E3 2013: Hands On With Saint’s Row 4

Oh when they Saints go marching…right off a cliff and into sheer insanity.

This E3 I was given an opportunity to get a half hour of play time with Saint's Row 4. Due this upcoming August, the game is a quick follow-up to its predecessor Saint's Row 3, which only two years ago wowed audiences by cranking up the crazy, culminating in over 4 million sales.

This sit down with the game was my first experience with the series, and having now played it, I can see now why it has earned so many comparisons to Grand Theft Auto. In fact it makes perfect sense.  The open world sandbox style, controls, visual elements, and themes of gang warfare tread the line of blatant rip-off.

Saint's Row, however, has since evolved into something much more fun. My fondest hours as a burgeoning core gamer were spent on Vice City and San Andreas and my loyalty, til now, had been unshakeable. But as Saint's Row has found its own identity, culminating into the cartoon absurdity of its fourth title, I find myself drawn to its naughty appeal.

This new installment in the series takes place five years after Saint's Row 3. I played two parts, the game's first mission and an open world segment. Players start out in the White House, having ascended to the mighty station of Commander in Chief, and find their management skills put to the immediate test as aliens storm the capitol. After fighting through hordes of invaders and defending the Oval Office with turrets, the scene culminates in an epic showdown between the President and their would-be alien overlord. The action, a cohesive and competent blend of combat and scripted encounters, is punctuated by the game's signature comic mischief from beginning to end. Between its hilarious over the top imagery, quick witted sarcasm, and colorful showcase of extremes, this game is more 'MURICA than a monster truck with a mullet – and I mean that as a compliment.

The less scripted section of my demo time, the open world section, was a bit overwhelming for a new inductee to the series but I quickly got the hang of it. Learning to fly felt not unlike a baby superhero testing their powers for the first time. There were four abilities to play with, Stomp, Buff, Blast, and Telekenesis, each with elemental subcategories, the latter of which I used the most often (there's something to be said for killing aliens by picking up and chucking other aliens). Much of my time roaming on the ground was interrupted by frequent encounters with small alien ships and their inhabitants, which I frequently obliterated with the Black Hole gun. I also tested out the much famed Dub Step gun and the Nerf-like Soakmaster, both delightful though not nearly as powerful.

My time with Saint's Row 4 was but a taste but I am thoroughly hooked. Its pure undiluted escapism is the fulfillment of our every absurd power fantasy. I look forward to its impending release.