Positives:
- As my first taste of this series, the open world was actually pretty fun to run around in.
- Gunplay is fast-paced and exciting.
- Some sweet action-packed set pieces.
- Decent enough length to where it doesn't overstay its welcome.
- Plenty of the trademark goofy charm that "Saints Row" is known for.
- Character customization remains just as good as any other game in the series.
- Visuals are mostly pretty solid.
- Maybe it's the benefit of playing it a long time later, but my experience was pretty bug-free.
Negatives:
- Story is really just "there," feels like a means to move the gameplay forward and little else.
- Characters definitely have the vibe of "this is what old people think young people are like."
- Some of the Criminal Ventures can be a bit generic.
Consensus: One of 2022's most polarizing games, "Saints Row" was my first step into this franchise. Maybe it's the benefit of not having experience (or playing it after bugs had been ironed out), but I honestly enjoyed myself. As someone who's pretty picky with open-world games, this one was actually pretty fun. It's not reinventing the wheel or anything like that, but it was fun enough while it lasted. Given that the price has surely gone down now (and that it's on PlayStation Plus this month), it might be worth giving a shot just to see what side of the fence you sit on.
Final rating: 7 out of 10 "Good"