Saints Row 2: better than GTA IV?

I'm a big sandbox game fan and lately I've been playing both GTA IV and Saints Row 2. Although I think GTA IV is a really great game, I still can see why many people dismissed it as a weak, boring chapter of the series: all the fun activities that were available in GTA San Andreas are nowhere to be found in IV: there are no more airplanes, no funny vehicles or funny-over the top weapons, no more crazy stunts (jumping off a mountain), also the game area is limited to a single city, as opposed to the four cities in San Andreas. Officially, the reason for all this is the more realistic approach rockstar took with this chapter, but ultimately resulting in an experience that will leave a somewhat bitter taste for the things that could have been in it but weren't.

Saints row 2, on the other hand, seems to be what GTA IV should have been: it lets you create a character from scratch, choosing sex, age, body shape, race, hairstyle, facial features, with unlimited customization options (as opposed to IV that only lets you customize a few details), you can buy dozens of clothes and accessories (ranging from underwear to suits, dresses, earrings and such) and mess around with them as you wish (dress up your guy as a woman and run around the city) and even choose how every piece of clothing is worn (for instance your shirt can be tucked or untucked, open or closed). You can steal every vehicle you see, including planes and you get rewarded for performing insane stunts. You gradually become more powerful and can hire henchmen to back you up, while in IV you're generally on your own.
Saints Row 2 also introduced checkpoints during the missions, avoiding those infuriating restarts when you die in IV.
Also the shooting in SR2 is FUN, as opposed to GTA IV, which feels like a frustrating chore at times.

On the bad side, SR2 looks terrible for today standards: it could easily be mistaken for an original xbox game, while as we know GTA IV looks gorgeous.

The story in SR2 is good, nothing original, but it will suck you in to see what happens next, although it's not written as nicely as the story of GTA IV.

So, SR2 ends up being a technically unimpressive game taht manages to be the spiritual successor to San Andreas, reprising many of the best features of that game, which were dropped by the official sequel, GTA IV.

My question for you is: can we say that Saints Row 2 is ultimately better or on par with GTA IV? Discuss.

As you stated, SR2's graphics are quite lame, GTA4's are quite awesome; SR2 has character creation, GTA4 does not. SR2 has non-repetitive missions, GTA4 does, GTA4's gameplay handles better than SR2.

Score: GTA4 - 2

SR2 - 2

We have a tie.

SR2 is pretty much unplayable on the PC so I hate and I wish it would die.

Just to keep away from controversy, I won't answer the original question --BUT-- IF you like Saints Row 2 --DEFINITELY-- try Red Faction: Guerrilla. It's also by Volition, it was being developed for four years, the destruction engine is awesome, it's getting multiple DLC's and is just a ton of fun...

(including its online!)

It doesn't have character creation but most of the other things you may have liked in SR2 are also true in RF:G (including gaining influence and having other guerrillas join you when you fight)!

Quick answer: "Hell No", but this topic has been beaten to death.

Quick answer: "Hell No", but this topic has been beaten to death.

Dire_Weasel

I didn't like Saints Row 2....... it felt TOO much like GTA

SR2 is way better than GTAIV. I think they spent too much times on graphics, and should of spent more time on content. It happens all the time nowadays. Work so hard on graphics and the game suffers. I love replaying SR2. Its got alot of stuff to do, tons of stuff to wear. Its a fun game. GTAIV is funt o play. But it gets old fast.

I didn't like Saints Row 2....... it felt TOO much like GTA

Chris_Williams

SR2 is pretty much unplayable on the PC so I hate and I wish it would die.

rzepak

agreed, cant speak for consoles but the gulf in class between the two games on pc is huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge

Saints Row 2 is a bit more fun and does certain things better IMO. That said, overall, I think GTA4 is the better of the two.

As you stated, SR2's graphics are quite lame, GTA4's are quite awesome; SR2 has character creation, GTA4 does not. SR2 has non-repetitive missions, GTA4 does, GTA4's gameplay handles better than SR2.

Score: GTA4 - 2

SR2 - 2

We have a tie.

I enjoyed the customization of SR:2 but GTAIV had a lot more work put into it with more seasoned programmers in my opinion. However, I found myself playing SR:2 a lot more considering the general fun factor and personal character/environmental customization really keeps me playing. SR:2 has a very colorful light hearted environment with GTAIV being very dark and heavy with some good humor and voice acting. I would probably say GTAIV deserves to be called the "better" game, but it is a very close call.

I just beat SR2 and I had a lot of fun. I have to agree on the fact that it's a fairly easy, with some sudden frustration spikes here and there. The gunplay is fun, way better than GTAIV's (the weapons are way better too), although it's too easy to quickly dispatch any enemy. I didn't find any repetition in the mission design, and although the respect bar is mildly annoying, you can fill it easily enough. In the end, both are great games, but SR2 kept me hooked to the very end and I beat it in a few days, while I still have to beat GTAIV after at least three months.Black_Knight_00

This may be blasphemy, but SR2 was more fun to me than GTAIV. Yes GTAIV has better graphics, storyline, main character, ect. But it's just not as fun, IMO.

It's nowhere near as good as GTA IV is. GTA's story is great. SA2's story is just a rehash of the first one. Both games are repetitive but at least GTA didn't draw out it's length by forcing me to earn rep.

[QUOTE="Black_Knight_00"] I just beat SR2 and I had a lot of fun. I have to agree on the fact that it's a fairly easy, with some sudden frustration spikes here and there. The gunplay is fun, way better than GTAIV's (the weapons are way better too), although it's too easy to quickly dispatch any enemy. I didn't find any repetition in the mission design, and although the respect bar is mildly annoying, you can fill it easily enough. In the end, both are great games, but SR2 kept me hooked to the very end and I beat it in a few days, while I still have to beat GTAIV after at least three months.Paladin_King

Well, its simple mechanics is what makes it better imo: yes, it's just strafe and shoot, flee when you're dying, duck behind somewhere waiting for your health to recharge, rinse and repeat, but at least it's never frustrating (except when you get run over or blown away from exploding cars): if you messed thing up, just run away, get your health back up and try again. This allows you to be a bit more reckless, while in GTA you have to be very careful because you can rarely recover health and death means starting the mission over, as opposed to the checkpoint system in SR2. Also, the weapons in GTA feel less accurate and this turns the sections with enemies taking cover in a redundant whack-a-mole contest, since you can basically hit them only when you have a lock on them. Maybe it's wrong to say that SR2's gunplay is flat out better, but it's surely more entertaining and less infuriating when you die that GTA's.Black_Knight_00

everyone agrees that saints row 2 is funner, graphics sounds bla bla it doesn't count if a game is clearly more funner. Games are about fun, not realism or lighting effects. SR2>>>Overhyped dull GTA IVNawshus

I liked GTAIV better...SR2 was basically the same as 1...I don't like therespect part of SR(some are fun on SR2, but I hated blazin thru missions then having to stop and build up respect)...add some side missions instead of little tasks, besides you're the leader this time..others should be respecting you lol...on the otherhand, the dating and hanging out part of GTA got annoying too, seemed that they would call right when you are about to do something..but if you accept, and call back and say you can't make it...it's all good..

also I experienced a ton of glitches on SR2..nothin too serious(mini map dissapearing, loud bang and suddenly my car comes to a dead stop, parts of my characters face dissapearing during some cutscenes, exited a car one time and the sound of the car at full revkept playin the whole time till I finished the mission I was on, and just some other random short freezes, and skipping music)..brand new game too...no problems with my 360 either (so far)

one plus for SR is the wanted level meter...it's so easy to lose your heat...GTAIV on the otherhand, I got a little annoyed after a while having to lose cops chasing me...I'm an excellent, but reckless driver..I'm always tryin to go as fast as possible..pretty good at it I think, but them damm peds, and dumb cops turning in front of you..then the chase is on to lose the cop or cops...making you go out of your way to lose them..just got old after a few hours into the game..especially if you had a destination you were trying to reach

overall I'd have to say Rockstar is still on top of their game when it comes to these kind of games..

I played Saints Row One and that was a surprisingly good game. Definitely on par with the past GTA's. GTA 4 certainly was an amazing game, however, and raised the bar. I haven't tried SR2 yet, so I cant honestly say.

I played Saints Row One and that was a surprisingly good game. Definitely on par with the past GTA's. GTA 4 certainly was an amazing game, however, and raised the bar. I haven't tried SR2 yet, so I cant honestly say.

sonicare

Saints row 2 was the better game in my humble opinion. GTA just got too boring for me and the driving was too realistic, meaning you couldnt really drive so fast and turn a sharp corner without spinning out like you sometimes need to. Saints Row 2's co-op was amazing and me and my friend played it to death till we completed it and then moved onto the multiplayer.

I have to say, the multiplayer on Saints Row 1 was atleast 20 times better than Saints Row 2's. I played Saints Row 1 online for a full year without getting bored. Thats replay value, and thats what made the game interesting, the gang system etc. Saints Row 2 had non of this, and I stopped playing online after about 2 weeks.

everyone agrees that saints row 2 is funner, graphics sounds bla bla it doesn't count if a game is clearly more funner. Games are about fun, not realism or lighting effects. SR2>>>Overhyped dull GTA IVNawshus

funner lol