author: Michael Zegar
Saints Row Reboot - First Details Revealed
The presentation of the new installment in the Saints Row series left us with more questions than answers. Because of this, Volition shed some light on the storyline, gameplay, and exclusivity on Epic Games Store.
The new Saints Row will be a complete reboot of the gangster game series, on a brand new engine and will tell the story of the origins of Saints. This time we will see neither an alien invasion, killing zombies for Burt Reynolds (of Smokey and the Bandit fame among others) nor "those" fancy weapons. Some may like this change, while the rest, more in tune with the crazy atmosphere of recent installments... Well, they, unfortunately, may feel slightly disappointed. Fortunately, apart from these changes, there are many indications that we will also get everything else we loved the previous games for wrapped in a single package.
"We love the old games in the Saints Row series, but we also realize that they are productions from a bygone era. They made sense in that era and we were able to do things that worked well back then. But the tone there is not something we would expect today. The reboot will feature a different kind of story that we've wanted to tell for a long time," said Jim Boone, the studio's development director.
The new gang of Saints (at the moment no information was given whether the reboot will feature well-known characters from previous parts - like Gat or Shaundi, but it's unlikely) will consist of four young swashbucklers: Eli (the brains of all operations and business expert), Neenah (the best driver in town), Kevin (a cool DJ with a golden tongue) and a slightly unstable Boss, that is the player. We'll be able to create the leader of the gang according to our own idea in the most complex character creator ever to be featured in the series - the devs say that there will be eight types of voice to choose from.
What's interesting, in the upcoming Saints Row next members of the gang will not join us automatically along with the progress in the story. It's up to us who we'll recruit when expanding our criminal empire.
At first, the quartet of millenials will not be a fully prosperous gang, but more a bunch of amateurs tired of working for criminal organizations. It seems that our goal, like in the first scenes, will be to break through to the top. On our way we will face two hostile gangs: Los Panteros (preferring brutal force and direct combat) and The Idols (post-punk party animals). In addition, they're soon joined by military conglomerate Marshall Defense Industries, which relies on modern technology and advanced weapons.
Reboot will take us to a completely new location - Las Vegas-like, sunny Santo Ileso. The developers describe the town as "one of the largest cities ever built for Saints Row”. How big an area can we expect? The studio has mentioned nine districts, including the casino-packed El Dorado, the luxurious Monte Vista and the skyscraper-riddled financial district, the name of which has yet to be revealed. In addition, there's a huge desert expanse to cross in our off-road tyre-equipped vehicle. Yes, vehicle tuning will also return, with all-new options for fine-tuning our means of transportation.
Empty lots will be scattered all over Santo Ileso, which we'll be able to purchase with the cash we earn and turn them into "semi-legal" businesses.. The creators presented several examples, such as: food trucks, whose employees secretly trade drugs, shops with recycled cars, and night clubs.
Additionally, fan-favorite mini-games will return - like the famous "insurance scam" (in which our task is to wring the best possible money out of the compensation by jumping under speeding cars).
The whole game can be of course completed in two-player co-op mode. However, there will be no online module like GTA Online.
Deep Silver confirmed the information that the PC version of the game is to be a temporary exclusive on Epic Games Store. The publisher, however, did not specify how long this exclusivity will last. However, looking at previous agreements of both companies – concerning the exclusivity of Metro Exodus and Borderlands 3 – we're not going to get to see Saints Row on Steam for at least a year..
Volition promises that the shooting mechanics remains arcade, the driving is better than ever, and the weapon selection huge. One gets the impression that the studio still wants to tell corny, fun stories while leaving its mean-spirited nature behind. Hopefully, the new Saints will entertain like its predecessors. We'll find out on February 25, next year, on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. Meanwhile, you can pick up Saints Row: The Third Remastered for free on Epic Games store until September 2. Ready to become a Saint?
