Saints Row: The Third - Genkibowl VII Xbox 360 Review - PAGE 1

Murder time equals fun time!  Such is the gospel of Professor Genki, the most famous celebrity in Saints Row: The Third – other than you, of course. The pink feline mascot also happens to be the central theme in Volition’s first Saints Row DLC, Genkibowl VII.

Anyone who has spent time in Steelport should already be familiar with Professor Genki’s Super Ethical Reality Climax, an insanely popular reality TV show based on the fictional Genki franchise. If you loved the Ethical Reality Climax missions in the core game, then you’ll probably dig Genkibowl VII just as much.

Let the Games Begin!

The new DLC adds four new activities to the wild and hyper-violent world of Professor Genki, each being some variation of an existing mission type. Once the new content is added to your game, it becomes accessible via the Mission “app” on your phone. As leader of the Third Street Saints, you receive an invitation to the annual Genkibowl events, triggering a series of missions that will unlock the four new missions included in the DLC. Remember the beginning of Saints Row, when you followed Pierce around during random activities? This is pretty much the same thing, just without Pierce. We do get to see hosts Zach and Bobby for the first time, though, so that's pretty hilarious.

The sadistic event opens with “Apocalypse Genki,” a new mission similar to the original Super Ethical Reality Climax show, just in a more unique (fake) jungle setting with shark-infested waters. Contestants will face the same traps, mascots, and Hunters, and the objectives haven’t changed. 

The second activity is “Super Ethical PR Opportunity,” which is similar to the “Eye of the Tiger” mission given by Angel during the Saints campaign. Instead of having to please a tiger, however, you’ll be escorting Professor Genki himself around in a tricked out convertible, running bystanders over to amuse him while trying to evade “zealous fans.” His Majesty will periodically give you objectives to achieve –like lighting five people on fire or doing a certain amount of damage to other vehicles – before the mission can continue. This was definitely my least favorite mission, if only because I had to reset several times after getting stuck on a lamppost and mailbox. Not to mention those Genki fans are really annoying.

“Sexy Kitten Yarngasm” is a reimagined Tank Mayhem activity, where instead of a tank, you control a giant ball of yarn. The objective remains the same: reach a numerical goal by destroying everything in your path. It’s a bit like Katamari Damacy, but with less weirdness and more explosions. Once the novelty of gigantic yarn wears off, however, Yarngasm isn’t nearly as fun as Tank Mayhem. After all, how can a big bundle of yarn compare to a tank? Still, if you liked Tank Mayhem, Yarngasm will be no less entertaining.

Throughout the events, you’ll receive special Genkibowl vehicles, and homies, and beating the whole mission series unlocks additional content – including reporter Tammy Tolliver. Genkibowl VII does boast some entertainment value but lacks lasting appeal. Only a handful of missions are unlocked with the add-on, and they’re all based on existing content. Is it enjoyable? Yes. Is it worth the price? Not for everyone. The whole mission pack offers a couple hours’ worth of gameplay, so the $7.00 might be a bit much for anyone other than diehard Saints fans hungering for a reason to revisit Steelport. If you bought the Season Pass, then the Genkibowl DLC should already be available for download and play.