Saints Row

About

"Saints Row" is an open-world video game that can be played by either a single player or up to two players in multiplayer mode. The game offers a cooperative gameplay experience and includes the Gold Edition as well as the remastered version of Saints Row The Third. Pre-ordering the Platinum Edition grants access to additional content, such as The Idols Anarchy Pack and The Saints Criminal Customs.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

54%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,285 reviews

story316 positive mentions

stability225 negative mentions

The game offers extensive character and vehicle customization options, allowing players to create unique looks and styles.
The open-world environment of Santo Ileso is vibrant and visually appealing, providing a fun playground for exploration.
The gameplay mechanics, including driving and combat, can be enjoyable and chaotic, especially in co-op mode.

The story and writing are often criticized as cringeworthy and lacking depth, with unlikable characters and a predictable plot.
The game is plagued by numerous bugs and technical issues, including crashes and glitches that disrupt gameplay.
Many players feel that the game fails to capture the essence of previous Saints Row titles, leading to disappointment among long-time fans.

story
1,870 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
70%
13%
The story of the 2022 "Saints Row" reboot has received significant criticism for its lack of depth, coherence, and engaging character development. Many players find the narrative to be a shallow, cringe-worthy attempt at humor that fails to capture the charm of previous installments, with a plot centered around mundane themes like student debt and friendship rather than the outrageous crime antics that defined the series. While some appreciate the new direction and humor, the overwhelming sentiment is that the story is poorly executed, leading to a disjointed experience that feels rushed and unsatisfying.
- “The story has been fun so far and worth it for any serious fan of the series.”
- “The story is a decent new take on the formula and the enemy gangs this time around are interesting, if not a little derivative as well.”
- “The story is fine, no high literature, but again: this is a saints row game.”
- “The story is mind-numbingly stupid nonsense and whoever wrote it was a complete moron.”
- “The story wouldn't feel as bad if it didn't have to compare to the previous installments.”
- “The main story makes little sense and has more holes than some types of Swiss cheese.”
gameplay
573 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
59%
13%
The gameplay of the latest Saints Row reboot has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its clunky mechanics, repetitive missions, and lack of innovation compared to previous titles in the series. While some appreciate the nostalgic elements and customization options, others criticize the driving and shooting mechanics as outdated and frustrating. Overall, the game offers a casual, arcade-like experience that may appeal to fans of the franchise, but it struggles to meet modern gaming standards in terms of polish and depth.
- “The gameplay is fun and engaging, with enough depth to keep me interested and the mission variety keeps the game feeling fresh throughout.”
- “The driving mechanics, a staple of the series, are smooth and fun, allowing players to engage in high-speed chases or use vehicles as weapons with relative ease.”
- “The gameplay is filled with over-the-top action, allowing for wild antics and mayhem.”
- “Extremely poor gameplay with nothing to do really.”
- “The gameplay does not even come close to redeeming this smoking pile of dog crap either; they removed everything from the previous games that was fun, and what's left is janky, generic, and boring.”
- “The gameplay is dreadful.”
humor
390 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
5%
The humor in the latest Saints Row installment is a divisive topic among players, with many noting that it often falls flat or feels forced compared to earlier entries in the series. While some appreciate the game's attempts at humor, citing moments of absurdity and funny physics, others criticize the dialogue as cringeworthy and lacking the edgy charm that defined previous titles. Overall, the humor is described as a mixed bag, appealing to a younger audience but leaving long-time fans wanting more of the outrageous antics that made the franchise popular.
- “Known for its mix of over-the-top action and humor, 'Saints Row' has long embraced a 'crime comedy' tone that stood out from more serious open-world games.”
- “You can shoot a dumbbell gun with a rope attached to the dumbbell which pulls you into the air for hilarious ragdolls or activating your wingsuit.”
- “It's entertaining, funny, and doesn't take itself too seriously.”
- “The humor revolves around snowflake kids joking about capitalism and reaches the unfunny levels of Kathy Griffin.”
- “You’re not allowed to have one single satisfying or cool moment in this game without one of the characters a.) saying the most insufferably unfunny 2013 'lol the randomz' shit ever or b.) making some completely tone-deaf real-world complaint about taxes or politics or something.”
- “Imagine the worst, most unfunny Marvel humor jokes and that's the best this game has to offer.”
graphics
300 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
54%
10%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the visuals can be vibrant and appealing, they often feel outdated compared to contemporary titles. Some praise the art direction and character customization options, while others criticize technical issues, inconsistent performance, and a lack of depth in the open world. Overall, the graphics are seen as decent but not groundbreaking, with many feeling they do not meet the expectations for a 2023 release.
- “The art direction successfully captures the vibrant aesthetic of Santo Ileso, with colorful visuals that pop against the desert backdrop.”
- “The graphics are crisp and dynamic, and it has a decent soundtrack too.”
- “The graphics are amazing, but it just doesn't feel like a Saints Row game.”
- “Everything about it feels outdated—the story is terrible, the gameplay is awful, and the graphics are downright bad.”
- “The graphics are so horribly dated, the models are amateur.”
- “The graphics, while technically adequate, do nothing to enhance the overall experience and often feel outdated.”
stability
234 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly detract from the overall experience. While some players find humor and enjoyment in the chaos, many describe it as an unplayable mess, particularly in co-op mode, where issues are exacerbated. Despite some improvements since launch, the game remains plagued by technical problems, leading to a generally unfavorable reception regarding its stability.
- “I know this game had a rough launch to say the least, but the majority of the bugs have been fixed and the game looks and runs great on my PC.”
- “Graphics are good and it runs great on max settings, even on an older NVIDIA RTX 2060.”
- “However, it is mindless fun for a reasonable asking price, and it runs great on the ASUS ROG Ally at native resolution.”
- “The game is a buggy mess, but not the fun kind... ran into a mission called corporate retreat that shows this.. the bus is driven by AI who goes off course at random which means you must restart.”
- “The amount of bugs and glitches I came across was ridiculous.”
- “This game is a horrible buggy mess with almost unplayable co-op.”
music
151 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
64%
15%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the variety of genres, including old school hip hop and metal, while others criticize the overall quality and lack of memorable tracks. Many noted that the radio stations felt limited and uninspired, with a significant portion of the music being generic or forgettable. Additionally, issues with audio mixing and the absence of background music during key gameplay moments detracted from the overall experience.
- “Musically, Saints Row Remastered has a strong soundtrack that complements the on-screen action.”
- “The soundtrack is also pretty good, featuring a mix of hip-hop and electronic music that perfectly captures the game's edgy atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack features a mix of energetic tunes that complement the game's tone of irreverent fun, but it lacks memorable tracks that truly stand out.”
- “Half the time music didn't even play, so you're left in silence, making the missions feel that much more dull and boring.”
- “The music isn't great, the cars are mostly ugly, but the characters are good & good to be with for a frivolous few hours.”
optimization
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
50%
34%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as frame rate drops, stuttering, and visual bugs, particularly on PC. While some users experience smooth gameplay with stable frame rates, others find the overall performance to be poorly optimized, detracting from the experience. Despite patches improving some aspects, the game still suffers from a lack of polish and consistency in performance across different systems.
- “Frankly though, I've never noticed any issue with performance; I stay at a stable 50-60 fps throughout the game, no problem.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any fps drops and the visuals are quite good (Ryzen 7900 + RTX 4060 Ti).”
- “Performance has gotten better (it still has some drops here and there mid-tier setup).”
- “The game is also not optimized very well and runs into a decent amount of visual bugs.”
- “Highly unoptimized performance; expect frequent frame rate drops, stuttering, and long load times that make the experience unbearable.”
- “The only reason why this game feels like a 2022 game is lags and poor optimization.”
grinding
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
12%
85%
Overall, players find the grinding in the game to be excessively tedious and time-consuming, often describing it as a major detractor from the overall experience. Many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of side activities and fetch quests, which feel more like busywork than engaging gameplay. While some appreciate the balance adjustments made post-launch, the consensus remains that the grinding mechanics are frustrating and detract from the enjoyment of the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The main reward for beating the story is unlocking a new store where everything costs 1 million dollars, but in the time it took me to beat the game, I never had anywhere near that amount of money, and I wasn't interested in grinding for the amount of time it would take to get it.”
- “I finished the game with approximately 70% completion and have no desire to continue grinding for the sake of grinding.”
- “The gameplay itself is just bad: controls are incredibly slippery, missions are boring and repetitive, combat is tedious, and 'difficulty' comes from throwing overwhelming amounts of enemies at the player at once.”
emotional
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
89%
11%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a mix of wholesome character dynamics and jarring contrasts with its violent themes, leading to a somewhat dissonant experience. While players appreciate the endearing relationships and comedic elements, many feel that the emotional depth is lacking compared to earlier titles in the franchise, resulting in a less impactful narrative. Overall, the game offers a light-hearted take on crime, but it struggles to fully engage players emotionally due to its bugs and a perceived lack of depth in storytelling.
- “I wish we actually had more personal stories with them exploring more emotional themes like Neenah's quests did.”
- “It gives you enough of an emotional hook into the characters and stakes and a few chuckles and keeps the game moving along in a way that makes it satisfying to get revenge on the baddies and help/save your friends.”
- “The characters aren't exactly the deepest, but their relationships are very wholesome despite their criminal enterprises, which works well with the tone of Saints Row games.”
- “Unfortunately, when paired with the bugs and boring story, it's not enough for a positive review.”
- “Game is fun in co-op, but what ruins the fun is the bugs and a woke, boring story.”
character development
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
59%
24%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over its lack of depth and integration into the gameplay. While some characters show potential for development, the overall execution feels superficial, relying on throwaway comments rather than meaningful growth. Additionally, the character designs have been criticized as unattractive, further detracting from the players' connection to the characters.
- “Excellent action, plot twists, voice acting, and character development.”
- “Your three primary companions do appear to have solid character development structures, but I do wish they had given them more depth.”
- “This game is a masterpiece exceeding GTA in every aspect, from character design to the story to the shooting and driving to mission design.”
- “But I wish their own character developments were actually integrated into the game rather than these throwaway comments you get during a mission that ultimately means nothing in the grand scope.”
- “There's also no character development as the group already all know each other and are best friends, which means you don't get any introductions like you did starting as a newbie in Saints Row 1 or when you put the new gang together in Saints Row 2. The game just expects you to like them without putting any work into making them likable.”
- “This is closer to Saints Row 2 in its approach in setting the series tone, and that's fine, but it's definitely subdued in character development.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
27%
27%
The atmosphere of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the South American setting and quirky elements, while others criticize it for lacking depth and feeling flat. While the character customization and soundtrack are highlighted as positives, many feel the overall atmosphere fails to capture the essence of previous titles in the series, leading to a disjointed experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is seen as a missed opportunity, with some players finding it enjoyable and others deeming it boring and uninspired.
- “It has a good atmosphere, decent story, and good characters in the supporting cast.”
- “The character customization aspect, combined with the quirky atmosphere, entertained me immensely.”
- “The soundtrack is also pretty good, featuring a mix of hip-hop and electronic music that perfectly captures the game's edgy atmosphere.”
- “Can be a little fun at times in co-op, but this game is an absolute slog and just outright boring. It's very familiar if you've played something like Saints Row 3, but it comes off as something that resembles a fan project rather than a full-fledged reboot in its scope and design. I assumed a lot of the complaints about this game were greatly exaggerated, but every hour of this game it continued to just get worse and worse. Zero atmosphere with trivial side activities and some of the worst writing I've seen from a game. I wouldn't recommend it unless you got it for free and have a friend that also has it, and even then it's probably better off ignoring and acting like it doesn't exist.”
- “What sucks about the game is the lack of multiplayer, the lack of weapon diversity, the lack of real-world-like atmosphere, and the flat lighting. The boring textures (not that the people didn't work very hard on the game, I'm sure they did) make the DLCs feel like they should've been integrated into the base game.”
- “Despite the general negative opinion about the game, I played it out of sentiment and I regret the game has been deprived of the entire atmosphere of the series.”
monetization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
10%
80%
The monetization aspect of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many reviewers noting that the downloadable content (DLC) feels like content that should have been included in the base game. While there are no microtransactions, the overall sentiment is that the game lacks genuine value and was developed with minimal effort, prioritizing profit over quality and fan satisfaction.
- “There are no microtransactions to be seen, which is cool in a 'bare minimum' kind of way.”
- “In general, the DLCs are just extra things that should have been included in the game. They are not really DLCs; they are just a cash grab. I recommend not getting them, as there is just no point to it.”
- “This game wasn't made for the fans; it was made as a cash grab by a dying company.”
- “This is the laziest cash grab of a game I have seen in a long time, from the engine and graphics that don't look like they have even been touched since the fourth game to the terribly buggy physics and nearly impossible side games.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
29%
43%
The multiplayer component of Saints Row (2024) enhances replayability through cooperative and competitive modes, providing social interaction and fun, though some players question if it matches the replay value of previous titles. While the game is more playable and features diverse voice selections, noticeable bugs may detract from the overall experience.
- “It may not follow the exact plot of the previous Saints Row games, but it's just as endlessly fun and replayable as any of them.”
- “Also, the selection of voices adds replay value too.”
- “I don't know if this game has the same replay value as those ones, though.”
- “It's much more playable now, yes, but some bugs are still highly noticeable.”
- “The multiplayer component of Saints Row (2024) offers cooperative gameplay and competitive modes that add a layer of social interaction and replayability.”