SAINTS ROW IS AS CRAZY AS ALWAYS
Nine years, that’s right, it has been nine years since Saints Row: The Third released and I’m so excited to have a reason to play it once again. With the game being nine years old this gives younger gamers the chance to play the best Saints Row title released in a new light. With that said, the story is exactly the same as before, The 3rd Row Saints have somewhat sold out and are viewed more as celebrities instead of criminals. Now that the Saints are “celebrity elites” and are living the high life they seem to take a few things for granted, putting them in hot water with rival gangs from SteelPort. Not only does this poor decision bring the gang back down to earth, but they also lose the one and only Johnny Gat, the glue that kept the Saint together.
I don’t want to spoil much of the story in case there are new players, so I won’t talk about major plot points … but I will say this. At the beginning of the game one of the most loved characters in the series is killed off. This decision to kill him off in Saints Row The Third has always bothered me. When I say that it bothered me I literally mean when he died during my original play-through I almost stopped playing the game. Killing off a character like this was almost the equivalent of Desmond Miles being killed off in Assassin’s Creed III. The decision literally made no sense to me and kind just made the game feel a bit off…at first.
The game is no longer set in Stilwater but the neighboring city SteelPort. So not only are there new enemies, but there are also new locations to explore and control. This does give the world a bit of a fresh feel and really helps you take your mind off the death of Johnny. Since we were in a new location, I found myself exploring a lot of the new map and taking down all the gang activities before jumping into the main story. As you get further into SR: The Third there is a ton of over-the-top actions and really funny crude moments. This is what makes Saint Row stick out in the crowd. Yes, games like GTA have humorous moments, but Saints Row is all about being wild and crazy right out of the box. Hell, the weapons and vehicles in the game can speak to that.
You have weapons ranging from The Octopus Gun that literal rocket launches mind-controlling octopi at your enemies, The Penetrator which is just a giant dildo bat, and even a gun called Shark-O-Matic which shoots chum on your enemies making a shark pop out of the ground and kill your foes. When it comes to vehicles things just get crazier with ones like Yarnie that is just a giant ball of yarn, a flyable broomstick called Salem, and of course the Gat Mobile … yes, a car that looks like Johnny Gat. These are just a few of the weapons and vehicles that help add super crazy moments to the story of this game and although it is a great experience to play through Saints Row the Third’s story again, I have to say the main thing that is excited about this title is the rework to the graphics of this world.
MAYHEM HAS NEVER LOOKED SO BEAUTIFUL
We have seen many games released as “Remasters” that honestly we’re pretty underwhelming when it came to graphical enhancements. With Saints Row The Third, this is not the case at all. Not only does the game just look better but the game was remastered with a brand new graphics engine and boy does it run better than ever! In this title we get better lighting, visual design, and even the possibilities of faster frame rates on consoles. With these new visuals I found myself really soaking in the world of Saints Row The Third. Damn it is awesome to run around SteelPort at 4K!
The game also gives you the option to unlock frame rates on the PS4 and Xbox One version of the game. The PS4 version only hits around 40 to 49 fps when unlocked, however, the Xbox One X version lets you play the game with all glorious 60 frames per second. During my playthrough I decided to keep my frames locked at 30 FPS of PS4 because it seemed like the game ran a lot better than when it was unlocked.
I am very happy with the job that Sperasoft did with the overall visual tone of this game, even though there were a few times I see the age of the game as I played … the visual improvements definitely stand out and make the game feel brand new.
As I ran through the crazy world of Saints Row The Third I kinda got a bit emotional to say the least. My family was out and about so I had the house to myself. With a 65 inch 4K tv in front of me I drove through the streets of SteelPort customizing my car, taking vengeance on my enemies, and really having a ton of fun. That is when it hit me, I got emotional because of the current world situation and how lucky we are to even have the opportunity to play a crazy fun-filled game like this right now, without worry. As I sit comfortably in my home, playing a review game, many others are suffering in the current world state. From a bright disposition, playing this game really took my mind off the depressive state most of the world is in right now. Yes, Saints Row is a very crude game at times, but damn did I have fun and escape this crazy world we are living in now.
This game is the total package when it comes to content. Not only does the game offer a full story, a ton of side quest, three mission packs, 30 pieces of DLC, and Online CO-OP but it is also only $39.99! I mean with a price that ridiculous people should be lining up like its toilet paper during a pandemic. Though I have played a lot of this game, I will be spending a lot more time in the streets of Saints Row and so should you.
OVERALL
Saints Row: The Third Remastered is a definite buy for anyone looking for something affordable and fun to play. This is by far the best Saints Row title in the series and is now the best looking with the graphical enhancements that Sperasoft has introduced. This title has everything a gamer wants during this time of quarantine, so if you’re bored in the house and in the house bored get Saints Row: The Third Remastered!
