Saints Row is an action-adventure video game and reboot of the Saints Row series. Developed by Volition and published by Deep Silver, it was released on August 23, 2022 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/Xbox Series S.
Gameplay[ | ]
Saints Row is set in the fictional city of Santo Ileso, based in the American southwest. Santo Ileso is currently under control of three criminal gangs: Los Panteros, a gritty vehicle and fitness-oriented gang; the Idols, an anarchist gang focused on clubs and nightlife; and Marshall Defense Industries, an international private military corporation based in Santo Ileso that is known for advanced high tech weaponry. The player-character, "The Boss", a former member of Marshall Defense Industries assembles a new gang from dissatisfied members of these gangs and to seize power from them. These new members include: Neenah, a mechanic formally with Los Panteros and serves as the gang's driver; Kevin, a DJ that was part of the Idols and handles the execution of their heists; and Eli, a business entrepreneur with an MBA that now plans the Boss's gang's activities.
The city is broken down into nine districts, which include Rancho Providencio, a run-down rural town; El Dorado, a gambling casino haven comparable to Las Vegas; and Monte Vista, a suburban area. As in past Saints Row games, the player will work to take over these districts, granting them certain benefits. New to this game, the player will be able to use empty lots in secured districts to launch illegitimate businesses with legitimate fronts to help finance and benefit the gang. The new city will include more vertical areas with tools that the player will be able to use to take advantage of that. The driving gameplay has been improved to encourage the use of vehicles as weapons themselves alongside guns.
The game will include a detailed character creator for the player-character, including selection of gender. There will be drop-in cooperative multiplayer with a second player, with each player having their own Boss character and progressing in their own missions while helping the hosting player.
Development[ | ]
THQ Nordic announced in August 2019 that Volition was developing a full entry in the Saints Row series. Subsidiary Koch Media, owner of Saints Row, said they were giving the developer time and space to make the game they saw fit. The series had a rocky history in the years prior to the reboot's development. The prior full game in the series was Saints Row IV (2013) and the standalone expansion Saints Row: Gat out of Hell (2015). A series spin-off, Agents of Mayhem (2017), sold poorly and led to layoffs at Volition. Saints Row was officially announced as a reboot of the franchise at the August 2021 Gamescom, which was met with divided opinion on social media for not retaining the "feel" of prior series entries.
The reboot is intended to pull away from the "wacky" tone of Saints Row IV and later games in the series, instead bringing back the balance between comedy and seriousness that Saints Row: The Third had. Volition's Jeremy Bernstein compared Saints Row IV to Moonraker of the James Bond films series, having gone so far outside the realm of reality that they need to reel it back in. Studio development director Jim Boone added that the current social climate had outgrown the tone of prior Saints Row games. Some of the more lewd elements like the giant purple dildo that could be used as a weapon were cut for this reason. The game's developer, Volition, looked to action films as reference points for what they wanted players to experience, including the feel-good vehicular movement of Baby Driver, the brutal, stylized combat of John Wick, and the extravagance of Hobbs & Shaw, "that Saints Row sort of flavor".
Saints Row was originally set to release on February 25, 2022, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows platforms; however, it was delayed until August 23, 2022. The PC release is exclusive to the Epic Games Store digital marketplace. A post-release expansion pass will include at least three pieces of downloadable content. A pre-order bonus and digital-only special editions include additional cosmetic content.
Plot[ | ]
To be announced