Damn it Feels Good to be a Gangsta - Saints Row 2
 

I will preface this post by asking politely that this doesn't turn into a "THAT SHIT IS GTA RIP-OFF" thread. That'd be great, thanks. Also some spoilers for the first game follow.

In a couple months the sequel to the rather fun Saints Row is going to be coming out. For those of you who aren't aware, Saints Row was a sandbox style game that took place in the city of Stillwater. You created an extremely customized character and got thrown into the mix as a recruit into the Third Street Saints, helping them rise to power in the city.

At the end of the first game your character is blown up. At the start of the second, you get to "recreate" that character from the first game (This time able to choose male or female), and continue where it left off - ten years after the explosion. Naturally, things have changed, and YOU WANT VENGEANCE!

Here's some trailers for you all to get an idea:

"Uncle Gary" talks about a few new additions

YouTube Video

Customization trailer

YouTube Video

Storyline trailer (featuring just some custom character)

YouTube Video

While GTAIV seems to be taking that series in the direction of a more realistic portrayal of criminal life and the world, Volition clearly wants to make the second Saints Row even more over the top and fun. I'm looking forward to it. So should you!

I am also looking foward to this, I've been waiting for some over the top action lately and I am hoping saints row will deliver. So far the trailers and footage is pretty interesting, but I am starting to prefer not seeing so much media before games are actually out.

Wow, looks great so far. This is looks like GTA meets The Sims from the vids. I guess they actually went in the right direction, GTA style but none of that serious crap they pulled in GTAIV, just plain fun again. Real tempted to get this title when it's out.

I didn't play the first game though, do you think it's necessary--to comprehend the storyline and all? Is the first game worth getting?

The first game is completely worth getting, I doubt you'd need any story continuity or anything, it isn't really one of the game's strong points, but the first title is pretty fun if you have free time.

I second what Juan says. The fact that it's a greatest hits title now, so you can grab it for $20 or less is another reason to get it. For the amount of money you'd put down, and the experience it offers, it's definitely worth it.

Just looked it up; they actually canceled the PS3 version of the first game, leaving it 360 exclusive. If that's the case, I'll definitely pick up the game when I get a 360 in the coming months. Could've gotten it sooner if they had a PS3 version though.

Oh, no shit? Wonder if Microsoft had anything to do with that?

More fun for me then, nyahaha.

:mad:

Also, you might wanna change the "(This time able to choose male or female)" in your first post to "(This time able to choose male or tranny)". From what I saw in that customization vid, your main still sports a male voice even with boobs slapped on. Too cheap to hire a female VA I guess. >=\

Haha, that was just a joke for the commercial. You can make actual women, too, both sexes have different voice types as well.

Nope. It was THQ's decision. They felt it wasn't necessary to port over an older game for the PS3. I don't believe the PS3 was out yet when Saint's Row first debuted. They decided to just scrap the port and get the sequel out on the PS3.

I'll definitely pick this up with my discount! Hooray for employee perks!

This game does look fun. I doubt I'd get into the story much, especially if I create a wacky character and it is featured during the 'serious' story parts. Though it would probably make it more humorous.

I made a guy in the first game that was pretty similar to the joker, purple suit and all. Was pretty funny hearing him say, "Bullshit, those shoes are last season and you know it!"

That part threw me off and had me laughing quite hard, being that he hadn't said a word the entire game up until that point.

I forgot how cheap this game was now. I may have to pick it up to get myself hyped for 2.

Hmm, I don't actually have a problem with the old game as such, I just thought they tried too damn hard to be funny. And the whole thing degraded into scatological jokes and such. The game itself was fun, though. I loved the Insurrance Fraud missions so I'm looking forward to what they have in store this time around.

I don't actually recall any scatological jokes in the first game. Do you remember any specifically?

Hmm, no, not exactly, I'm afraid. It's been very long since playing it last, and I can't even check, as my Xbox is sitting somewhere in Frankfurt, being groped by technicians:/
Perhaps scatological was the wrong word. I just seem to recall that while GTA, in my opinion, has a more... subtle approach, Saints Row was more direct and thus, a little less fun for me.

The first game featured three major gangs that you had to take out before the Saints could rule the city. Looks like this one will have the same. They've been releasing trailers for the gangs, so I think I'll post them! Someone edited the two trailers together, so that's nice.

YouTube Video

I like the drug addict with the shirt that says drugs on it.

EDIT: Apparently the video for the third gang, the Ronin, has been released as well.

YouTube Video

See, this is a MAN'S game. Grand Theft Auto 4? Pretty excitin' shit. You get to watch TV and buy guns and clothes so you can go on more dates and then kill 15,000,000 mobsters or some shit. Yeah, that's pretty crap.

Saint's Row 2? It's like a choose your own adventure book, where you get sent back to some Gangsta Age. You playin' Grand Theft Auto 4 sayin' that fun? I mean, go on and keep lyin' to yourself, I ain't gon' stop ya. Me? Imma be here with Saint's Row 2. Saint's Row 2: We Playin' Home Run Derby.

Dating games... yeah, that's shit. In Saint's Row 2, you can take yo date throw dem in front a train. Get some money to go do more stuff. Pimp yo ride for the darkies, or bang some music if you a long hair.

Game Date Auto 4. Best game ever. I sure hope they make a Game Date Auto 5 so it can suck at being fun again. Give them a million dollars they do dat.

Does Saint's Row 2 destroy "Dating game?" I think it do.

A blog was posted on the Saints Row website that talks about the activities this time around. You can go there to look at it, but this thing about co-op activities stuck out to me.

Well, Rotor, I know what we're gonna be doing.

Don't like to double post, but this is like the first good image of a chick in SR2, and I thought it needed to be up in the thread.

http://community.saintsrow.com/blogs...08/09/ammo.jpg

Kinda reminds me of Mena Suvari.

Since Jessy has been pestering me to buy this game, I may just appease her by buying it in the next couple of weeks. I still haven't played the first one though so I'm kind of wondering if I should go out and find that game just to give it a roll in the hay before settling down with this one.

Time will tell.

I was taking a gander on Metacritic for something earlier and spotted that this game is getting some pretty decent early review scores. This actually falls in a week with no current new release for me (i.e. this Friday), though I still have plenty of games to catch up on, not to mention the big releases start the subsequent week. Even so, I do like me some open world shenanigans and this could be fun (though like Ence I never played the original, not sure if that's at all important).

In anticipation of the game's release tomorrow, here's the ACTUAL last gang trailer, the Ultor Corporation.

YouTube Video

I just read that this game has The Final Countdown and TAKE ON ME in it, which automatically makes the soundtrack better than everything else combined in GTA 4. I might get this tomorrow depending on what sort of deals are around.

I did some co-op with Plarom yesterday. All he wanted to do was escort missions so he could fuck old ladies. It was really awful.

Alright, I've finished off the Brotherhood and Ronin missions so far, and I'm having a blast. The activities are more fun than they were in the first Saints Row (FUZZ anyone?), and I like the Burnout-style awarding when doing random things (gang kills, sword slice-n'-dicing, beat downs, etc.). I've encountered one odd and random lock-up, but other than that, I've got no complaints. ^_^

I have to fix my router at the moment, but after that, if anyone wants to go through Co-op or have a random Gangsta Brawl, I'll gladly join.

Hey, I just wanted to try some activity and escorting was literally (and luckily) the first thing we stumbled onto. I didn't intend on playing for too long, but considering we failed once, there was no way I could let it end like that. Regardless, it would have been nice if we were able to switch positions. I wanted you to fuck some old ladies, too. :(

Even though we didn't do many activities it was still awesome slaughtering cops and gang members in droves. It got to the point where FBI trucks were sliding up to us so frequently that we stole one of their armored vehicles and continue to cause havoc. The best part about the ensuing chase was, while Jessy was driving and I was gunning, we smashed through a police barricade and ended up airborne, crash landing into the middle of a river. Jessy managed to get out (and subsequently get cut down by police boats), but I somehow got trapped inside the vehicle and drowned. :tpg:

On top of all that, just walking around never provided a dull moment either. At first, I wondered what that loud, electric crackle was that sent my body slamming into the ground, often in front of traffic. I came to find out that it was just Jessy, get her jollies from tasing a black man. :D

Great times. The best thing about it is that we barely scratched the surface. There's a huuuge amount of things to do, all wildly different from the other, so staying definitely entertained isn't a problem!

So I may have just bought the game in town, for which I'm completely blaming Jessy, G and Iwata (damn you all).

As such, if any of you are about tonight and over the weekend, I think some co-op action should be had.

I had a free rental at Blockbuster, so I've got the game through the weekend. From what I played last night, I'll probably end up buying it, but I'll try to wait until I've finished more of my backlog (and I'll be getting 1-2 games in the mail for my birthday in the next few weeks).

Having an obese white male with a british accent running around killing people is hilarious.

What, you can have a British accent? Why do I get the feeling this is going to be a horrible "What Americans think British people sound like" British accent.

There are only six voices to choose from, 3 male and 3 female. Male 1 is British (though he doesn't sound proper), Male 2 is black, and Male 3 is hispanic. I don't remember the female voices, though one of them was hispanic. The best part is you can give a male character female attributes (voice, walk, makeup, clothes, etc), and I assume the reverse is true.

Well, I beat Saints Row 2 yesterday (including the 'secret' mission*.). I've still got loads of the activities/diversions to finish off though, and it's still fun. Need to beat this on co-op and play a few multiplayer rounds after.



Oh, and in the end of it all...

So I've got to say the more I'm playing this the more I'm loving it. There's a shit load of stuff you can do and mess about with, to the extent that I've hardly touched the story missions so far because I've been distracted by various other bits and pieces.

Also, had a couple of long co-op sessions with Jessy and it was huge amounts of fun, just tearing about the place blowing shit up, killing gang members and cops and just fucking about basically. Serious amounts of fun was had. Plus, we made a pretty good team I have to say (though Jessy, you really need to get yourself a mic already :p).

http://everseradio.com/wp-content/up...ney-sweeps.jpg

BLIMEY MARY POPINS. I'M FIT TO BE BUSTIN' A CAP IN THAT ARSE I YAM.

STEP IN TIME STEP IN TIME.

After a weekend rental, this is definitely a must-purchase for me. The pick-up-and-play nature makes it more similar to Crackdown than to GTA, at least in spirit.

Selling points for me:
-Driving is much easier and more fun than GTA
-Co-op on all the missions, jumping in and out of games is fairly seamless
-Checkpoints on missions
-Saving anywhere (without driving back to a safehouse)
-Playing missions unlocks all sorts of "cheats" (less damage, infinite ammo, etc)
-Regenerating health
-Custom main character (i.e., playing as a fat British guy)
-No matter where you are on the map, you don't have to go far to find an activity

The only major complaint I have is the weapon selection. Holding B and selecting with the L stick is very awkward, especially in the heat of battle. Also, the game is very glitchy, but that could be fixed with a patch. I died in a co-op with Plarom, and when he revived me, I just kept falling through the map (it asked me if I wanted to deploy my parachute), and I glitched last night and fell into what the game called a "restricted zone" (it was some sort of underground warehouse, and after wandering for about 10 seconds, it kicked me out and plopped me back on the surface).

Circuit City is offering a $10 gift card with the game starting next Sunday, and I think I'll give in and pick it up then, backlog be damned.

So, having read and seen all the interesting things Volition implemented in the name of turning the Saints Row experience up to eleven, I went and bought this game. Have the developers delivered? I'd have to answer that question by saying "In most things, yes." The things that didn't make it are not deal-breaking by any means, but just odd in their absence. A partial list follows:

• long-sleeve jumpsuit;
• flight helmet (Tobias is seen wearing one in a pair of cutscenes);
• suppressed pistol (seen in one cutscene from a Ronin mission);
• law-enforcement uniforms (covers basic police (only worn by the player during FUZZ), SWAT, and FBI);
• Ultor uniforms (Ultor Security and Masako);
• EMT uniform

After all, one of the developers' goals, as noted in this blog entry, was basically 'if you see it, you can wear it'... and it is quite strange to have some of your Saints wearing full tactical regalia (the Bodyguards theme) yet not be able to pull on your own set.
It is possible, however, that these could be remedied in the form of DLC.
This quibble aside: I've been having lots of fun with the game (only have the final act left to deal with)... of course, much of that 'fun' has been helping out other people in co-op play. If any of you chaps want a partner for the co-op mission achievements, drop me a line and we'll work something out (and you get to see my approximations of police and Ultor duty wear).

Clothes you can't wear and one weapon you can't use, that's what you require so many words to 'quibble' over? There are issues with this game, sure, but they are largely forgivable, but that is an impressive level of nit-picking right there.

It's funny, because really your character did stuff just as cruel in the first game for the most part. I think the thing that makes them seem so much more sadistic is that now because they talk, you can hear how totally unaffected they are by doing the things they do to their competition. If anything, they LIKE it.

Some news to put a smile on Jessy's face, and which may well see me returning to SR2:

[ source ]

There's an interview about the first of the DLC packs here: Saints Row 2: Ultor Exposed Interview - Page 1 // None /// Eurogamer - Games Reviews, News and More

I know, I shat a brick.

I am pleased by what DLC #1 brings to the table. In addition to a couple of things I've wondered about earlier, it seems to add an actual spacesuit and A-10 knockoff to the toybox...


...as well as an ersatz Hind-A...


...and some nods to the upcoming Red Faction: Guerilla.


Between this and Outrun Live Arcade, I know where 1600 MS points are going in a couple of weeks.

More than 3 missions would be nice, but since there are 5 achievements, at least one new costume and three new air vehicles $10 isn't too shabby. I still play Saints Row 2 for the multiplayer, but it'll be nice to get back to my main guy too. Another trip to the costume shop in the mall may be in order.

Not that I won't buy this, but I find myself more excited about the content for Nuts and Bolts, aka, the other awesome game Skills didn't buy. Only 400 points for a decent amount of content.

Stop gaying up this thread nutty, god damn it.

man still havnt finished this, i cant find anyone to play multiplayer on. if you guys wanna ride hit a g up (GT z1p2kx)

Well, Volition is surprising us with some more DLC coming just next week.

Not sure if anybody was hoping for face bandanas but they are finally being added in. Looks like horrible VA and worthless twat Tera Patrick isn't involved too. Hooray.

Blog with some screens can be found here

It does, actually!

why are they releasing a multiplay map, no one plays it online anymore.

Yeah except the like, ten same people who do nothing but play it online. Fuck those guys.

we need to start our own clique cuz, start rolling up on these people hard.

I've beaten SR2 in single and co-op, but not once have I bothered to try the multiplayer stuff outside the main game. I'm up for it if we get a GFF crew together.

This blog entry sheds some more light on what the new package has to offer.
One of the co-op missions plays very similarly to Heli Assault... except that one player flies the whirlybird, and the other drives the vehicle in need of top cover.
Aside from the bandanas, the Ronin jacket made the cut... and yes, it's customizable (why the SWAT gear in pack one isn't customizable is a decision I do not understand to this day, however).

We got here a full list of what's to be in the second DLC pack coming on thursday. I was already sold due to the continuation of the goings on with Dex and Ultor, but the new vehicles and clothing are pretty sweet.

Not that I wanted a Ronin Jacket, but the face bandanas should've been a given from day fucking one.