Saints Row 2 is set years after the original Saints Row in a Stilwater both familiar and strange. The explosive conclusion to Saints Row has left the player wounded, betrayed and thirsty for revenge, and now it’s time to take back the city that has forgotten him. Several new upstart gangs have been able to sweep in and make their mark on Stilwater. At the same time, a multi-national conglomerate known as the Ultor Corporation has become a pivotal player in city politics, pumping millions of dollars into rebuilding the metropolis. As leader of the Saints, you’ll have to do whatever it takes to protect the members of your gang from new enemies, including the Ultor Corporation and rival gangs.
A sequel to the first open-world title on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, Saints Row 2 features all new customization options, including gender, age, voice, crib and gang customization. The sandbox just got larger with a totally transformed and expanded city of Stilwater, offering all new locations to explore with new vehicles, including motorcycles, boats, helicopters and planes. Saints Row 2 is playable online in 2-player co-op through the entire single-player campaign or in the all new open-world competitive multiplayer mode never before seen in the genre.
How much fun is Saints Row 2? Find out in this video review.
To quote the IGN video review: “Saints Row 2 isn’t a GTA killer, but it’s a GTA alternative. Players who enjoyed the action-packed moments of GTA will have an absolute blast with Saints Row 2. It’s tough not to hate on the slightly lacking production values, but when you see the rest of the game it actually makes a bit more sense. The technical shortcomings are the only truly bad part of Saints Row 2, but the core gameplay experience is extremely enjoyable. Do yourself a favor and — if you’re a fan of open world games — go out and pick up a copy of Saints Row 2. There’s enough crazy-insane tomfoolery to keep a machete in the hands of even the most straight-laced citizens.”
Presentation — 8.0
Graphics — 7.0
Sound — 8.5
Gameplay — 8.5
Lasting Appeal — 8.5
Overall — 8.2