Saints Row 2 has a much darker and more sinister story that leads your character down a path of betrayal, revenge and redemption against the city that has left the player for dead, although they’ve blended that with the same light-hearted humor from the original.
GenreAction Adventure
Platforms ps3
DEVELOPER Volition Inc. | PUBLISHER Codemasters | RELEASE DATE
Saints Row 2 Reviews ps3
ztgd.com review
The characters you will encounter range from pathetic bums to surly prostitutes and pimps to college students. The voice acting from the main characters to the NPCs are for the most part well above average. Interaction with the NPCs is somewhat limited. You can’t really have a conversation with them, so you can choose, as I did, to put surly folks who give sass in their place. Sometimes they will run away screaming, sometimes they will pull a weapon and attempt to put up a fight. They are clearly no challenge for the main character, however beating them up I found to be oddly satisfying and they will at times drop cash. You can also gain respect by dispensing of rival gang members you encounter while traversing Stillwater.
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gamerevolution.com review
Saints Row 2 isn’t going to be the next Godfather, but it’s not trying to be. If you want class and moral dilemmas with your gang warfare, then look elsewhere. But if you want explosions, revenge, sex, money, drugs and rock and roll, then a trip to Stilwater is just what the doctor ordered.
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gaming-age.com review
From there the initial mission has you escaping the prison, which really sets the tone for the over-the-top feeling the entire game has. You’re able to lay waste to quite a few cops (and inmates) on your way out, culminating in an escape sequence that manages to be quite a spectacle without being frustrating to carry out. From there on in you’re in the main city, which has undergone some cosmetic changes from the first game, but it didn’t feel like there was a massive improvement over the original here.
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gameshark.com review
As you progress through the various gang stories, cutting a bloody swath in the process, you’re treated to some of the best directed cut scenes in a video game to date. Beautifully choreographed and fantastically voiced, these cut scenes are a joy to watch and do a great job of not only telling the story, but helping to flesh out your character. People will die as a result of your actions and when they do, it is tough to watch, knowing that they’re dead because of you, but it makes the subsequent revenge missions so much more satisfying. This game is also shockingly brutal at times and has not only violence in the cut scenes, but foul language and sex; it defines what the M for Mature rating is all about.
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eurogamer.net review
While Saints Row 2 makes no bones about its GTA inspiration, one crucial difference is the concept of territory, with the city of Stilwater divided up into 45 discrete neighbourhoods, which are controlled by an assortment of rival gangs. As you progress through the missions, some of those neighbourhoods come under your control. Others you’ll have to take over by assaulting enemy strongholds.
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totalvideogames.com review
A rewritten game engine has also allowed Volition to include many of the things that were missing in the original, which means you can get your hands on all manner of different vehicles including bikes, boats, helicopters, and even planes. Yes, Saints Row 2 has it all and then even more – but we won’t spoil any surprises.
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gamezone.com review
After this, the game truly begins with a jailbreak and the sudden realization that Stillwater has changed and the 3rd Street Saints are no more. So it is up to you to restore the 3rd Street Saints to their former glory and, with the aid of a number of familiar faces, eliminate new rival gangs that have popped up throughout the city over the years. Like the last game, different gangs control different territories throughout Stillwater as well as run various fronts that are scattered through each district. Once again, the mixed gangs offer a real challenge whether you go up against the Yakuza-led Ronin gang or the tough Brotherhood gang.
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gamechronicles.com review
Saints Row 2 is one of those rare games with virtually no end in sight. Sure, you can finish off the story mode in 20-30 hours, but you probably won’t have done everything there is to do in the game, and finishing the story alone is a lot different than teaming up with a friend. And once you have mastered all those fun activities, head online for some intense multiplayer action in Strong Arm as well as the more traditional online modes for teams and individuals.
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