The Saints Row reboot hasn't been the grand return that many fans hoped it would be. It opened to middling review scores, with bugs not doing the game any favors. It's clear that Saints Row has many issues which have detracted from the overall experience, but this misstep can still be corrected with a sequel that works on the complaints that players have.
Saints Row houses some of the greatest open-world games ever, according to many fans. The first title in the series felt extremely similar to Grand Theft Auto, but Volition formed an identity of its own for the second game onwards by ramping up the craziness and prioritized fun over everything else. However, the Saints Row reboot's more reigned-in approach has obviously not settled well with audiences.
Saints Row's Trademark Writing Needs To Come Back
One near-universal complaint that people have with the Saints Row reboot is its writing. Over-the-top humor and crazy antics formed a big part of what made earlier Saints Row games so fun to play, with many players fondly remembering the most hilarious moments in the series. The reboot instead decides to settle for a more grounded tone, which ends up making the game more forgettable.
The series' more unique writing style is something that a sequel to this reboot needs to bring back. A new game in the franchise that harkens back to the zany nature of the original games could have a better chance of rekindling what made it popular in the first place. While it's admirable to try and go back to the roots of Saints Row, the fact that it came at the cost of the series' stand-out elements is a compromise that many feel should not have been made.
Saints Row Characters Should Embrace Their Craziness
There's a certain charm to the characters of the first few Saints Row games. Johnny Gat, Shaundi, and the player character are all fondly remembered by the fanbase not only because they were likable, but also because they didn't clash with the actions taking place in the game. The Saints weren't good people, but they didn't need to be - they just needed to be fun partners that players could spend time with.
Meanwhile, the Saints Row reboot tries to make its characters more relatable with serious issues caused by external forces, and forming a gang is just their way of taking matters into their own hands. There's no denying that this approach could have worked for this title, but the characters themselves aren't really upstanding citizens either. Players are tasked with shooting up banks and murdering countless innocent people in the missions of Saints Row, so to try and paint this gang as relatable people who just want to fight life's injustices led to a noticeable narrative dissonance.
It feels like the Saints Row reboot forces players to root for characters they have no emotional attachment to. The writing doesn't help, with the dialogue of the Saints being mildly amusing at best. All of these factors combine to form a cast of forgettable characters, and the next game in this series should try and write characters who are more aware of their violent actions without becoming too psychotic to root for.
What the Saints Row Reboot Did Right
Despite this criticism, Volition shouldn't lose sight of what it did well with the Saints Row reboot. Its open world is varied and interesting to explore, even if landscapes can feel empty at times. The issues with the open-world environment stem from the technical side, so a strong focus that went into the development of a lived-in landscape should be kept when the sequel is developed.
The activities available throughout this open world are also pretty diverse and engaging, with the fan-favorite Insurance Fraud minigame being more entertaining than ever for many. The sequel could ramp up the difficulty in these activities while also adding more diverse ones that experiment with unique gameplay concepts.
Saints Row's Reception Highlights The Importance of Stable Releases
The first impression a game makes is important, especially when said game is rebooting a franchise that many people are passionate about. Trailers for Saints Row weren't all well received by fans, and it was clear that Volition needed to make a bold statement with this reboot from the get-go. Unfortunately, on top of all the problems that already plagued the game upon release, Saints Row also suffered from a myriad of technical issues.
The chances of convincing fans about this new direction were hampered because of this buggy release. Even with a Day 1 patch, Saints Row has a ton of issues that impact everything from the gameplay to the story. The bugs affecting a character's aim are particularly bad, since it makes one of the core gameplay pillars feel wildly inconsistent and unsatisfying.
It's clear that Volition has a ton of work ahead when it comes to fixing Saints Row's technical issues and deciding the future of the series. The game might not have hit the ground running, but it serves as a template for things that the studio should either improve or avoid in order to make a sequel that will hopefully help fans love the series once again.
Saints Row is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.