I recently got hold on Saints Row 2, and must say that I'm really enjoying it. The whole "customize-yourself" aspect of this game is truly impressing and time absorbing.
While I am enjoying it a lot more than I did GTA4, I'll try not to get to much into to the already overplayed "SR2 is better than GTA4"-argument, since I do have gripes with the game. I'm aware that this game has more in common with GTA:SA - however again I feel it's more
As many people have mentioned on the net following things are better/more fun than later GTA-games:
- Driving is a lot more fun, and the fact that you can come from point A to B without trashing you car before a mission is gold.
- The fact that you can save what seems to be an endless number of cars in your garage is great - AND that you can recall a car you've accidently destroyed is even better. I really couldn't see any reason to pimp out any car in GTA:SA, since I knew I'd probably loose it at some point.
- I find melee fighting more fun. When you hold a gun and do a secondary attack you do a crutch-kick - which is awesome.
- Territory wars are more fun and less intrusive that those found in GTA:SA.
- You don't have to eat, work-out or take people on dates to maintain some sort of favorable bonus.
- You can at any time replay previous missions.
- There seems to be more weapons in SA2 and they are pretty varied.
Now I get to some few things I've noticed that are not quite up to par in SA2:
- Car/people spawning/disappearing is even worse than GTA3. Seriously, a car can drive by you and while you still can hear it's engine, and when you turn around it will be gone. I've numerous times spotted a car I've wanted, drove past it to block with my current car - just to find it has magically disappeared. I just hope at some point these kind of games will feature spawning that far enough away to actually be somewhat believable.
- I find the weapon/food-selection mechanic cumbersome. Especially I find It pretty hectic to find and activate some food in the middle of a firefight - and that's honestly the only time you would need to activate it, since health is regenerating if you've pulled yourself out of the line of fire.
- Man I would love to have a breadcrum-trail in these kind of games. Looking at the GPS while driving is actually kind of annoying... For some reason I was actually under the impression that Saints Row (and thus Saints Row 2) featured such a mechanic. But since I've never owned Saint Row, I probably just remember reviews mentioning the trail on the GPS, since that was a big plus over the GTA-series at the time.
- I guess it would be nice if there were a bit more smaller diversions. Like the ability to play pool, since several of your cribs feature a pool-table.
- With all the customization you are able to do to your person, it would be kind of nice if you were able to save these settings.
That is some of what I've noticed about the game so far, but I haven't completed it yet though... I haven't completed GTA:SA or GTA4 either... but I must say, I think it's more likely that I complete this game. Although at the moment I'm in no hurry since I find plenty of non-story things to do in the game.
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