Multiplayer
This is where Saints Row blows away any of the GTA series. None of the GTA series has any multiplayer capabilities and fans have long wished for it to be added. Saints Row is reaming with it. The online portion of the game has five different modes, which consist of:
- Big Ass Chains: This consists of killing enemies to earn chains. You can play this in single or team modes, and the object is to get your chains to a specific area to get points.
- Gangsta Brawl: Your standard Deathmatch affair.
- Blinged Out Ride: Teams compete to bling out their rides and drop it off at a specific location before the other team does.
- Protect The Pimp: Ala Hunted on Team Fortress Classic, and my favourite. Standard team escort affair. One team must escort the pimp to a specific location, while the other team tries to assassinate him.
- Co-Op: There are two co-op missions in the game. The first involves transporting boxes from one end of a map to the next before the timer expires. The other involves fighting your way from one end of the map to the other.
Multiplayer is a blast, but very laggy when the game first came out. Since then a saints row update has addressed most of the issues. Lastly, and I seriously mean this – don’t use your headset unless you’re playing with friends.
Saints Row online has a reputation for having some of the most ‘vocal’ players ever. I had no idea what to expect until I tried it online, and inside 30seconds of a protect the pimp game, racial insults were flying all over the place. I tried a few more games and came across the worst about of language I’ve ever heard in all the online games I’ve played over Xbox Live. Yes it’s a gangsta game kiddies, however that doesn’t mean you have to go round sprouting insults like all those lame American so called rap stars.
Conclusion
Saints Row, upon release was bashed as a poor mans GTA clone. A month down the road however, players began warming to it in their droves. This lead me into purchasing it, and I don’t regret it at all. Hey, it was half price at £20 anyway!
As with Vice City or San Andreas, this game has a lot of replay value. There’s loads to do even when you’ve finished the game. I’ve already completed the main storyline mission, which I must admit was quite gripping. However I’ve still got a lot of activities yet to complete. If you’re a GTA fan and are waiting with bated breath for GTA 4 (good luck - it won’t see light until late 2007) then this is worth a look. It’s an enjoyable game with a good control system, so it is easily playable.
The game does have frame rate issues in places though, but for the most part they shouldn’t get in the way of your gaming. However it is a lot of fun, and it’s missions/activities are a breath of fresh air from what you’d find in the GTA series. I would have given this game a solid 9/10 if there were more methods of transport.
Rating: 8/10
Pro’s:
- Improves on almost every aspect of the GTA series
- Stillwater is big, with lots to do
- Realistic car damage
- Good multiplayer capabilities
- Great detailed environments
- Lots of side missions to do (activities)
Cons:
- Frame rate issues in places
- Music could be better
- Vehicles tend to vanish ala Vice City/San Andreas
- Online Multiplayer sometimes has wannabe gangsta children