What Grand Theft Auto V Can Learn From Saint's Row: The Third

Gizelle Money writes "Exciting. Thrilling. Explosive. Sexy. Open world with an attitude. You would think that with such terms I was describing Rockstar's game-changer, Grand Theft Auto. And if you asked me a handful of entries ago, you'd be right. Don't get me wrong, I love GTA as much as the next gal who enjoys beating up a hooker and taking whatever money she has on her just before throwing an unsuspecting chap from his car – that he's probably still making payments on – and running over anyone that gets in your way. But something happened towards the end of 2011. Volition developed an unsuspecting game-changer of its own. And for the first time, I was not only drawn to the GTA-wannabe known as Saint's Row. And once more, I realized that Rockstar would be wise to learn a thing or to from such an amusing yet perfectly executed open world game."

[Amazingmrbrock]

No. Just no. Let rockstar evolve GTA in the direction they've been going in.

There is saints rough for whimsical wackiness. GTA can take things in a more serious story bent kind of arc.

Though I do think they should take the story in the same direction the gameplay moves in. Have the story follow around a brutal mass murdering psychopath.

[SilentNegotiator]

They could learn a little about pacing and sandboxing from the Saint's Row series. There's ALWAYS something more interesting than bowling to do in Saint's Row.

The tutorial didn't last 5 hours and it didn't take 10 to get into a half interesting mission.

[C0MPUT3R]

The Houser Brothers think the term, "sandbox" is an insult.
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It makes it seem like its for children playing with their toys in the sandbox.
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The Houser Brothers call their games, "open world" because it depicts a more gritty mature game.
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Which is what they make, and what I like.

[MurDocINC]

It needs to learn to add 2 player coop!

[Oschino1907]

Why? When it already will have a free roam (had up to 16 players in gta4) and prob a dozen other online game modes I don't see why you would want to ruin the flow and structure of the story by having two protagonist. GTA isn't SR, get over it or find another game to play and leave GTA alone.

[GoldenAge]

I disagree. I understand why people disliked GTA but as it stands now GTA4 was a great game for what it aimed to be. Sure I miss the silliness mixed with the seriousness that San Andreas had but I say let R* continue with their approach to realistic yet mature stories.

It gives us gamers more options in the end, where we can choose between serious and arcade-like games as opposed to being stuck with asking which is the better whacky game or which is the better serious game.

[Prcko]

Nothing!
sain't row game has to be forgotten as soon as possible.

[Dan50]

More codes!!!!!!

[Jason143]

saints row 3 was awfull. It was a pot smoking alcoholic mess made for doped up teenagers.

[OmegaSaiyanX]

Well at the same time if you got a really big sense of humour I have to say SR3 was extremely hilarious :-D

GTA just needs to be its own game its nice to have 2 similar but very different titles as in SR is funny and GTA is more serious :-)

[C0MPUT3R]

SR is funny because its bad. So bad it's funny. Understand?

[creatchee]

They could definitely learn from the level of customization that was available in SR3. I think that the zaniness wouldn't carry over well, but the variety in missions and not taking itself serious mentality served it well

[Scissorman82]

Exactly right. Cause I think the moment a GTA protagonist whips out a big rubber dildo, is when we're going to have some problems.

[ape007]

saints row 3 is a really nice game.....I give it 8.5-8.9

GTA IV is absolutely legendary ....9.5-9.7

[gtxgamer2]

I dont want GTA to be like saints row.

[Getowned]

Story wise no, Gameplay I Kinda do. Saints row 2 is a better game then the third.In Saints row 3 I just hated the story it was crap but some of the missions were really fun just for the complete crazzyness.

I hate the story so god damn much it's like a 12 year old wrote it.I love the storyline in GTA games but I hate the gameplay some what. The thing that bugs me about gta is that the cars are so horrible to drive, and the game is about stealing cars. I mean you got a game about stealing cars and the driving is god aweful.

RockStar has made some Racing games in the past like Midnight Club LA and the way the cars handle in that game is great, and IMO thats how cars should should handle in GTA but they don't.

[ape007]

I respectfully disagree, gta iv car driving maybe the most satysfying car driving I've ever played, the car physics are outstanding,the weight is perfect,everything is detailed, sr pales in comparion, cars feel like plastic, physics and stunt mechanism are average, gta cars interact in infinite ways

[Scissorman82]

Could not agree with this more. And I think that's the entire crux of the article, taking gameplay elements from Saint' Row.

[Getowned]

@Ape

I dissagree with you 100%.GTA4 cars are too heavy and can't even take a corner properly.For me it's a very poor driving experience, and I very much prefer Saints Row 3 cars over GTA4.I will say that I agree with you on how they felt a on the little plastic side. I think they feel like driving RC cars, but I still like it better then GTA4. I really think both games have thing that they could learn from each other. GTA could learn from SR3's gameplay some what, and SR3 could use a better story like GTA's although I hope GTA5 will be more like SA, and SR4 will be more like SR2. I still like GTA and SR for different reasons and I'm a huge fan of both games.I am one of Half the the people on N4G that thinks GTA4 and SR3 were good games, but both have their flaws.

I also gotta say if you haven't played SR2 it's awesome once you get into it 100x better then SR3.

[aliengmr]

GTA4 was a great game, but I had more fun playing SR. I don't think GTA5 needs to copy SR in anyway, but I do think it could lighten up a bit.

[MasterD919]

I think both games need to create a more lively world. Random events should constantly be happening around the city that force the player or people around the player to react.

It seems like you have to intervene with the world to get some different gameplay options as opposed to things just naturally occurring.

[Oschino1907]

I agree, road construction should not be in same place forever, should move from place to place over time, emergencies like car accidents, fires, shootings, theft, etc... should be going on randomly causing police, fire, ambulance to be called out and roads blocked or detours being used and buildings locked down, etc...

Just more dynamic people around and (small and big) events so the world doesn't require you for it to be active and alive. It should be reacting to itself and you, you are just another person in a world you can influence and alter but its not just going to stop and wait for you.

Hope the TV is better with even more content this time around, and dynamic so it keeps up with current in game events.

[MasterD919]

RDR & GTA have had fractional moments where random things take place and when they do it is quite fascinating to watch things unfold.

That should be the entire point of a sandbox-game like GTA or SR. They need to create a living, breathing world that is not on autopilot.

[Scissorman82]

This idea reminds of Spider-man, where people would randomly be assaulted and you would have to react quickly to save them, or their red balloon. =P

[pr0digyZA]

Wow nice to see people on here saying they enjoyed GTA4. If anything GTA related came on N4G a year ago, it would have been butchered. It must have been the in thing to do.

I personally love GTA 4 and hope that it doesn't go saints row route. I would prefer if they kept it like TBGT style.

[Oschino1907]

Well I barely touched for 2-3yrs and just started playing again and while I understand the griefs and nit picking I truely love and respect the masterpiece it truely was/is, the online is still active and amongst the best at what it does even 4 years down the road. Playing right now on free roam (my personal fav mode in the game) and still just as fun as it was back in 2008.

[NYC_Gamer]

GTA V doesn't need to learn anything from Saints Row.R* will expand the sandbox genre with new type of gameplay/story telling

[AngryOcelots]

I like the idea that while GTA is not necessarily a serious title from top to bottom, Rockstar can maintain an overall feel of purpose.

Saints Row is that type of game where you can do ludicrous things without worrying about messing up the sanctity of how something was suppose to happen or feel.

Both games do are better off doing their own thing, but GTAV needs to step up their game and offer the next level of their particular style the way Saints Row stepped theirs up for III.

[Ryanboi5]

No because rockstar can think of better things to do in gta v