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Saints Row The Third Remastered is out now, and the original came out in 2011. 9 years later, with us all locked down, THQ and Volition decided it was time for a remaster (well they probably decided way before Coronavirus).
I had never fully played the game, even though I actually already owned it on the Switch. There is a lot of discourse surrounding whether Saints Row 3 or Saints Row 2 is better, and I share no opinion due to not playing either.
First of all, we should definitely talk about the most disappointing aspect, because overall, this is a decent game. So… after about 30 seconds you will swiftly release that, even though better, the graphics really are not up to the standard you would expect from a current-generation game. After looking back at the graphics from the 2011 entry, it is clear they’ve been improved, but it just doesn’t seem to be enough. The colours are brighter, the characters more defined but in the endgame, the presentation isn’t going to impress you much (Shania Twain reference!).
The storyline is absolutely wild: Within 30 minutes of gameplay, you would have robbed a bank, been put in jail, jumped out a plane and then proceeded to jump into another plane, kill everyone, jump back out and save a chick. All in a day’s work… You, of course are in control of the Saints Row syndicate, who are in the height of their powers.
They’ve come to fame, but this may have got them a bit too much unwanted attention. The game is based in Stillport and has moved on from Stillwater (the setting for the previous two games). Time to take over a new place, and take over is just what you will do. The game feels a little like a more absurd version of Grand Theft Auto and is definitely funnier.
In the current state of the world, Saints Row The Third Remastered is just the type of humourous game we need to lighten the mood: Killing, nudity, random acts of violence are common and it really did lift my spirits.
Throughout the game, you will get a little bit annoyed with the controls. The only way I can describe them is that they are not quite calibrated correctly. I am a pretty good aim on games, and there were too many examples where I wasn’t quite finding the spot for which I was aiming. This was surely not down to my inexperienced hands and could only be down to the slightly clunky controls. For a game which shares similarities with GTA, they haven’t quite mastered how to stay in control. However, neither the controls, nor the graphics put me off enjoying this game. They were a bit heavy, but I have played games with much worse.
Cleverly chosen voice actors have clearly donned Saints Row, albeit with a bit of dodgy lip-sync. Each character has their own unique voice which seems to fit the randomness well. The soundtrack is quite unique and inspired by the randomness that the game possesses. Everything fits together nicely and there is rarely a dull moment in the 30 hours of gameplay.
Overall, Saints Row The Third Remastered has a fair few flaws, but none of them outweigh the fun you will have throughout. This is definitely a perfectly timed release and well worth a purchase for everyone.
Saints Row The Third Remastered is released today on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
Important info:
- Publisher: THQ
- Developer: Volition
- Players: single-player, multiplayer
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GRAPHICS SOUND GAMEPLAY ENJOYMENT |
6 9 7 10 |
| OVERALL | 8 |
I have been a video game player since 1993 and a music fan since I can remember. I studied Film and Journalism at university and ended up becoming a Primary School teacher. Video games changed my life and sent me on the right track and have stayed with me ever since.