With Voices Like Saints

I find myself perpetually surprised by Saints Row. When the first screenshots of the original came out, I thought it looked garish and embarrassing. When I finally played it, I found its cartoonish feel endearing, and many of its nuts-and-bolts mechanics were superior to the game it was ripping off. After Grand Theft Auto IV raised the stakes on what an open-world criminal action game could accomplish, I figured Saints Row 2 for a total lame duck. Rather than try and beat Rockstar at their own game, they just cranked up the absurdity. Well-played, sirs.

Today THQ released a new Saints Row 2 trailer focusing on the game's voice talent, and it's full of great, ridiculous choices. In addition to the formidable talents of Michael Rappaport, Gary Busey, and Keith motherstuffin' David, the game will also feature Neil Patrick Harris, Eliza Dushku, and Michael Dorn (AKA the guy who played Worf). Check out the trailer yourself for more of Volition's high-contrast hijinks.

They need Charlie Murphy.  Anything that need's voiceovers should have at least one character voiced by him.  Best voice everrrr.

That video linked to YouTube is slightly amusing but completely out of line... Saints Row was a decent knock off though, maybe this one will be as well.

My feelings exactly. The game actually looks pretty fun. Not sure if it will top GTA 4 for me but I'll deifnitely play it with an open mind

Neill Patrick Harris? Really?

NPH! NPH! NPH!

Neil Patrick Harris was a perfect choice

Saints Row 1 was criminally ignored... I played it for like 6-8 months... the 'Blinged Out Ride' online mode was frankly one of the most awesome online game modes from any game ever, and ranks up there as maybe the best thing on Xbox Live behind COD4... it played like a game of chess it was so tactical. Brainless shooter boys got owned time after time.

I bet Daniel Dae Kim had alot of fun doing the voice for Johnny Gat :D

I'm liking it more and more.

As far as I'm concerned GTA 4 really dropped the ball with what it was trying to pull off. I don't think Rockstar realized that everyone who buys GTA games just wants to run over people and blow things up with cheat codes. I stopped playing GTA 4 as soon as I got into a fist fight on the first mission or whatever. Not my cup of tea. And then I had previously played Saints Row which was pretty rediculous and didn't try and take itself seriously as no open world crime game ever should.

I think Volition is taking the right steps with what it is they do and will purchase this one too. Wouldn't mind another Summoner game too.

Ehhhhh...I honestly think they're trying to disctract us from the actual game.  Some hands-on previews I read on Eurogamer were decidedly mediocre.  I loved GTA4, and I'm pretty tried of everyone and their mom screaming, "OVERRATED!  I PLAYED FOR 2 HOURS AND GOT BORED!!!" 

Holy shit. Neil!? Day one buy for me just because he's in it.

First: Why does it say October 14 2008, then underneath October 17th 2008?

Also WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH Neil Patrick Harris is AMAZING, if only he played Dr. horrible in the game :P

Love the voice cast, but the game doesn't look too great visually which is kind of lame.

The controls of the first Saint's Row game turned me off immediately. I am willing to give SR2 a try, but I hope they adjusted the controls drastically.

Good voicecast but it won't save the game from its last gen graphics.

Really glad that they are taking Saints Row 2 to the less serious end of the spectrum. GTA 4 left a little of the fun for the serious aspects of the game, i hope saints Row 2 can fill that gap, and distance itself from it's 'rip-off' beginnings.

its saddens me to hear some people saying GTA4 was "boring" and all they want to do is run over people and blow shit up. YOU CAN STILL DO THAT IN GTA4 DUMBSHIT!!! and it looks even better in GTA4!! I bet some people who say GTA4 is boring are some underage, stupid kids who asked thier mom to buy the game for them who doesn't reconize a high qaulity game even whe it shits on their face. GTA4 is more than just blowing shit up and killing cops, so if you haven't played through the game, than i suggest you shut the fuck up.

NPH! and WORF!

I'm just glad they brought back Keith David.

Did NPH just steal our car?

You probably won't be able to roundhouse-kick cars into dude's faces, but I think like Crackdown this will be a game that's simply fun to mess around in.

I cannot wait for SR2!