Saints Row IV’s first DLC mission Enter the Dominatrix was recently released to the public. It was originally planned as a standalone expansion to the previous game Saints Row: The Third, but it was eventually cancelled.
However, the concept inspired the franchise’s latest and most ambitious entry to date. It carried over the elements of virtual reality, alien invaders, and super powers. To top it all off, your protagonist managed to become the President of the United States.
Now, fans are able to see what could have been Enter the Dominatrix if it was released for the third with an added twist. The DLC adopts a mix of a director’s cut, documentary, and reality show format wherein characters of the game provide hilarious commentary on the cut content.
I had an idea of how the DLC would turn out, but there were some surprises I did not see coming. For example, I thought that the DLC would be somehow integrated into the story and it would just be treated with like a typical mission with a bit of commentary to add in the mix.
No, the DLC is literally like a bonus featurette one might find in a Director’s Cut DVD. It breaks the fourth wall in so many levels. Initially, the characters imply that Saints Row IV was simply a movie like Gangstas in Space. However, I was completely caught off guard during one moment when the characters actually acknowledged that it was a DLC for a video game.
The story didn’t flow sequentially at all and it’s not a bad thing. It usually starts with the characters being interviewed by news anchor Jane Valderamma. After that, it segues into specific scenes.
One moment you’re fighting Zinyak, and then it jumps to story board/makeshift shots of what could have happened. There was also one moment where you’re inside Paul, the giant Saint’s Flow can, without knowing how you got there or what happened beforehand. This reinforces the whole “cut-content” theme Volition wanted to implement.
We also get to see a familiar face from the third game. Zimos, the auto-tuned pimp, and Josh Birk, Shaundi’s perennial admirer, are back to aid you in your struggle against the Dominatrix. Sadly, Oleg, Angel, and Viola never made an appearance in this DLC.
However, the DLC does introduce a Morpheus inspired the character that was cut from the fourth game named Donnie. It was hilarious hearing him lament the fact that he was not featured in the latest game.
Overall, the DLC was loads of fun and it had its regular dose of ridiculousness that most fans are used to. You’ll find yourself fighting aliens and sex slaves, navigating a spaceship inside the body of a monstrous energy drink, and so much more. It’s not terribly long, and I think you can finish it in an hour or so but it’s definitely worth the price of $6.99.
Final Verdict
8.5 out of 10
A copy of the DLC was purchased by the reviewer.
