Solid game with a solid formula that doesn't add much to the table
At the end of my experience, I was impressed. The game was rough around the edges (less refined), but it totally made up for it with wackier gameplay, less tedium (yes please! I'm not here to do -work- dammit, I want to have fun), awesome customization options, and a fun gang system. The storyline was also rather catchy; something about it was just really well done. It flowed well, the characters demonstrated presence, and you actually cared about its outcome.
And thus, I was somewhat hyped up for SR3 (there was also kind of a mild media buzz, so I probably wasn't alone). So the question is: how did it hold up?
The answer is relatively simple. "Kinda". SR3 is just about what you'd expect if SR2 didn't make any improvements. The reason why I say that is, for every step it takes forward, it takes a step back. For example, the graphics are better, but the customization has been knocked down a notch. There are upgrades, but the storyline/characters blow.
The game, in general, is pretty fun. My favorite is blasting away mountains of peons with your overpowered/wacky weapons/vehicles. That's really where SR3 shines the most: the weapons and vehicles. My brother's sole joy in the game revolved around capturing new vehicles and customizing them in awesome/hilarious ways. Remember, as I previously said, the game isn't bad. I also had quite a lot of fun with the aircrafts and op dualies.
In the end though, SR3 doesn't really add anything new or evolve. Yes, it is fun on a general scale, but I feel that the fun factor isn't all -that- up there to compensate for other shortcomings, especially when considering that the genre (including its prequels) has been driven into the ground. In other words SR3 does not necessarily impress, but it does a good job with sustain. So if you're in the mood to destroy your enemies with tanks, hover jets, and dual submachine gun bullets that shred armor, load-em-up and have fun being the city's biggest a-hole :D