original free-roaming criminal game. However, each new console generation brings new opportunities for developers. During the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 era, open world games were given new opportunities to succeed. The first publisher to take on the mammoth task of bringing then-next-generation criminal activity to the consoles was THQ with the highly anticipated Saints Row. Clearly taking a lot of inspiration from Grand Theft Auto, despite it’s rampant plagiarism Saints Row would be a title worthy of a legacy.
All Saints
The single-player mode starts with the player creating there own avatar. The customisation options are quite extensive, and it is very possible to create a unique character. Once this is done the game begins and your creation is slap bang in the middle of a turf war. Three of the city of Stillwater’s four gangs – Los Carnales, The Vice Kings and The West Side Rollerz – are taking down the Saints. During this thoroughly over-the-top intro, your character is saved by Julius of the 3rd Street Saints, the city’s underdog gang. After a short tutorial sequence the game begins in earnest, and you are literally free to do whatever it takes to take over the City of Stillwater.
The game plays almost exactly like modern Grand Theft Auto games. Cars can be freely jacked and pedestrians shot at. The player is free to roam the street of the fictional American city of Stillwater. There aren’t as many cars and weapons as are available in the later Grand Theft Auto titles. Still, the selection is by no means sparse. However, the aiming system is better than competing titles of its day, mainly due to its simple FPS-like controls.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
In order to progress through the story you must complete various missions related to the three other gangs. However, in order to start these missions you must have the required Respect. Respect is earned through the game’s many activities, such as taking hostages, recruiting ho’s and causing mayhem. Once you have filled your Respect Meter you may undertake another story mission.
This simple system works very well and makes the story much more freeform than its peers. It also forces the player to undertake the other highly enjoyable activities in order to progress the story, something that allows Saints Row to remain fun and fresh throughout. On completion of most missions the 3rd Street Saints will take one of the other gangs territories. Stillwater is divided into 36 territories and owning each one will earn the player $200 in-game currency per game day. This money can then be collected from your crib whenever you like. It’s a nice system that rewards you for your progress through out the game.
However, the enemy gangs will randomly attempt to take back their territory through an all out – and very amusing – gang war. Although the enemy gang will never get the territory back, you will earn no money from it so it’s best to retrieve it as soon as possible. However, since these wars are generally quite fun, you will rarely loathe the task.
Baby I Got Cha Money
Being a crime-related game, money plays a big part of Saints Row. Aside from buying weapons, cash is used to buy clothing, accessories, car upgrades and assorted narcotics. Spending money on clothes is not entirely superficial either. Wearing expensive clothing and jewellery and your gang’s colours will give a bonus to the Respect and cash earned through missions. Vehicles can by “pimped” extensively and stored in the garage next to your cribs. These garages can store an almost infinite amount of cars which can be retrieved through a simple menu system.
Your cribs are also more than just a save point and wardrobe. They hold your cash earned through territories and gun stash. Another use for cash – or rather, a way to lose it – is being busted by the police or killed. Similar to Grand Theft Auto, being killed or busted will earn you a trip to the Hospital or Police Station, respectively. Each time this happens you will have a percentage of you cash subtracted. A simple way of not penalising players early in the game, before ramping up the difficulty as the stakes get higher.
Many Saints on the Row
Since it’s inception, THQ touted Saints Row’s online multiplayer modes as a USP. These included standard deathmatch style modes, the original Blinged Out Ride mode and the Counterstrike-esque Escort Tha Pimp Mode. Blinged Out Ride involved two teams each having to race to four different garages for customisation before racing to a finishing point. Simple, if it was not for the abundance of firearms involved. The Escort Tha Pimp involves two teams; one to protect the unarmed pimp and the other to kill him. This could result in a very tactical game. Saints Row also allowed the forming of gangs that will collectively earn money through the wins of it’s members.
Sadly, as one might expect, finding a match these days is pretty tough. However, if you have five like-minded friends it is still possible to play the original Saints Row online. Nearly 20 years after release, and more than a decade after publisher THQ filed for bankruptcy.
Looks Ain’t Everything
Saints Row features graphics that are entirely suited to the game, if not astounding. Each gang is easily defined through the colours of its members and their vehicles. And Saints Row has some of the most satisfying explosions on any game from this era. Instead of the classic flame effect and burned-out vehicle, exploding cars spray bumpers and wheels in all directions thanks to the Havok Engine. In fact, the addition of real-time physics to this genre has done wonders for its playability, perhaps mostly within Saints Row’s hilarious Insurance Fraud activity.
During Insurance Fraud, the player must attempt to cause the most outlandish accident through placing their avatar in harms way, before collecting the money through an insurance claim. Some ridiculous accidents can occur due to the players recklessness and this is definitely amongst the most amusing parts of Saints Row, and continued its popularity throughout subsequent instalments in the series.
The sound in Saints Row is generally of a very high standard. Although occasionally a little forced, the voice-acting is good with mostly sharp writing. Saints Row has gone with popularising hip-hop culture, with generally good, if slightly clichéd results, as opposed to the satire of its main influence. The radio stations sound like they where ripped straight from Grand Theft Auto, but lack the AAA line-up and, unfortunately, the humour. Still, there are several licensed tracks, and some good original music.
2006 Saints Roll Call
Saints Row is exactly what the genre needed in 2006; a true challenger to Grand Theft Auto. Although the game is incredibly similar to it’s influence, it’s constant attention to making criminal life as fun as possible and great presentation mean that it is a good game in it’s own right. Subsequently, Saints Row went on to become a comical pastiche of itself and built a strong fanbase because of it. Sadly, the Saints Row reboot didn’t do much to honour this legacy. As such, if you’re going to pick up Saints Row today, you should be looking back to 2006.
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