Saints Row The Third, Why its Better than its Competitor

Saints Row The Third—is it a GTA 5 beater? Grand Theft Auto V seems to have been out forever. There have been many attempts to dethrone the Rockstar series. Enter THQ, who released Saints Row in 2006. It was a great alternative to GTA and doubled down on the sillier moments. THQ filed for bankruptcy in 2012. THQ’s assets were sold. Deep Silver bought the franchise. So there is hope for future games in the series.

Saints Row 3 became available on the Nintendo Switch recently and I managed to get a copy of the game and couldn’t wait to replay the game. My memory of the game was foggy at best.

What is Saints Row The Third?

Saints Row 3 is a game where you play the leader of the Saints gang and are tasked with getting revenge on the gangs that threaten to kill you. Unlike GTA 5, this title does not take itself so seriously, and there are plenty of moments where your character seems lucky. You have guns, vehicles, and gang members at your disposal. The weapons range from the mundane, such as pistols, machine guns, and RPGs, to the strange, such as sex toys, steampunk shotguns, and other crazy weapons.

Each gang you take on has its own set of missions that come in many different varieties. One moment you could be having a traditional gang war, and the next you could be transported inside a virtual world, attempting to beat a hacker at his own game. One funny moment is that you are turned into a toilet for a few moments before reverting back to your digital avatar. You never know how crazy the next mission will get, and this is what keeps you playing. Yes, the gameplay can be simplified into driving, shooting, and fetching people, but it’s the way Saints Row adds flavor to these mechanics that makes it so enjoyable.

Saints Row The Third Collectables and Side Quests

Unlike GTA which has way too many side quests, Saints Row keeps the number of side quests limited which for me is a boon. As you complete the side quests, which include insurance fraud and tiger escort, you gain territory. Using funds from the main missions and side quests you can then buy additional territories such as shops and bases. Using this money you can buy weapons, mods etc. There are also collectables and photo ops that you can take advantage of which are not on the map and you have to seek out.

Graphics and Audio

The graphics have a cartoonish style which really goes well with the not-so-serious tone of the video game. It’s a staple of the series and continues in this title. It does mean that on future remasters there is not much to gain in regards to the quality. But, it does mean Saints Row The Third will always look great.

The audio includes mostly hip hop and rock. There is one standout moment, your character jumps out of the helicopter and “Power” by Kanye West starts playing which makes the scene so epic, there are other moments like this but this one really stands out. My playlist now has a new song.

Replayability

Saints Row The Third does offer a bit of replayability regarding the main missions. Throughout them, you are given decision moments. During these moments you decide what the outcome will be such as more money or more respect etc. So on a second playthrough, it can be worth playing again. There are plenty of collectables and activities to take part in. But I would expect the second playthrough to be a few months after your initial playthrough.

Final Thoughts

If you find it difficult to play long games like GTA5, this may be the answer for you. However, if you find a copy of the first two games. then you can learn more of the story. Just note that in the first game your character is mute up until the end of the game.

I still think the first Saints Row game is the best one in the series. Upon receiving my Xbox anniversary stats, it was one of my most played games across all generations, and that was mainly due to the multiplayer. Unfortunately, the online ecosystem is not like how it was back in the Xbox 360 era, so it would be difficult for any game to replicate the fun I had.