Yes, another review about a game at least 2 years old but the more recent games (GTA 4, GoW 2) try to be to realistic. If you want to get into realistic violence, crappy cars and general boredom, try going to Disneyworld, or playing GTA 4 and watch your cars flip over numerous times.
Saints Row 2 while set on planet Earth has many improbable but not altogether impossible acts, which is what gamers like. The ability to get hit with a rocket launcher and live, but still nearly die. Its the risk without being blown to pieces.
Saints Row 2 is set a few years after the end of Saints Row, where you have just been blown up. Due to this your face has been destroyed and you have plastic surgery to get a new one. The character creation in Saints Row 2 is amazing. You have all the usual, skin color, hair style, hair color etc. But also you can adjust chin length, eye to nose distance and other stuff that no-one really would have thought or maybe even cared about. My character is an african american with a bright green mohawk, who (I found this in a store at a later point in the game) is dressed in a white ninja suit. You customize how he talks, how he walks, his style of fighting, how he greets people, how he insults people, EVERYTHING!
You wake up in a prison, when some random mexican named Carlos decides to bust you out. This is the long and boring tutorial that usually is painstakingly obvious, but luckily you can skip this by going a shorter way.
Throughout the game you must defeat the 3 other gangs. Chinese bikers with Samurai Swords, Jamaican stoners with Machetes, and American truckers with baseball bats! Sounds like a walk in the park! Especially when you have an army of ninjas at your back, a heavily armored APC, courtesy of the army and dual pistols.
Your gang is also customizable, you choose their general clothes from 5 options (may be able to download more, but I haven't): Sporty, 60's, Hip-Hop, Gangsta, Security and Ninjas. I chose ninjas because I figured having purple ninjas would be interesting. Also, you choose how they greet and insult people. My guys insult by doing the "Oh no you didn't!" finger.
The main onjective is to defeat all the other gangs, and restore the 3rd Street Saints to their former glory. The easiest way to do this is to instantly piss off the military by committing pointles random murder, stealing an APC, then getting rid of your wanted level.
Unfortunately, doing the side missions in this game is a requirement, because you have to be "respected" enough to go blow up some Chinese hotel with an army of ninjas. So I went and kidnapped some "ho's" and suddenly I was the coolest guy in town for some reason.
However the side missions do offer decent rewards, mostly weapons, infinite ammo, wanted level down quicker, and other useful but not necessary abilities.
You can buy safehouses throughout the city, where your gang will hang out and you can store money, weapons and vehicles. These safehouses range from a university flat to a "super grand condo" to an airport hanger, where you can store stolen planes! >
Heres my final view:
Many see this game as a rip off of GTA, however it can't be a rip off if its TEN TIMES BETTER. I mean sure, GTA has its storyline, and it's... ummm... well thats about it. While Saints Row has it's amazing customization, gameplay, and friendly NPCs.
Graphics: 10/10 The graphics in this game are great. I have yet to see any problems with it!
Gameplay: 9/10 The missions never get repetitive, but there is a problem with cops, sometimes if you get into a fight with say... The Ronin (Chinese Bikers) cops won't fight either of you, however if you accidentally nudge their car, its instant wanted level.
Plot: 6/10 I don't like the plot, no twists, no betrayals. But also it's a sequel that I don't believe was thought of.
Saints Row 2 while set on planet Earth has many improbable but not altogether impossible acts, which is what gamers like. The ability to get hit with a rocket launcher and live, but still nearly die. Its the risk without being blown to pieces.
Saints Row 2 is set a few years after the end of Saints Row, where you have just been blown up. Due to this your face has been destroyed and you have plastic surgery to get a new one. The character creation in Saints Row 2 is amazing. You have all the usual, skin color, hair style, hair color etc. But also you can adjust chin length, eye to nose distance and other stuff that no-one really would have thought or maybe even cared about. My character is an african american with a bright green mohawk, who (I found this in a store at a later point in the game) is dressed in a white ninja suit. You customize how he talks, how he walks, his style of fighting, how he greets people, how he insults people, EVERYTHING!
You wake up in a prison, when some random mexican named Carlos decides to bust you out. This is the long and boring tutorial that usually is painstakingly obvious, but luckily you can skip this by going a shorter way.
Throughout the game you must defeat the 3 other gangs. Chinese bikers with Samurai Swords, Jamaican stoners with Machetes, and American truckers with baseball bats! Sounds like a walk in the park! Especially when you have an army of ninjas at your back, a heavily armored APC, courtesy of the army and dual pistols.
Your gang is also customizable, you choose their general clothes from 5 options (may be able to download more, but I haven't): Sporty, 60's, Hip-Hop, Gangsta, Security and Ninjas. I chose ninjas because I figured having purple ninjas would be interesting. Also, you choose how they greet and insult people. My guys insult by doing the "Oh no you didn't!" finger.
The main onjective is to defeat all the other gangs, and restore the 3rd Street Saints to their former glory. The easiest way to do this is to instantly piss off the military by committing pointles random murder, stealing an APC, then getting rid of your wanted level.
Unfortunately, doing the side missions in this game is a requirement, because you have to be "respected" enough to go blow up some Chinese hotel with an army of ninjas. So I went and kidnapped some "ho's" and suddenly I was the coolest guy in town for some reason.
However the side missions do offer decent rewards, mostly weapons, infinite ammo, wanted level down quicker, and other useful but not necessary abilities.
You can buy safehouses throughout the city, where your gang will hang out and you can store money, weapons and vehicles. These safehouses range from a university flat to a "super grand condo" to an airport hanger, where you can store stolen planes! >
Heres my final view:
Many see this game as a rip off of GTA, however it can't be a rip off if its TEN TIMES BETTER. I mean sure, GTA has its storyline, and it's... ummm... well thats about it. While Saints Row has it's amazing customization, gameplay, and friendly NPCs.
Graphics: 10/10 The graphics in this game are great. I have yet to see any problems with it!
Gameplay: 9/10 The missions never get repetitive, but there is a problem with cops, sometimes if you get into a fight with say... The Ronin (Chinese Bikers) cops won't fight either of you, however if you accidentally nudge their car, its instant wanted level.
Plot: 6/10 I don't like the plot, no twists, no betrayals. But also it's a sequel that I don't believe was thought of.
