It's really too bad that this trailer, outlining a stunning array of obscene activities in Saints Row 2, was so poorly executed. You'd think with a combination like stealing a sanitation truck to hose pedestrians with raw sewage, seriously injuring your friends to collect insurance money, and dressing up like a cop to rob a liquor store (among others) that you'd have a guaranteed ace.
Unfortunately, the whole thing is unnecessarily constructed to rip on Grand Theft Auto IV. Perhaps it's just me, but I think dousing unsuspecting passers-by in fecal water really stands on its own merit. Further, if you're going to spend the entirety of your advertisement illustrating just how shocking and diabolical your game is, why then bleep out a swear word at the end?
The game looks ridiculously fucking fun, but the trailer is unwise. The potshots at the year's biggest game really are just awkward, and the game really shouldn't be comparing itself when the original was a very cynical attempt to just copy the entire formula, right down to the attempts at social satire.
The game ought to try and stand on its own merits, which by themselves, look like a lot of fun.
It will be fun until your car starts disappearing from underneath you while you drive. GTA hasn't highlighted some of the crazy stuff you can do with a rocket launcher and a tall building but you know you can do it none the less.
I like the Security and UFC style fight clubs though.
I got the first Saints Row shortly after picking up an Xbox 360. I was just jonesing for a GTA style game (GTA is what I wanted) so I picked up Saints Row. It had some charm to it, although it seemed to really stumble in a few places.
If they want to try and go head to head with Rockstar's monolith they're gonna need to do something to really differentiate it from GTA. Otherwise I've already gotten my fill of mayhem for the year.
Since everyone owns GTAIV, and people could easily polarize between the two on a quantitative, "GTA is just better" sort of way, this Saint's Row does what Nintendon't sort of slant actually makes me consider it as a separate type of experience than as "that GTA clone". Considering "GTA Clone" will in evitably end up in every review of Saints Row 2, its wise to force reviewers, and consumers directly, to consider how the two are different.
I plan on playing the original saints row when I'm done with GTA (which should be soon). This trailer has me excited for the series and I think the potshots at GTA are just harmless fun. Everybody knows the bowling in GTA kicks ass.
the first one was fun. but i don't think a game that tries to be like another extremely popular game then openly mocks it isn't good marketing in my eyes. but imitation is the best form of flattery.
Definitely not the smartest move to trash GTA IV, considering no matter what Saint's Row 2 does, it will never even come close to the critical acclaim IV did. Regardless, I think the execution was strong and they did make SR2 look like a damn fun game. At the very least, the missions appear to be a lot more varied than GTA IV's missions of drive somewhere, chase someone, kill someone.
Also, the graphics and animation look like nothing more than a beefed up San Andreas.
I'll happily take something that looks like a beefed up San Andreas if it isn't going to be as stripped down and overhyped as GTA IV.
I mean, come on. Spraying poop on pedestrians? Awesome!
Shit if they give you something to spend the money you're told is all that matters the ENTIRE game, then get to the end to find it just piling up I'm sold.
A step forward in storytelling is fine, but not when I have to drive everywhere at 10mph and take some whiny bitch or others to see a show every 5 minutes 'cause that's like, not my idea of fun. If I want a life sim I'll play The Sims thanks. It does it better.
You know, I was thinking the same thing just recently: why did I really need all that money?! I *was* pretty important, and the reason I did all these bad things . . . who do I owe?!
GTAIV was my first entry to GTA games. I just...didn't care to try one. And frankly I do feel like there just wasn't enough "sandboxing" for me. not a bad game, just felt limited (what I can buy, do, go to, all these shops look like I can go in but cant) This one seems pretty fun. But the story needs to be on par at least. The demo of Saints Row 1 just seemed stupid.
So, it's a soul-less ape-ing of GTA, minus the immersion, and everything that made that game good? Clearly they're pandering to frat-boys, jocks, and other cancerous cysts on societie's underbelly
i loved GTA 4 but i would have liked a lot more stuff to do after the story missions jumps and killing pigeons gets old after a while
Love GTA and SR think both will be great fun
GTA IV was severely dissappointing. For the first week it blew my mind, but during that week the game was slowly ruining itself for me. Bit by bit the shooting annoyed me more and more, the missions being EXACTLY. THE. FUCKING. SAME. all of the time, me having 700,000 dollars in the bank with nothing to spend it on while having the ability to steal any hummer or ferrari I want and keep it with ease and yet Niko still insists on telling the boring Italian characters I could care less about that he desperately needs the money while he stands in front of them in a suit I'll never be able to afford even if I sold all of the 360's I've ever had RROD on me at full buying price.
In other words, GTA IV wasn't nearly as groundbreaking as the media and most hype machinists on the internet would love to be true. I'd like to see "month after" reviews where the intial "WHOA" wears off and people can see the game from a purely fun standpoint and really decide if it was worth the 60 bucks or not.
Replacing fun with realism was hardly the best decision anybody ever made.
I actually like the angle this ad took for no other reason than the fact that it hi-lighted the view I share that gtaiv was full of stupid crap like bowling and comedy clubs. I like how they got rid of unnecessary stuff like body building from san andreas, but all they did was replace it with other boring distractions like bowling and pool and darts and all the other stuff you are practically forced to endure lest your in game friends hate you forever.
I also think saints row will do well to compliment the crime sand box metropolis genre by differentiating itself from GTAiv in terms of attitude and sensibility. By that I mean that where GTAiv opted to be gritty and realistic, Saints row 2 will be more arcade-ish and over the top. No doubt the cars in saints row will be easier to handle and it will actually have the weapons that rockstar left out of their last installment like satchel charges, and flame throwers.
I was incredibly disappointed to see that rockstar didnt maintain their over the top sensability for gtaiv (I had a blast with satchel charges and flying cars in san andreas). Volition looks like it will fill that void in saints row 2.
Saints Row is kinda like the Insane Clown Posse to GTA IV's Wierd Al Yankovic - and for those of you foolish enough to wonder what i mean by that... it's not a compliment to Saint's Row (and maybe not a fair comparison to GTA IV since i like it considerably more than i like Wierd Al - but bare with me.
On the one hand you have Weird Al who while not hysterically funny (in my opinion) is at least good hearted about his songs which is like GTA IV in the way that, sure you go around capping m'fers but at least there are real moral choices that you must make to proceed through the game. On the flip side you have a bunch of retards in clow make-up who take potshots at legitimate artists in attempt to gain street-cred -(hello?!? you're wearing fucking clown make-up).
My point is - this looks like shit.
I think this looked like it'll be better than the first, at least...
I never got through the first because I got tired of the fake ass "gangsta" bullshit.
But poking fun at GTA is a bad fucking choice. GTA IV didn't poke fun at Saint's Row at all, did it? Maybe Rockstar thought those guys made a god enough copy of GTA and didn't want to fuck with them...But now they're fucking with GTA...Rockstar shall surely bitch slap them now for being naughty boys.
I don't think Rockstar's going to be terribly offended. IT's just a simple jab, they do it enough themselves, poking fun at everything, and you don't see the companies they make fun of having a bitchfest. I think rockstar's probably laughing, if anything.
that aside. I love that Saints 2 is going to try and cram in more fun stuff to do, in order to increase longevity. The story was decent, at least, and it had more enjoyable combat. It's just got more meat to it, compared to GTA, which while leaner, is still a more story driven experience.
What Jim said. I saw this trailer at a THQ event yesterday, and while the game content was amusing, I disliked the trailer simply because it tried to claim that it’s better than GTA IV. Look, THQ, you’re not going to put out a game that’s better than GTA IV, so stop acting like it. Sheesh.
I think it's more than fair. Critical acclaim or not, I had more fun playing Saint's Row last year than I am having playing GTAIV right now. Honestly.
There's something to be said for a game that doesn't take itself seriously and allows for some stupid fun to be had. GTAIV's head is too big for its own good. It needs to go back to its roots and relearn how to make a fun game experience, not a well scripted series of cutscenes with shitty mission structure in between.
I'm glad to know there is a series out there that not only is more fun to play than GTA now, but is willing to take some shots at it and call Rockstar out on their overhyped opus.
This talk of fecal spray reminds me. Has anyone used the firetruck in GTAIV to spray random downtown pedestrians? If you do they will drag you from the firetruck and beat the fuck out of you. Apparently getting sprayed with a firehouse is a sensitive issue in the inner cities...
I don't know it sold me. This is exactly what I wanted to here...
I am in between HD console, and after playing IV at people's houses the pressure to get one now was relieved. Now, with this trailer, I am excited for a sandbox game. GTAIV (Which I haven't played enough to be making broad judgements like this) isn't a sandbox game as much as a game with quests and a very big over world map, with awesome cut-scenes.
How many hours did people spend with the GTAIV story and how many do you reckon will spend with Saints Row's mini-games? We all know the story is going to be complete tripe in Saints Row. I think you get the best of both worlds with GTA, great storytelling and also great havoc.
i agree gta 4 was over hyped, over rated ect, but i dont think that the game suffered from a lack of 'silliness' that was present in the old games and that seems to be the main selling point of Saints row 2. ive completed every gta to date and love everythnig including the terrible programming that makes the floor disappear in vice city. However i completely agree that you need something to spend money on, y cant i buy the turismos, nrg 900s ect from the dealerships. Saints row dealt with this very well by giving u so much stuff to buy(cars, houses, drugs, clothes, bling ect) but still i have had some of the most intense chases and cool moments in gta 4 that saints row just didnt provide. ill be interested to see if the AWFUL TO THE POINT OF NOT BEING FUNNY police ai is improved in wot otherwise looks like a desperate marketing ploy by the THQ to prey on the weak point of its main rival.
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Contest:
6:13 PM on 06.05.2008
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The game ought to try and stand on its own merits, which by themselves, look like a lot of fun.
I can't use minguns or flamethrowers or tanks in GTA IV.
Also, WTF with the flamethrower?! That has been in Every GTA since the first one (No really!)
I like the Security and UFC style fight clubs though.
If they want to try and go head to head with Rockstar's monolith they're gonna need to do something to really differentiate it from GTA. Otherwise I've already gotten my fill of mayhem for the year.
Since everyone owns GTAIV, and people could easily polarize between the two on a quantitative, "GTA is just better" sort of way, this Saint's Row does what Nintendon't sort of slant actually makes me consider it as a separate type of experience than as "that GTA clone". Considering "GTA Clone" will in evitably end up in every review of Saints Row 2, its wise to force reviewers, and consumers directly, to consider how the two are different.
Also, the graphics and animation look like nothing more than a beefed up San Andreas.
I mean, come on. Spraying poop on pedestrians? Awesome!
Shit if they give you something to spend the money you're told is all that matters the ENTIRE game, then get to the end to find it just piling up I'm sold.
A step forward in storytelling is fine, but not when I have to drive everywhere at 10mph and take some whiny bitch or others to see a show every 5 minutes 'cause that's like, not my idea of fun. If I want a life sim I'll play The Sims thanks. It does it better.
You know, I was thinking the same thing just recently: why did I really need all that money?! I *was* pretty important, and the reason I did all these bad things . . . who do I owe?!
Maybe its tied to Roman's new cab service? Do I get the limo ride if I have more money?
Further, that game needs a time machine, because I want that one nice apartment and perks, but I can't just go back and undecide that decision.
Maybe Saints Row has a time machine . . .
Love GTA and SR think both will be great fun
In other words, GTA IV wasn't nearly as groundbreaking as the media and most hype machinists on the internet would love to be true. I'd like to see "month after" reviews where the intial "WHOA" wears off and people can see the game from a purely fun standpoint and really decide if it was worth the 60 bucks or not.
Replacing fun with realism was hardly the best decision anybody ever made.
I also think saints row will do well to compliment the crime sand box metropolis genre by differentiating itself from GTAiv in terms of attitude and sensibility. By that I mean that where GTAiv opted to be gritty and realistic, Saints row 2 will be more arcade-ish and over the top. No doubt the cars in saints row will be easier to handle and it will actually have the weapons that rockstar left out of their last installment like satchel charges, and flame throwers.
I was incredibly disappointed to see that rockstar didnt maintain their over the top sensability for gtaiv (I had a blast with satchel charges and flying cars in san andreas). Volition looks like it will fill that void in saints row 2.
On the one hand you have Weird Al who while not hysterically funny (in my opinion) is at least good hearted about his songs which is like GTA IV in the way that, sure you go around capping m'fers but at least there are real moral choices that you must make to proceed through the game. On the flip side you have a bunch of retards in clow make-up who take potshots at legitimate artists in attempt to gain street-cred -(hello?!? you're wearing fucking clown make-up).
My point is - this looks like shit.
I never got through the first because I got tired of the fake ass "gangsta" bullshit.
But poking fun at GTA is a bad fucking choice. GTA IV didn't poke fun at Saint's Row at all, did it? Maybe Rockstar thought those guys made a god enough copy of GTA and didn't want to fuck with them...But now they're fucking with GTA...Rockstar shall surely bitch slap them now for being naughty boys.
I don't think Rockstar's going to be terribly offended. IT's just a simple jab, they do it enough themselves, poking fun at everything, and you don't see the companies they make fun of having a bitchfest. I think rockstar's probably laughing, if anything.
that aside. I love that Saints 2 is going to try and cram in more fun stuff to do, in order to increase longevity. The story was decent, at least, and it had more enjoyable combat. It's just got more meat to it, compared to GTA, which while leaner, is still a more story driven experience.
answer: get both.
There's something to be said for a game that doesn't take itself seriously and allows for some stupid fun to be had. GTAIV's head is too big for its own good. It needs to go back to its roots and relearn how to make a fun game experience, not a well scripted series of cutscenes with shitty mission structure in between.
I'm glad to know there is a series out there that not only is more fun to play than GTA now, but is willing to take some shots at it and call Rockstar out on their overhyped opus.
i don't want a sandbox unless it has euphoria. i'll make an exception for prototype though, because that's going to own.
Yup, I'm going to hell.
Soemone had to say it. Why not the competitor?
I am in between HD console, and after playing IV at people's houses the pressure to get one now was relieved. Now, with this trailer, I am excited for a sandbox game. GTAIV (Which I haven't played enough to be making broad judgements like this) isn't a sandbox game as much as a game with quests and a very big over world map, with awesome cut-scenes.