Saints Row dissapoints this vintage gamer.
User Rating: 6.8 | Saints Row X360
I have been playing games since I was 16. I am now 40! This means two things. One, I am a sad old man who still loves to play games and I have some experience. This is the first review I have ever submitted. Saints Row, the game in question was eagerly awaited by many, including myself. Having been a fan of the GTA series, but also having been anoyed by certain limitations of that series, I was hoping that this title would provide the slick gaming we have been promsed on the XB 360. When you pay this amount of money for a game, in my book, it has to be very good to deserve the buy. Unfortunately, there is more hype than substance here, although there are many redeeming features that could have resulted in a fantastic leap forward in gaming. Not so here, though. The idea is good enough. A GTA style game, with better graphics, a large map and the capability of having a lot going on without slowing the system down. The AI of the opposition is generally good. I like the way that the guy you are trying to kill, will use a vehicle to cover him / herself from your fire. I like the way that multiple targets will work together. The controls are adequate to good. There is only one camera angle, which needs a little adjusting at times with your right stick to swing around quickly when you need to see what is going on in a hurry. The driving is ok. I actually prefer the GTA driving physics, as I do the game as a whole. Graphics do not make a game, gameplay makes a game (Pro Evolution being the finest example I can think of to that statement). The language in this game is shameful. It makes me wonder if the developement team actually have much of a vocabulary at all, as using the F word as much as it is used here is not clever, it does not add to the game. It shows a distinct lack of inginuaty. Total overkill on the language. Having spent a deal of time on XB Live, perhaps this is the kind of content that game players want? I am certainly not a prude, but where do we actually go from here? Perhaps a gardening game where we go and purchase muddy fork and hoes to use on our virtual world? There is nowhere lower to go, as there is no language. There is prurely a constant stream of the same boring cussing, F ing etc etc from the moment you turn on. Pitty, as I would like more humour. I would like some depth in the characters. This is just trying to shock and titalate. It will work for the young, who may think that it is cool, but you know what...after the first couple of hundred cusses, it really does make you crave something a little more...well, more of something else. Tedious tedious tedious. The cars are good. The effects are brilliant at times. The missions are alright two. I particularly liked being closed in on by 30 of an opposing gang, whilst being trapped in a building with a sniper rifle. The map is large. The cut scenes are done well, some nice voice talent in there, but not much of a script to work with (back to the langauge problem!) On line is a joke. Sitting waiting for a match for 5 minutes is not my idea of fun, especially when you do manage to connect, the online games do not offer the same kind of action you can get off line. Lag is an issue, but so is the kind of person who seems to enjoy this game. It is hard to get matched up with a serious gamer. But, this is a problem with XB live in general. Personally, I prefer San Andrea. I will be sticking this one back on Ebay and probably recoup my buy price and get something else. I am glad I did not go out on the release day and spend £50 on this game. It is a title that will do well, as the thirsty 360 owners have not had much to swallow since launch, apart from the hefty price tags and the dissapointment of it all. Fortunately, there are some more promising titles coming and my advice is to keep hold of your green and spend it something more worth while. 
