Like The Third before it, Saints Row IV is a game that makes sure you’re having fun every step of the way. The developers at Volition have become ravenously obsessed with making sure whatever they bring to the table is as engaging as possible. It basks in the adolescent part of ourselves that grins when we think about movies from the 80s, it reminisces about life before the brooding super hero. But most importantly, it remembers–oh-so clearly–that once upon a time we used to have fun.
Remember this year's Saints Row(opens in new tab)? Volition would probably prefer that you didn't, which might go some way to explaining why the studio recently decided to upgrade everyone's copy of Saints Row 4(opens in new tab) to its full-fat Re-elected Edition, containing all the game's story and cosmetic DLC and even introducing cross-play between Steam, Epic, and GOG versions of the game.
Unfortunately, that upgrade seems to have backfired, and players now report a myriad of bugs with their new version of SR4. Both the Saints Row Steam forums(opens in new tab) and subreddit(opens in new tab) are filled with players complaining of broken saves, crashes, and mods failing to function. It's also received a few hundred negative Steam reviews(opens in new tab) since the update. If it's succeeded in washing the taste of Saints Row (2022) out of players' mouths, it's only because it tastes even worse.
I wonder if Volition's getting reorged under Gearbox impacted the quality of their release.
When it comes ranking the Saints Row games, there are a couple of weird ones you have to consider, though this is Saints Row after all.
Juan at SwitchWatchTV got his hands on Saints Row 4 Re-elected for Nintendo Switch. Check out his review here and see what he thinks.
No.
I never got around to finishing it but I was in the process of reviewing this game myself.
This could have been one of the greatest expansion packs for a videogame ever made. Instead it is Saints Row 3.1 with superpowers. The superpowers themselves though awesome take away from EVERYTHING else Saints Row has ever done.
It plays like a very large DLC There are loads of customization options here and again the superpowers are really cool, but no there is no world in which this game gets a perfect score. Both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were riddled with bugs. You can't just "dismiss" that when writing a review if you want to be taken seriously.
Then again kudos for actually finishing your review I got sidetracked playing other games and the time to review it long since passed.
Edit to clarify. I am not saying Saints Row IV is a bad game it isn't by any means, but when a game has that "palette swap effect when a company buys a series and does little to polish it before launching it, when the new features don't so much enhance the previous experience as they do override it. I just can't see it as "perfect score" worthy.
I don't know how long you have been reviewing games, and though I don't agree with the score you "presented it in a unique way so credit where credit is due for that.
Two pieces of advice I would give as an on again off again reviewer. Do not hand out perfect scores like candy, especially if you are just starting out (for all I know you aren't but I checked the site out, and it looks relatively new. That and spell-check is your friend. I know my reply here is riddled with punctuation errors left and right but this is a reply on a forum not a review published on a website. Check it, then have a friend or fellow writer or editor check it, then check it again. Gets to be a pain but it makes the whole thing more professional sounding.
I don't disagree unfortunately it won't be though. The "Comical" Saints Row from 3 on has sold through the roof. I don't see them going back to "their roots" Since "They" aren't even who they used to be. THQ is no more same with Volition sadly. Lets assume (wishfully) MAYBE 5-10% of the original staff from Saints Row 1 and 2 followed The Saints Row series over to Deep Silver. The chances are still non-existent of the game ever being in that same kind of style as it once started as.
It started as the Grand Theft Auto competitor for Xbox. Then evolved into the arcade version of Grand Theft Auto. Where GTA focuses on realism and staying within the confines of what would be plausible, Saints Row will break every rule GTA won't for better or worse.
Playing the Saints Row series I generally always have fun for the first few hours maybe even the first half but once the novelty wears off it doesn't come back. The more comical and over the top it gets the quicker the novelty "wanes" I will say however their customization options are still amazing from 3 on. Nolan North as a voice option as well as being able to change the speed and pitch of the voice? That isn't something every game allows.