340°

Saints Row Taking a New Approach is a Double-Edged Sword

Deep Silver Volition's forthcoming Saints Row reboot is going back to the series' roots, but this tonal reset may have its share of drawbacks.

Read Full Story >>
gamerant.com
badz149970d ago

would prefer they call it something else and leave the SR name alone

Army_of_Darkness970d ago

I hope they at least still have character customization and a choice of gender like the last games.

strayanalog969d ago

They do, but due to poor communication on Volition's part it has been a muddy lake of info.

Here’s what the game’s official press release says:
“Create the Boss of your dreams, with the most extensive character customization suite ever seen in the series, then complete the look with incredible options for weapons and vehicles.”

TheEroica969d ago

Yep... I don't get the reboot craze. There must be an artistic void and lack of creativity in modern gaming. Sad.

NeoGamer232969d ago

I don't care whether it is a reboot or new IP. I just look for great games.

TheEroica968d ago

It's a sign of the mediums slowing down of creative thought and idolizing former work. It's a bad omen. If all we do is look back and idolize the things that came before how will we create new forms of gameplay and places to see and experience in games?

Its not unlike music... When people say, "X band is the best that ever was and no one will ever be better" it's like saying theres nothing new to offer... I don't subscribe to that.

Urrakia34970d ago

As a fan of the series, this reboot feels strange. Almost like they want to make it a little more family friendly but the cast just doesn't mesh with the concept of building a gang through murder and other crime. They look out of place. It just feels really off overall...

Christopher970d ago

I'm kind of liking the idea of not playing the usual people who do murder and crime and seeing people not normally up for it stumble their way through it. I actually have a ton of games I can play already that have criminals doing crime real well. I'm not saying more of the same can't be good, but I'd like to give something not the same a chance to be good if it's also something different and entertaining.

gamer7804970d ago

That’s fair but that’s why people are saying don’t use the SR franchise if they want to make a game like this which from this trailer doesn’t feel like SR at all.

Profchaos969d ago (Edited 969d ago )

Yeah there's been a few interviews where they said the original SR was from a era where insert PC buzzwords was more acceptable were proud of those games but don't have the balls to do the same thing so this is more about a grouo of friend supporting each other

Eamon970d ago

"If Saints Row similarly wants to grow up, shedding some of its crasser qualities in the process, that’s an admirable endeavor. But juvenile charm is still charm, and it must be replaced by something equally compelling."

Always a hidden subtext in a lot of these articles. Author is implicitly condemning the "crassness" of SR's well known themes and humour. I do wonder if that's what he really thinks or is he putting on a mask in public?

TricksterArrow970d ago

Why so sensitive? People can like stupid things while admitting they are stupid. Like giant dong sliders and weapons. It’s crass, but it’s also fine. It’s perfectly explained in his opinion.

Eamon970d ago

It's part of the original appeal.

The negativity to this reboot is very similar to DmC's reboot reveal about a decade ago. Some brands have a very strong identity and attachment. Completely altering it will of course elicit strong reaction. This is a natural response.

I don't think the author is implicitly saying that the crass humour is fine. He is obviously trying to say that it belonged to an era that is 'no longer acceptable.' Seeing how this has been a running theme in videogame journalism for a number of years now, I think my interpretation isn't far from the truth.

TricksterArrow970d ago (Edited 970d ago )

“It's part of the original appeal”

But that’s exactly what the article is about…

Why would he say it’s a double edged sword if the change was inherently good and he thought it was great? He seems to know that the original is crass and juvenile, “but it’s still a charm”, while this one seems charmless. And he is right.

Eamon970d ago

It doesn't contradict what either of us are saying. That's why I asked in my original comment if that's what he really thinks or if it's just a public mask.

Christopher970d ago

Author: "But juvenile charm is still charm, and it must be replaced by something equally compelling."

You: "Author is implicitly condemning the "crassness" of SR's well known themes and humour."

I think you might want to reread what was written there. They're not negative towards it, just identifying for what it is. And they say that removing it, as it appears the developers are doing (not the author of this article), needs to be replaced with something else equally compelling.

Eamon970d ago

I understand that point. But when reading this, I felt an implicit bias for being done with that sort of humour (even if the author did in fact enjoy it).

The author is expressing admiration for Saint's Row "growing up." Considering these new characters, their design, their personalities, all seem to be "youth" targeted than what we've seen in previous entries, this makes me think that "growing up" wasn't used literally here.

Christopher970d ago

Preferring less crass humor isn't a condemnation of it. Much like you, the author can have an opinion. But, part of their opinion wasn't to label one as better than the other, just that they liked that it was approaching humor they likely would prefer. To call that implicit condemnation is you reading into it based on your own implicit bias, not them saying it or meaning it.

Again, they say that the change in tone needs to be equally compelling, which by your own concept of "implicit condemning" being read into it must also mean they consider what they are condemning to be compelling as well? That doesn't make sense. Your logic just doesn't follow through if you take all their words into consideration rather than just the line about "growing up."

gamer7804970d ago

From that quote just make a new franchise instead of diluting an established brand name.

moriarty1889970d ago

not a proper Saints Row imo. Should have brought Julius back and have him head up a new gang back in Stillwater or someplace else. These four members are more kid like than actual Saints material. Blown opportunity which seems to be the trend nowadays with many devs and franchise reboots or sequels.

970d ago Replies(1)
Show all comments (43)
170°

Watch PS Plus Bring A Dead Game Back To Life

Want to see a magic trick?

All you need is an open-world video game that flopped at launch and a popular subscription service with millions of gamers. And presto, you can bring a “dead” game like Saints Row (2022) back to life and make it one of the most played games on PlayStation.

Gamingsince1981178d ago

Because no one is stupid enough to spend their own money on the game I imagine, so they will try it for free and then realise they still over paid.

porkChop178d ago

The game really wasn't that bad. I went in expecting dog shit based on what I'd heard about it. I ended up enjoying it though I do recognize the game is far from perfect.

gold_drake177d ago

everyone says the game was like REALLY bad, but i enjoyed it for what it was.

but i wouldnt have bought it for 70 either

1nsomniac178d ago (Edited 178d ago )

The game is garbage. I spent probably 4-5 hours trying to like it. Telling myself give it a break its trying to break away from the norm and be a little fun. After that it just got deleted I'd rather have the SSD space ready for upcoming games.

But this agenda that keeps getting pushed about how the game is suddenly good because of how many people have now played it. Just shows how stupid the industry is. It's just been given away as a free game, of course people are going to download and play it. The consensus however is quite clear that the majority deleted it shortly after.

This was not a win for PS+ and not a win Saints Row either, far from it.

Profchaos177d ago (Edited 177d ago )

It was a win in the sense that i got to know I was right to ignore it and I got to at least try it and all it cost me was a slot in the monthly line up.

But you're right just because people have played it means nothing it got a huge influx of players who refused to pay anything for it. So that tells us that there are a large portion of at least casual saints row fans who felt rejected by the new direction and gave it a go when it cost them nothing

BrainSyphoned178d ago

Oh boy, we can play shit games on both platforms for increasing fees.

rippermcrip178d ago

And this is Microsoft's standard procedure current gen.

Profchaos177d ago (Edited 177d ago )

It wasn't good I played it on plus as a fan of the original games I watched the things go from bad to worse for the reboot so getting to play it on plus was interesting and it just wasn't good I did give it a chance I invested around 10 hours total before giving up.

it didn't update any mechanics to feel like a modern game it felt like a wave shooter in a lot of areas it didn't offer a real challenge but above all that talk about cringe it was to much I tapped out at the half way point.

Graphically it looked like a early PS4 game putting it nicely but the animations were ripped straight from 3 e.g. throw a grenade same animation cycle and that was a constant. So that made the game look like a fan mod. The world design felt like a step back getting around was slow and tedious.

The story was uninteresting and cringe Incan forgive more than most but I didn't need my gangster game to be an after school special on the power of friendship they couldn't rip on each other a little it was always I'm here for you type phrases who the hell was the games target audience.

I'd be kicking myself if I actually paid for it.

680°

Saints Row Devs Overhaul Everything, Ask Fans For Another Chance

Devs asking fans for another chance, is this update enough to convince you to part with your hard earned cash or was this game’s fate sealed long ago?

Read Full Story >>
thegamer.com
isarai352d ago

Maybe, I'll admit even after all the backlash I still have a passive interest in it. The kind where I'd jump on buying it if I had $20 to burn and I spotted it in that budget. But if the overhaul is good enough I'll re-evaluate buying it

351d ago Replies(10)
just_looken351d ago

Well i would like everyone to remember before or if you dive into saint row reboot it cost 500million to make.

Grand theft auto 5 had a full single player multiplayer and was built from the ground up in house engine 500million cost.

Saints row unreal engine 4 asset flipping some original stuff alot from the old games coop only 500million.

I personally want to see how this team blew 500 million during development.

isarai351d ago

Not sure where you got that number, but I don't get how that's supposed to influence my decision 😕

Profchaos351d ago

Agree i had a laugh when I was watching reviews using exactly the same animations as 3 and 4 can tell a lot of that was done to cut cost but it went way to far

RiseNShine351d ago (Edited 351d ago )

It's actually $100 million, which is still incredible for the trash quality this game has.

just_looken351d ago

You were right it was "over 100million" up to 250mill depends on the source but still how?

porkChop350d ago

Volition has over 200 employees and I believe Saints Row was all hands on deck. So salaries, marketing, music licensing, voice actors, etc. Yeah, $100M+ sounds about right.

jeromeface350d ago

yea, you're talkin 8 years ago pricing vs now... which is apples and oranges.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 350d ago
IamTylerDurden1352d ago

Needed overhaul after 3. Three was good but they were never going to push it past that. Four was dumb. They needed to focus on quality and becoming grounded then ramp the wackiness. The recent Saints Row wasn't it.

IamTylerDurden1352d ago

The reboot sucked and 4 was worse than 3 idc disagree but say why you do. They should have gone back to SR2 style.

Asplundh351d ago

People might be disagreeing because it seems like you're thinking that they're talking about overhauling the series with the next game and they're actually talking about over hauling the reboot with updates.

Profchaos351d ago (Edited 351d ago )

4 v 3 is entirely debatable I prefer 4 but I can see both sides.

I'd actually rate them
5 Reboot
4 sr2
3 sr3
2 sr 4
1 sr og 360 launch era

However everyone can agree the reboot sucks.

But sr2 just feels clunky it's graphically worse than 1 and runs worse at that I remember it being so choppy on 360 I brought it on PC and a decent PC of that era struggled to run it despite running crysis decently

P_Bomb352d ago (Edited 352d ago )

Rebooting the reboot? Offer up a demo/free weekend. Not just the character creator this time.

IamTylerDurden1352d ago

Reboot sucked. Reboot the reboot, why stick with trash?

P_Bomb352d ago (Edited 352d ago )

I can’t imagine they made money on this. The overhaul is probably their Hail Mary.

H9352d ago

I have heard that somewhere

potatoseal352d ago (Edited 352d ago )

The game's characters and story are so trash. You shouldn't have made them like fortnite characters. You made your bed, now lie in it. Saints Row 2022 is dead to me. I don't care what they do to it

Chriswheeler22351d ago

That's my take as well. It's not the dated gameplay, it's the esthetic, style, very modern take on saints row characters I don't like. They aren't gang members, they are college kids.

Show all comments (96)
120°

Saint Row's First Paid Story DLC To Be Added Soon

Saints Row The Heist and The Hazardous DLC has been dated and a launch trailer is expected to be released on the same day.

Read Full Story >>
sirusgaming.com
Christopher357d ago

Even though I didn't hate the game as much as others, I honestly have forgotten about it until just now.

aws04355d ago

Why do those gangs look like video game journalists?

chicken_in_the_corn355d ago

Looking forward to it. I really like the main game.

CoNn3rB355d ago

Kinda forgot about this game to be honest

Sgt_Slaughter355d ago

The 10 people still playing will be overjoyed

Show all comments (9)