Dr Game's Second Opinion - Saints Row 2
October 19th 2008 22:49
I liked the first Saints Row. It was fun. It was exciting. It had a decent story. But there were a few issues.
Then GTA IV came out. I'll admit it. I was disappointed. There was a lot of extra crap in there like watching TV, socialising with "friends" and all the internet crap that seemed mediocre. It did have a good story even though a lot of the missions felt like they'd been pulled from previous GTA's.
Then trailers for Saints Row 2 started to filter out showing all the chaos you could cause in the city and activities you wish you could do in GTA IV.
Now it's out and for the most part Voilition has created a fun, exciting game with a decent story. But sadly they didn't fix the issues.
The one thing I hated about Saints Row is that you couldn't do a story mission until you've completed an activity or two and they've decided to keep this philosophy for the sequel. I've always felt that for a game that advertises the illusion of freedom that it doesn't give you a choice here. You have to do an activity to progress, it's unavoidable.
Luckily, some of the activities are fun. There are a few new ones like Fuzz that decks you out in a Police outfit for a reality show and lets you uphold the law with chainsaws, baseball bats and other weapons of mass destruction. Another new one is Fight Club which throws you in a UFC style cage in a fight to the death. You are spoiled for choice here but you still have no choice but to pick one before you get into a story mission.
As for the story, it picks up right where things left of in the original. Your character survived the boating "accident" and has awoken from his coma. Or that could be her coma. You get to choose the sex of your character as well as their looks this time around. Either way, you're still the leader of The 3rd Street Saints and it's up to you to once again take control of Stillwater. Along the way there will be your usual twists and turns and some of the questions from the first game will be answered.
All the story missions are a hoot. You won't find a mission that requires stealth or you to wait until a later time to complete. They're all loud and proud, full of explosions and have more gunfire then that classic bank robbery scene in the film Heat.
DIAGNOSIS
Like I've said, Saints Row 2 is fun, exciting and has a decent story. You will have fun playing this game and in the end that's what it's all about. It may not be the best game you've ever played. It may not revolutionise the gaming industry. It doesn't even have the prettiest graphics. But what it has is a lot of mayhem and over-the-top antics that any action-nut will get their kicks out of. Check it out.
8 out of 10
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