Saints Row

THE BAD:
-Some glitchy graphic effects now and then and occasional crashes
-Lots of pop in graphics

SUMMARY:
This game was quite a surprise for me, it looked on the surface like a GTA clone that I felt wouldn't be as well executed, but once I started playing the game I realised it was much more and added fun original elements to the formula. THQ definitely deserve credit for this game especially considering it is the first of this kind they have designed yet stands up well to Rockstars GTA series. From the pleasing visuals to the enjoyable storyline it really had me hooked for quite sometime.


Game play
The game play is the most important aspect of any game and in this respect Saints row does not disappoint.

To those who have played Grand Theft Auto the game play should come quite naturally, though Saints Row has many of its own additions which I find in general add to the game, the first addition you'll notice is the aiming system which doesn't automatically lock on and instead lets you freely aim with the right stick. This way be a little tricky at first but once you get used to it, you'll realise that it's a much superior aiming system to the GTA series lock on method, it requires more skill but is also more precise and satisfying, especially in the many large shoot outs you get involved in during the game. The games control system is familiar but works well, The Left Analog Stick moves your character, while the Right stick moves the crosshair, quite like a first person shooter. The driving controls are also quite simple, with a button for breaking and accelerating, the left sticking being used to steer and the right stick being used to aim weapons out of the car. While it can be hard to both fire and steer your car at the same time the option of being able to fire out of the car in a 360 degrees arc is a real blessing.

The general aim of Saints row is to complete Missions to boost the profile and standing of the Saints gang, the story starts off with your life being saved by the Saints and after a fun initiation sequence you become one of them, you start off with a few easy missions that get you into the game and how it works. After that the game play splits and you freely choose which of 3 rival gangs to complete missions against. These gangs being The(Los) Carnales, The Rollerz and The Vice Kings. The missions themselves are a lot of fun for the most part and often you take some of the games main characters along with you to help you out, for example in one mission the gang leader Julius drives a car while you fire a rocket launcher taking out an enemy convoy sent to destroy the row, on top of this as you progress through the game you get the ability to take up to 3 homies with you to help you along and join in the carnage, these can prove invaluable on some of the harder missions.

To obtain new missions you need a certain amount of Respect, this is basically a currency gained by doing side activities which you use to purchase new missions. While at times you would rather get on with the main game, the good news is most of these side missions are very well thought out and enjoyable and by completing, the hardest level of each you gain bonuses, such as taking less damage from bullets. These side activities range from escort missions where you must drive a client around and keep the press, private investigators and even wifes from catching them to my personal favourite the insurance fraud missions, were you need to fake personal injury by running infront of on coming traffic and taking dives to earn cash.

You can also purchase clothes and accessories from various shops throughout the game which gives a great level of customisation to your character, as well as adding to your characters appearance they also can boost the respect you gain from the side activities. On top of this you can customize your vehicles, adding spoilers, new body work, paint jobs and even nitrous. If you wreck your expensive custom vehicle you can repair it from a garage for only $500. This means trashing your customised $100,000 Fer de Lance car isn't really a problem.

Something else that deserves a mention is the Havok Physics engine used in the game, it definitely adds an extra element of fun to the game. When you hit pedestrians they go right over the front of the vehicle bouncing as they hit the ground and explosions cause nearby people to fly through the air limbs flailing everywhere.

Overall while it can get repetitive the game play is excellent, The storyline really pulls you into the game and keeps you playing and if you can get bored of the main game you can always cause mindless carnage for a bit.

Graphics
Visually it is a beautiful game, it uses bright bold colours to present a unique and pleasing visual style. With real time shadows and a high resolution rate it's one of the best looking games on the Xbox 360 to date. The weapons animations look neat and empty clips fall from your gun when you reload which is a nice touch. The characters are very well detailed and look believe-able and realistic. Impressively in such a large city filled with people even the pedestrians look unique, the game gives you a real feel of being in a proper city and the spectacular lighting effects add even more to the beauty of the games graphics.

The vehicles models look incredibly impressive, with damage being clearly shown through small dents over the vehicle and light reflecting off these dents in an amazing way. As the damage piles up parts come flying off the vehicle and eventually they explode. On that note another great visual element are the explosions. It's incredibly satisfying to blow up a vehicle and watch the burning hood fly through the air smacking a nearby person, while the now detached cars wheels go flying past you and people scream and scatter everywhere away from the mayhem.

The only downsides are the semi frequent graphical glitches, which can be a slight pain, you may find yourself driving along a freeway when suddenly the road beneath you disappears. There is also an issue with pop in though this has always been a problem with free roam games, I was hoping to see an improvement with the next gen Saints row but unfortunately the pop in is as bad as ever, but even these issues do little to hurt the beautiful visuals the game boasts.


Sound
The sound can't really be faulted, while not the most spectacular I've heard in a game it does the job and generally does it well. The voice acting is top notch and really adds to the personality of the characters boasting well known names in the line up such as Michael Clarke Duncan and Tia Carrerre. The writing is at times cheesey and a bit over the top but the voice actors play their part well and make up for the sometimes bad writing. Your own character rarely speaks and some have faulted this aspect, but this seems more of a deliberate device by the game designers, so that the few lines he does have in the game are worth hearing. He generally delivers them in the last mission in a set and while a bit cliche are quite amusing.

The sounds effects themselves are solid, gun fires sound changes depending on the object you're hitting and the distance you are from it adding a level of realism, music can even be heard from your car radio after you get out of the car and fades as you move away.

The games many radio stations boast some catchy original music, but a lot of it is hip hop. Fans of this genre won't be disappointed due to the large range of Hip hop available ranging from Classic to underground and featuring artists such as the Wu-Tang Clan. Rock music on the other hand is a bit under represented, though considering the gangster nature of the game this isn't surprising. There is also a wide range of classic music available. You can even purchase music from stores within the game and add it to your own personal play list and if none of the in game music takes your fancy you can make your own soundtracks on the Xbox 360 hard drive and listen to them during the game.


Replay Value and Longetivty
The replay value is nearly endless, mainly because of the free roam nature of the game, on top of this you have the fun and varied side missions, and the large amount of customisation for both your character and your vehicles. Completing all the side missions would take a very long time, the vehicle customisation is huge, with a vast array of colours and many other options along with the large amount of vehicles in the game and with all the clothing options you can really present a unique style for your character. All this along with the games main missions gives a lot of Longetivty and tons of replay value, making this game well worth the money and it's something you will find yourself coming back to again and again.


Overall
Overall Saints Row is an enjoyable experience with nice visuals, good voice acting and a cast of interesting characters as well as lots of replayability, which should give you many hours of enjoyment. THQ really done a top job with this game and I am eagerly anticipating the 2nd one. This game is one I'd certainly recommend for a purchase if you own an Xbox 360 and especially if you're a fan of the GTA series.