The last few years haven't been very smooth for the Saints Row franchise, with interest in the games slowly waning as they got increasingly madcap and outlandish. Instead of the usual gang warfare and fight for reputation in the streets Stilwater or Steelport, the Saints Row games started to center around becoming President of the United States and even descending into the depths of Hell to rescue crew members in the most recent entries. The games had always had their own unique sense of humor and tongue-in-cheek sensibility, but as the scale of the humor grew, it proved a little too much for some players.
When it was announced in 2019 that a new Saints Row game was in the works, fans didn't quite know what to expect. However, it was revealed that the next game wouldn't be returning to familiar locations or feature the same faces as previous entries, and would instead be a reboot for the Saints Row franchise. With a new location, new gameplay, and a new cast of characters, Volition's upcoming game will be making more than a few changes. This will give players a chance to build up their own gang with the help of a few friends like Neenah, Kevin, and Eli.
Meet Eli
Neenah may be the getaway driver and Kevin the man with the contacts, but Eli seems to be the brains of the operation. Eli first came to Santo Ileso to start his career as an entrepreneur and build up his own business, but he ended up starting a criminal empire with his roommates. He's always the man with the plan and the one that helps the Saints look at the big picture as they try to establish their own criminal empire and take over territory from Santo Ileso's rival gangs.
Eli is determined to make a name for himself, especially as a first-generation American with Nigerian parents who wants to make his parents proud. Not only does he have a strong work ethic, unquestionable ambition, and the brains to pull it off, but Eli also has a hefty dose of real-estate savvy that will help the Saints establish a foothold in Santa Ileso as they try to take over more and more regions in their quest for dominance.
How Eli Compares To The Rest Of The Crew
Eli is definitely not a fighter, and when it comes to combat experience he is severely lacking, but what he doesn't have in weaponry skills he makes up for in marketing and business know-how, so he's still an incredibly valuable member of the team. Besides, players will have Kevin to help them out on heists and Neenah to solve all of their mechanical and vehicle-related problems, whereas Eli seems like the type to stay behind during missions and help the Boss call the shots, planning out their various escapades.
Neenah and Kevin also have experience with rival gangs, with each being former members of Los Panteros and The Idols respectively, which makes Eli the only founding member of the new Saints with no previous affiliations. However, it might be good to get some outsider perspective when it comes to dealing with the various gangs that have already taken up residence in Santo Ileso. All the members of the Boss' crew also seem to have nicely contrasting personalities and skillsets that should make Saints Row's gameplay varied as well as entertaining.
Saints Row is set to release on August 23, 2022, on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.