Saints Row: The Third

An interesting story, varied and over-the-top gameplay, and entertaining weapons helps drive the sandbox genre to new heights.

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In Saints Row: The Third, players lead the Third Street Saints gang in a wild and chaotic adventure through the city of Steelport. With over-the-top action, customizable characters, and a variety of weapons and vehicles, the game offers a unique and humorous take on the open-world genre. The Saints must fight against rival gangs, corrupt officials, and a mysterious organization known as The Syndicate.

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Reviews

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 36,774 reviews

story2,953 positive mentions

stability526 negative mentions

story
8,766 mentions
34 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story of "Saints Row: The Third" is characterized by its over-the-top humor and absurdity, often prioritizing entertainment over depth. While it features a variety of engaging and ludicrous missions, many players feel the narrative lacks the emotional weight and coherence found in its predecessor, "Saints Row 2." The game is filled with memorable characters and comedic moments, making it a fun experience, but some missions can feel repetitive and disconnected from the main plot, leading to mixed feelings about its overall storytelling quality.
- “The storyline is both entertaining and self-aware, packed with memorable characters and hilarious dialogue.”
- “This game perfectly walks the line between 'what the hell is going on'-type ridiculous shenanigans, a good story, and genuinely fun to play with third-person action shooter mechanics.”
- “The story is just awesome and Michael Bay-esque, 8/10.”
- “The story feels incomplete and unpolished with a lot of filler missions.”
- “The story is really just an excuse to jump from one mission to the next.”
- “The story is nowhere near as serious and well written as Saints Row 2, and it's way goofier... but the 'bad ending' of the story feels like the canon conclusion to the entire franchise and actually feels Saints Row 2 toned.”
humor
4,410 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in "Saints Row: The Third" is widely praised for its outrageousness and absurdity, often described as a blend of crude, juvenile, and slapstick comedy that keeps players laughing throughout the game. Many reviewers highlight the memorable characters, hilarious dialogue, and over-the-top missions that contribute to its unique charm, making it a standout in the open-world genre. While some critics note that the humor can feel forced or age poorly, the overall consensus is that the game successfully delivers a fun and entertaining experience filled with laugh-out-loud moments.
- “Saints Row: The Third is a standout entry in the open-world action-adventure genre, delivering a perfect blend of humor, chaos, and engaging gameplay that keeps players coming back for more.”
- “The storyline is both entertaining and self-aware, packed with memorable characters and hilarious dialogue.”
- “What truly sets Saints Row 3 apart is its humor.”
- “The comedy is not funny at all, aged like milk, even cringe at times.”
- “On a serious note though, this game was unfunny and meh at best, unfunny and boring at worst.”
- “It tries to focus on humor; unfortunately, it's horribly unfunny.”
gameplay
2,481 mentions
46 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Saints Row: The Third" is characterized by its chaotic and over-the-top mechanics, blending humor with engaging action in an open-world environment. Players enjoy a variety of missions and activities, though some find the driving mechanics clunky and the gameplay can become repetitive over time. Overall, the game is praised for its fun, accessible gameplay and extensive customization options, making it a standout title in the genre despite some technical issues.
- “Saints Row: The Third is a standout entry in the open-world action-adventure genre, delivering a perfect blend of humor, chaos, and engaging gameplay that keeps players coming back for more.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are accessible and engaging.”
- “The absurdity of certain missions—such as parachuting into a rival gang’s territory while dressed as a mascot—keeps the gameplay fresh and entertaining.”
- “The gameplay sucks, and by sucks, I mean sucks sucks: the cars feel like toys, the gunplay is lame and the protagonist feels like a bag of potatoes.”
- “The gameplay is just horrendous, having waves of enemies storm you while you shoot at them with no thought or effort put into it gets boring very fast.”
- “This game's 'hardest difficulty' is just throwing sh*t at the wall and it's genuinely some of the worst gameplay I've ever experienced in any game apart from Payday 2 which is just as bad when it comes to playing the game without any mods.”
graphics
1,700 mentions
46 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Saints Row: The Third" are generally regarded as decent for its release period in 2011, with many players appreciating the colorful art style and well-designed environments. While some reviews note that the graphics can appear dated and occasionally suffer from glitches, they still hold up well compared to other games from the same era, providing an enjoyable visual experience. Overall, the game's graphics are seen as a significant improvement over its predecessor, "Saints Row 2," though opinions vary on their quality relative to more recent titles.
- “Visually, Saints Row: The Third holds up well with its colorful art style and well-designed environments.”
- “The graphical fidelity, while not on par with the most recent releases, holds up well and contributes to the game's distinct visual style.”
- “The graphics are stunning for a game of this age and would still be considered decent at today's standard.”
- “Terrible graphics, lousy gameplay, stupid camera position. How people are raving about this POS is beyond me.”
- “The graphics lack a bit, but then this game did come out back in 2010-2011.”
- “The graphics are mediocre with facial animations that look like melted clay figures.”
music
1,018 mentions
51 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in "Saints Row: The Third" has received widespread acclaim for its diverse and well-curated soundtrack, featuring a mix of popular licensed tracks and original compositions that enhance the game's energetic and outrageous tone. Players particularly enjoy the inclusion of iconic songs, such as Kanye West's "Power" and Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero," which are perfectly timed with key moments in the gameplay. However, some users noted that the selection of songs can feel limited compared to previous entries in the series, and the inability to import personal music was a drawback for some players. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a major highlight, contributing significantly to the game's fun and chaotic atmosphere.
- “The soundtrack of 'Saints Row: The Third' is perfectly tailored to its gameplay, featuring a mix of popular songs and original tracks that enhance the game’s energetic and outrageous tone.”
- “The music is great, the humor is immature but it still holds up and makes me laugh even as an adult, the story isn't bad but not great either; I appreciated the humor of the wackiness of it.”
- “The soundtrack is a major highlight, and significant missions use specific songs to amazing effect.”
- “The only thing that I do not like is the radio soundtrack.”
- “One minor complaint I have with the music though is that the selection of the songs was kind of limited, as opposed to GTA stations for example, so you had a lot of repetition.”
- “Many, including myself, were relatively disappointed by the game's music department.”
stability
552 mentions
4 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with many players reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and various glitches that can disrupt gameplay. While some users found the bugs to be humorous and not game-breaking, others described the experience as frustrating and unplayable, particularly in co-op mode. Overall, the game is seen as a fun experience marred by significant technical issues, making it essential for players to manage expectations regarding stability.
- “This game runs great and is the most fun and insane game I've ever played.”
- “Awesome game with a very strong sense of humor and sarcasm, surprisingly no glitches, and smooth gameplay.”
- “Even for the original price, this game is well worth it as it runs great and the humor is memorable.”
- “Barely playable, freezes every few seconds if you are online on Steam, vehicle sounds are broken, random crashes during normal gameplay.”
- “In my case, specifically, the game freezes up for a good 20-30 seconds every minute, whether I'm in-game or in the menus, and towards the end of the first mission the helicopter you have to kill would get stuck off-screen, leaving the very first mission uncompletable.”
- “This game is an unstable buggy mess that's painful to play and the main storyline is broken.”
optimization
294 mentions
29 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
29 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, lag, and crashes, particularly on PC. While some users noted that the game runs well on older hardware or with specific settings adjustments, the overall consensus is that it is poorly optimized for modern systems, leading to frustration among players. Despite these issues, some still find the gameplay enjoyable, suggesting that the fun factor can outweigh the technical shortcomings.
- “Good optimization, good gameplay, good story; in many ways, better than my expectations of how choppy the game would be, but no, it runs quite well for me.”
- “It's cheesy, it's raunchy, it's good looking, it controls perfectly, and it's damn well optimized.”
- “The optimization is excellent and can run on pretty decent hardware with the graphics options cranked, but there are a couple of random times while in co-op a glitch can happen when you die for a stupid reason and it only happens randomly, but none of that is a deal breaker.”
- “My main gripe with the game is that it is poorly optimized for PC.”
- “Currently, stuttering makes this game unplayable.”
- “This game has the worst optimization ever!”
replayability
260 mentions
37 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising its fun activities, varied character voice options, and the ability to experience different story paths, which enhance replay value. However, some reviews highlight a lack of true replayability due to non-replayable missions and limited endgame content, suggesting that while the game is enjoyable, it may not offer extensive replay opportunities after the initial playthrough. Overall, it seems to provide decent replayability, especially in co-op mode, but opinions vary widely on its longevity.
- “The protagonist's voice options are all varied and each of them has distinctly different responses and personality traits, which adds some pretty neat replay value.”
- “The replayability is fairly high, as there is always something different to do.”
- “The city of Steelport is a nicely sized playground with tons of fun activities and areas to take over, giving this game longevity and replayability.”
- “Did this game remove replayable missions and cutscene viewers?”
- “This means that there is little to no replayability to one of the only things worth doing other than the story.”
- “However, once you reach the end-game, there is almost no replay value unless you start a new game as there are no enemies left to kill.”
grinding
172 mentions
2 % positive mentions
24 % neutral mentions
74 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players noting that it can be excessively tedious, especially for completionists aiming for 100%. While some appreciate the chaotic fun and humor that distracts from the grind, others find the repetitive missions and side activities to be a significant drawback, often requiring a considerable time investment to progress. Overall, players suggest that while grinding is not essential for main progression, it can become a chore, particularly when pursuing achievements or collectibles.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grinding is only for leaderboards or ranks.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “If you want to 100% it though, beware of grinding, lots of grinding.”
- “I had to replay roughly three out of every ten missions because some character got stuck or an event didn't trigger at all, which makes the already repetitive and boring missions even more tedious.”
- “The gameplay itself is such an incredibly tedious grind of nonstop violence that somehow is not even a little bit fun.”
emotional
118 mentions
93 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with many players noting a lack of depth compared to earlier titles like Saints Row 2, which offered a more heartfelt experience. While some moments evoke genuine feelings, the overall tone often shifts between comedic and serious, leading to a perception of inconsistency in emotional engagement. Despite this, players still find enjoyment in the fun and chaotic gameplay, with some moments resonating on a personal level, even if the narrative itself lacks substantial emotional weight.
- “The character development allows you to get emotionally attached to the characters.”
- “I cried when Johnny died, but I knew his spirit lived inside me (the character).”
- “The story is mostly silly and fun, but when you play it for hours and hours, you start to realize that it is more serious than you might realize; there are bits that can be emotional with the intense music rushing in the background.”
- “Boring story, boring world, boring driving, boring enemies.”
- “Bunch of awfully stupid, short, boring story DLCs and costumes that must be free.”
- “- boring story that makes no sense, at the very start you raid an army warehouse taking on the entire army core while the next you have to buy street weapons and jump in front of cars to make money off insurance.”
atmosphere
64 mentions
38 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of Saints Row 3 is widely praised for its vibrant, whimsical, and humorous tone, setting it apart from more serious titles like GTA. Players appreciate the game's colorful graphics, engaging sound design, and the absurdity of its gameplay, which creates a light-hearted and entertaining environment. While some may find the lack of a deep storyline a drawback, the overall experience is described as immersive and enjoyable, making it a standout in the open-world genre.
- “Game's atmosphere is on top with a beautiful color scheme of day and night, and the town's artwork adds to it.”
- “Very nice atmosphere while playing it; you are always in the movie and tension, you'll never get bored while you are playing it!”
- “The story and atmosphere are great, and I haven't seen many other games that weren't full-on RPGs that had this level of detail for a city.”
- “The atmosphere is completely different and tends to be batshit crazy.”
- “You get to customize the vehicles you stole, wear goofy clothes that don't fit the atmosphere at all, blow up helicopters by crashing into them, and you get to beat people up with a dildo baseball bat.”
- “The atmosphere reminds me of what it would be like if Bernie became president.”
character development
58 mentions
45 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the growth of main characters like Shaundi and the customizable protagonist, while others criticize the overall lack of emotional depth and attachment to companions. Many players appreciate the character design and customization options, which enhance the gameplay experience, but feel that the narrative fails to provide significant character arcs or meaningful progression. Overall, while there are standout moments of development, many reviewers note that the game prioritizes action and humor over a cohesive story.
- “You can clearly see the character development in main characters such as Shaundi and even the boss (you) in the way they act and react to things.”
- “This is a great game with excellent radio stations, an immersive world, and fantastic character development.”
- “Great antagonists and a good sense of progression and character development with proper last acts that resolved everything going on in the games.”
- “There's really no buildup or character development, except the people in the gang close to you.”
- “The same could be said with the character development, or rather lack thereof, as I never felt attached to my companions during the game, and during the end of the game where you have a choice to save one, it feels more like a chore.”
- “- No character development; sure, there is a way to upgrade some useless stats like extra health that you really don't need since you can take fire from multiple enemies for minutes and not die, but no real character development, nothing to make you care about your character.”
monetization
28 mentions
11 % positive mentions
18 % neutral mentions
71 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with players appreciating the absence of microtransactions and the ability to unlock items through gameplay. However, there are criticisms regarding intrusive advertisements, both in-game and on the title screen, which some find cringeworthy and detracting from the overall experience. Despite these issues, many players still recommend the game for its engaging content and storyline.
- “Play to unlock items, nothing locked behind microtransactions just like a game should be.”
- “There are no annoying microtransactions, so I give this game 10 out of 10.”
- “- No ads, no promotions.”
- “Ads on the title screen, gameplay, and writing are cringe.”
- “But some of them are just cash grab trash.”
- “Not only are they doing ads for their own energy drinks, but even the cops who are chasing you during the tutorial mission aren't just trying to arrest you, but also get your autograph.”