Saints Row: The Third Remastered

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"Saints Row: The Third Remastered" is an open-world action-adventure game that follows the Third Street Saints gang as they battle against rival factions in the city of Steelport. The remastered version brings updated visuals, improved lighting, and more detailed environments to this wild and chaotic title. Engage in criminal activities, complete missions, and customize your character and arsenal in your quest for ultimate power and respect.

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Saints Row: The Third Remastered screenshot

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,525 reviews

graphics97 positive mentions

stability143 negative mentions

The remaster features improved graphics and lighting, making Steelport look vibrant and alive.
The gameplay remains fun and chaotic, staying true to the original experience.
Includes all DLC content, providing a comprehensive package for new players.

The game suffers from numerous bugs, including audio issues and crashes, which detract from the overall experience.
Cutscenes are locked at 22 FPS, leading to a jarring visual experience.
Many players report that the remaster does not significantly improve upon the original, making it hard to justify the purchase.

graphics
355 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
68%
4%
The graphics in the remastered version of Saints Row: The Third have received mixed reviews, with many players noting noticeable improvements in textures, lighting, and character models. However, these enhancements are often overshadowed by persistent bugs, inconsistent visual quality, and a shift away from the original's cartoony aesthetic towards a more realistic style that some fans find unappealing. Overall, while the graphics are better than the original, many reviewers suggest that the remaster does not significantly enhance the gameplay experience and may not be worth the investment compared to the original version.
- “The graphics here are definitely better, not a ton better but better here and there.”
- “The upgraded graphics are nice to look at, but they didn't fix the many bugs and glitches the game had.”
- “Good game, different graphics than I am used to from a Saints Row game but, hey, it's Saints Row and an excellent excuse for a trip down memory lane.”
- “It seems like they slapped on improved graphics without making sure anything was polished, then packaged it up, slapped a price sticker on, and shipped it to market.”
- “The graphics suck; they just look like they were upscaled by an AI, and by upscaled, I mean they added like 3 extra pixels to make the game look slightly nicer.”
- “This remaster didn't accomplish much aside from adding some fancier graphic shaders, and giving the NPCs, cars, and weapons new meshes.”
story
334 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
76%
9%
The story of "Saints Row: The Third Remastered" is characterized by its over-the-top humor and chaotic narrative, which many players find entertaining despite its lack of depth and coherence. While some appreciate the engaging characters and fun missions, others criticize the story for being short and filled with bugs that disrupt gameplay. Overall, the narrative is seen as a mix of absurdity and silliness, appealing to fans of the franchise but leaving some players wanting a more substantial plot.
- “The story is crazy and funny at times, the gunplay is solid and the driving... okay.”
- “The big story of the game is full of hours of fun; it has action, drama, and it's too hilarious.”
- “Hilarious story: the game's story is hilarious, with witty writing and over-the-top characters that will keep you engaged from start to finish.”
- “The story is barely there; you just recruit a bunch of unnecessary characters and then start killing people.”
- “This is a buggy mess and every mission is broken.”
- “After finishing the entire game, I must say this is even worse than I thought; on top of the performance problems, the game is riddled with bugs and random crashes, sometimes in the middle of a mission, forcing you to relaunch the game and restart it from the beginning.”
gameplay
159 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
70%
6%
The gameplay of the remastered version of Saints Row 3 retains the core mechanics and chaotic fun of the original, but is marred by numerous bugs and technical issues, including audio glitches and frame rate inconsistencies. While some players appreciate the improved graphics and nostalgic gameplay, many express frustration over the lack of innovation and the presence of game-breaking bugs that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is described as enjoyable yet flawed, with a mix of fun mechanics and significant technical shortcomings.
- “The gameplay is fun and funny.”
- “Gameplay wise, this still follows the whole 'take over the city' concept, but also allows the player to start taking control over large parts of it without even completing the story, save for a few kinds of missions, allowing the player to reach max level with near complete city takeover before even finishing act 1.”
- “The mechanics are simple, you can learn the controls and adapt to them, the aiming and shooting are well done, it's pretty smooth.”
- “To call this game remastered is a straight-up joke; half of the assassination jobs are so glitched to the point you can't even complete them. My first two hours of gameplay had no audio from any vehicle engine (this later fixed itself). I grew up with these games, and it just hurts to see how incompetent these devs have become.”
- “Bug-filled mess with janky gameplay, boring story, and even more horrible minigames/activities.”
- “Gameplay is largely the same with an enormous amount of bugs.”
stability
152 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
1%
94%
The stability of the remastered game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a significant number of bugs, glitches, and crashes, often comparing it unfavorably to the original version. While some users experienced minimal issues and found the game enjoyable, the consensus indicates that the remaster is still plagued by numerous technical problems, including audio glitches and inconsistent performance. Overall, players suggest that those sensitive to bugs may want to consider the original game instead.
- “Runs great, looks great, still one of the best Saints Row stories.”
- “No glitches that I could find (so far).”
- “The game itself runs great on ultra settings on my GTX 1070.”
- “The game is a buggy mess at best, and unplayable at worst.”
- “This is a pure cash grab that is a buggy mess.”
- “The graphical improvements made are pretty nice, but the bugs, glitches, and age of the underlying game really make this one of the worst value propositions I have come across.”
humor
85 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in "Saints Row: The Third Remastered" is a standout feature, characterized by its over-the-top, irreverent style that blends absurdity with action, making it a refreshing alternative to more serious open-world games. While many players appreciate the game's wacky missions, memorable characters, and hilarious writing, some note that certain jokes may feel dated and that the humor can become repetitive over time. Overall, the game's chaotic and carefree approach to humor, combined with its engaging gameplay, contributes to a uniquely entertaining experience.
- “The big story of the game is full of hours of fun, it has action, drama, it's too hilarious.”
- “The game's sense of humor is a major highlight and sets it apart from other open-world games.”
- “From beginning to end it's an insane, fun, and hilarious ride.”
- “Boring, unfunny game. A lot of removed and downgraded features from the first two.”
optimization
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
49%
37%
The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users reporting frequent crashes, micro-stuttering, and various audio and visual bugs. While some players have experienced smooth performance, the majority highlight significant issues that detract from gameplay, suggesting that the remaster is poorly optimized compared to the original version. Overall, players recommend avoiding the remastered edition until substantial optimization patches are released.
- “Oddly, I had little to no performance problems with this game.”
- “The graphics are really beautiful, it's optimized rather well, but they're working on the patches at least, which was a huge difference maker for me when deciding to recommend this game or not.”
- “With minimal performance impact but a massive bump in graphical fidelity, I see little to no reason to ever play the original again.”
- “Poor optimization still, lots of bugs; just buy the original version, not the remastered one.”
- “Absolutely awful performance.”
- “This game has a serious optimization problem.”
music
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
66%
7%
The music in the game is generally praised for its diverse and enjoyable soundtrack, featuring a mix of real-world songs that enhance the gameplay experience. However, many players have reported significant audio issues, such as music cutting out during missions and overlapping with sound effects, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While the remastered version retains much of the original music, some users express disappointment over the lack of new tracks and the removal of certain songs from the radio stations.
- “The game is really fun to play, has a great soundtrack, lots of crazy weapons, lots of over-the-top action and fun.”
- “Regardless of your musical taste, there's something for everyone, whether you're cruising through the city or engaging in intense action sequences.”
- “The music is a great mix of classical music, 80's and 90's hits, and some modern tracks.”
- “Music and effects cut out for no reason, or you get this jumbled mess of noises that's supposed to be explosions and gunfire.”
- “Most gun fights are without music and it really takes me out of the gameplay.”
- “During the mission where you raid the military, Pierce takes far too long to arrive, so you literally spend like 3 minutes staring into nothing, no enemy spawns, no Shaundi comments, no music, nothing.”
grinding
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
35%
47%
Players generally find the grinding in the game to be excessive and tedious, often requiring significant time investment to progress, especially in side missions. While some appreciate the variety in activities, many feel that the grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, with some suggesting it feels like a chore rather than a rewarding experience. However, grinding is not strictly necessary for story progression, as it mainly serves to enhance leaderboard rankings.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grinding is only for leaderboards or ranks.”
- “Too much grinding.”
- “Played the game, had fun until about 34 hours in with me getting to level 40-something before act 2 (lots of grinding but wanted to enjoy it).”
- “Even after the story was over, I had to torment myself with side missions, collectibles, challenges, and other grindy nonsense.”
- “Aside from an uninspiring story, pointless characters, long and tedious missions, and a complete lack of ambition, there isn't much content.”
monetization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the remastered game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many reviewers expressing disappointment over its lack of substantial improvements and ongoing support. Despite some enjoyment from fans who purchased it at a discount, the overall sentiment is that the high price tag and minimal updates reflect a prioritization of profit over quality.
- “Welp... sad to say but this is not really a remaster; this is an easy cash grab for Volition.”
- “This is embarrassingly bad and clearly just a cash grab to try and resell an already existing game.”
- “It's a good remaster graphics-wise; however, there are still the old glitches and FPS cap which really does ruin the cut scenes, so I wouldn't recommend it as this is a cash grab and will never be updated or fixed.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
22%
Reviews highlight a mix of emotional responses, ranging from disappointment in gameplay and storytelling to nostalgia for past experiences. Some players express frustration over character designs that lack emotional depth, while others reflect on their personal growth and changing perspectives on games they once loved. Overall, the emotional impact of the game appears to be polarizing, with some finding it wholesome and others feeling let down.
- “Alright, I might have gotten too emotional in the last section, but I hope you got the point.”
- “Wtf was wrong with me? In a way, I'm glad that I've grown out of my stupid self because I play remasters of games that others love because of nostalgia, but I never played and go, 'Wtf is this?' and get absolutely bombarded with downvotes and emotional tantrums.”
- “But the main issues I have (personally) are the new faces for characters; there are so many points where they just look emotionally dead.”
- “Bug-filled mess with janky gameplay, boring story, and even more horrible minigames/activities.”
- “Boring story.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
Overall, the game's replayability is hindered by numerous bugs and stability issues, leading many players to prefer the original version, which offers a more enjoyable and mod-friendly experience. While some appreciate the story and potential for replayability, the current state of the game detracts from its overall enjoyment.
- “The game is very replayable and has a nice story.”
- “I think I had more fun with the original version of the game; at least that was more playable.”
- “It makes the original more playable than this unfinished shamble.”
- “Just get the original; you'll have mods that genuinely make the game a lot more replayable, a more stable game, and one that doesn't feel a bit overkill with its visuals at times.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The remaster has received mixed feedback regarding character development, with improvements in character designs noted, but criticism for the removal of certain songs and censorship of sexual references. While some players appreciate the graphical enhancements, they feel that the changes to character development and the overall narrative depth may have been compromised.
- “I love the remaster improvements; some of the graphical changes are extremely good, especially in the times of 'HD remaster' that rely only on slight changes.”
- “This is in regards to the main story, character development, plot, as well as its level design that the original game received criticism for.”
- “This is in regards to the main story, character development, plot, and level design that the original game received criticism for.”
- “Despite the character designs being improved, the remaster removed some songs from the radio stations and censored most of the sexual references throughout the open world environment.”
- “Some of the character design changes are debatable in my opinion, as the remaster improvements, while good, do not fully address the issues with character development.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Reviews indicate a divide in opinions on the game's atmosphere, with some players feeling that the newer installments (SR3 and SR4) lack the charm and feel of SR2, while others appreciate the more "real" and vivid atmosphere created by the updated art style. However, this change has led to a loss of the original's character depth and acting quality, which some fans miss.
- “The atmosphere is totally different; it feels more 'real' and vivid.”
- “Some people say SR3 (and SR4 more so) lost the atmosphere and feel of SR2, but I never cared that much about SR2.”
- “First, they completely changed the atmosphere of the game by remaking the art style, so now everything the original was good for regarding characters and their acting is gone.”