Maybe the Best Open-World Superpower Game...Maybe?
Hey guys…
…GUYS…
…Saints Row 4 is really good.
I have enjoyed the Saints Row series since SR2 (never played the first). With each iteration, Volition distances itself more and more from the dreaded “GTA-clone” descriptor and become more their own thing. In SR3, they left behind the gritty drama and embraced the ridiculous (as they say in game: more fun, less mercy killing). And in SR4, they go past ridiculous into straight up bonkers (I know I am a few years late on this…but the Dubstep Gun you guys The DUBSTEP GUN IS INCREDIBLE).
I have played many of the more well-known open-world super hero games (both Prototypes and InFamous 1 and 2)…and SR4 might…MIGHT…be the best superhero open world game I’ve played thus far. It gives your travel powers of super-speed and sprinting pretty early on, and that gives a lot of freedom, and eliminates a lot of the hassle of having to drive to each object.
The speed at which you can reach objects also makes the side activities slightly less annoying. These have always been the weak part of the Saints Row games, and that continues here. Some are fun (Insurance Fraud becomes even more ridiculous as you can super-jump in the air, hit the ragdoll button, and ear an easy few thousand dollars as you hurl yourself across the map), most are okay, and some are terrible (TK Mayhem…I’m looking at you). I did manage to play through them all, but I felt no need to go back through to gold medal each one. The amount of collectables also might be a bit over the top (and not necessarily in a good way).
But all told, I really enjoyed my second time around in Steelport. I am not really sure what Volition can do top themselves the next time around, but I look forward to seeing them try.
