Sandbox (or 'open world') games are, and always will be amazing to me. Breaking the mold of linear progression, they allow people to take a story at their own pace between bouts of free roaming, letting them immerse themselves at their own speed and choosing. One of the most interesting concepts of the genre is how these games cater to different personalities - the hero, the villain, the creep, the vehicle enthusiast, the criminal, the stuntman, the fashionista, or even someone who wants nothing more than to take a nice, leisurely drive through a city... while firing the occasional stray bullet at a random bystander. If you can let your imagination go, there's a place in a sandbox game for everyone.
Look, there's a traffic stop - should I drive over the cop and watch what the civilians do? Why not jump in a taxi and transport some people around for extra cash. Hmm, that's a pretty steep embankment over there... I wonder what happens if I careen towards it at top speed using the fastest vehicle in the game. Think I can make it onto the roof of that bank? How about assembling as many cars into a pile as the game will allow, and waiting for someone to walk by before lobbing a grenade into the middle of it. After that, I'll see how long I can hold a wheelie on a motorcycle while searching for collectible items before making my way to the next mission. If you don't know what 'sandbox' means, you've likely been living under a rock for the duration of your gaming life, but that pretty much sums it up.
Saints Row capitalizes on the sandbox concept, but also sweetens the deal with a fair bit of absurdity. You may have heard the comparison before - that the Grand Theft Auto series is a little more 'grounded in reality', while Saints Row has you fighting waves of gang members while tripping on LSD, or escaping from an S&M party while riding in a rickshaw pulled by a gentleman of African descent who happens to be wearing little more than strips of leather and a ball gag. THIS is what makes Saints Row 3 so good. It provides you with a worthy sandbox experience, while giving you a giant, rubber dong to beat people while doing it. Literally.
As in SR2, much of the activity in SR3 centers around gang hierarchy, activity, criminal shenanigans, confrontation, and of course, flat-out war. Don't forget about the local law enforcement either. Between them, your opposing factions, and the general public who provide a great deal of tomfoolery (especially once behind the wheel of a vehicle), there's almost never a dull moment. Almost, that is, because every once in a while there's a lack of the hustle and bustle you'd expect from a city this size. Saints Row 2 experienced this problem as well - once too often, it seemed like traffic was eerily absent. When traveling more than a city block on foot takes longer than jacking a car and driving it, this can become slightly annoying at times.
The vehicle selection in the game is decent, although towards the beginning of the game you run a much higher risk of jumping into a severely slow-moving pile of junk without knowing it. As you progress and encounter more vehicles, your options expand, as do the vehicles at your disposal, provided you take the ones you enjoy back to your garage for future use. After hours of play, pretty much every vehicle in the game becomes accessible, which again adds points to that integral replay factor. Customization of vehicles is also present at the auto body shops (one of various businesses you purchase and make profits on), with each upgraded vehicle capable of being saved and stored in its improved state.
As for the music, I personally didn't like the radio stations in SR3 as much as I did in SR2, but to anyone who doesn't understand (normally, that's about 80-90% of message board users), musical taste is entirely subjective, and can't be objectively judged. One of the things you can place judgment on is assortment, and the music in SR3 is certainly eclectic, with multiple songs in foreign languages, and a decent assortment of classical. You can also create a 'mix tape' of your favorite tunes for play in any vehicle, a la SR2. Sadly though, as with many other titles, if you are playing on a Playstation 3, don't expect the custom soundtrack option to be present.
Online co-op is an absolute blast. Just as in SR2, assisting a friend (or even a total stranger) with their missions provides countless hours of entertainment. This pushes the replay factor to even greater heights - something which is very important in a game (this coming from someone who owns a great many titles that still require finishing). The length of time SR3 will keep you coming back for more is one of the games' most redeeming qualities. Even in helping a friend finish missions that I had completed a mere couple of days prior, I still enjoyed myself a great deal.
After beating the game, I felt compelled to return and complete the assassination and vehicle theft missions, along with the loads of challenges that give you plenty to do. Even if you decide to take a second trip through the game with a new character - either for the experience, or to maximize your trophies / achievements (you will have to play it twice to obtain all of them) - you might be compelled to hop online with your maxed out character and offer other people assistance with their game. Just be sure to take an assisting role if your partner is not as leveled up as you are. I ran in with guns blazing on a few missions, putting a quick end to the mayhem and taking some of the experience away from my partner in the end.
Character customization features are also impressive. I have a favorite video game character from a popular Sega Master System title that I frequently pay homage to, by recreating them when a customization system that's deep enough is present. SR3's system is definitely intricate enough for you to mold your protagonist into a recognizable form. As far as clothing for your character goes (which IS optional in this game), you have the option of hand-selecting pieces for separate body parts, or purchasing outfits as a whole. The latter option is fantastic for gamers like me who want the occasional change in appearance, but don't want to bother changing one piece at a time.
As with every title I review, a game is always a 10 out of 10, minus the things it lacks or does poorly. Let's proceed with those...
Graphically, the city looks great, as do the vehicles - especially those unlocked later in the game that have enhanced visual effects. (Imagine a lightcycle from Tron fusing with a Lamborgini... *drool*...) However, there is a fair deal of chugging and hiccuping in the graphic engine at times, which caused slowdown at multiple points throughout my journeys. Even in places where it just doesn't seem that slowdown should occur, it happens and can be mildly frustrating.
There's plenty of shady traffic AI present in SR3, which I'm starting to think is standard for sandbox games that focus on driving in traffic. For instance, cars that 'happen' to want to make a turn across two or three lanes of traffic, just as you're passing them at top speed - clearly a planned AI maneuver. Some vehicles, as you identify and begin moving towards them on foot, will suddenly stop, turn around, and head the other direction. Also, on several occasions where I would take aim at an escaping vehicle, another car would come into view and stop, in a wholly unnatural position on the road, completely blocking my line of sight. I suppose you could view these nuances as pros OR cons, but overall I believe a little more subtlety in these changes would have made things slightly less aggravating. I prefer a random world, rather than one that is watching my every move and countering my efforts at every opportunity. Sandbox games are supposed to emulate real life, and not The Adjustment Bureau.
Collision mapping can become quite annoying at times. In the middle of firefights, I repeatedly found myself halted mid-stride by fallen light posts. These are no more than a foot thick, so you think your character would be able to step over them. They must actually be jumped over, which throws quite a wrench in the action when you're being riddled by bullets and seeking cover. Taking careful note of your surroundings is the only way to avoid this. I also noticed some wonky vehicle interactions with the world, such as getting stuck in odd places, and becoming sandwiched rather easily. Again, I suppose it all depends on how 'real' you want things to feel, but none of these things are game-breakers, rest assured.
Several of the non-story related missions from SR2 return, along with a few new ones. One Escort mission in particular, though, felt very tacked on. I appreciate the humor behind having to drive at top speed with a tiger in your passenger seat, but beyond the gag it really involves nothing more than having to go fast while experiencing the occasional severe pull in your steering. Also, making your way to a car door, opening it, and getting inside might seem like a fairly simple process, but for some of the AI characters in SR3, it's a science fair. Fewer things in this game made my blood pressure rise faster than a bot who doesn't seem to grasp the concept of getting the f**k in the car before the 20+ people shooting guns at us end the mission. You will, without a doubt, experience sub-par AI at some point when you play this game. They're not always complete idiots, but when they are, it usually counts.
Now that we have those out of the way, I implore each and every sandbox enthusiast out there to get either this game, or its prequel. Just be warned - the retail version of SR3 comes with a free version of SR2, which is unlocked once you enter the code to access online play. Still, even though I paid for SR2 before I was aware of this, I don't regret it in the slightest.
FINAL REVIEW SCORES:
Saints Row 2: 8.5 out of 10
Saints Row 3: 8 out of 10
-Phrantic
10:20 PM
Andy
