The Boss is heading to Steelport, and the Syndicate has no idea what is coming for them.
For starters, this game is a significantly wackier experience than its predecessor, to some players delight and others frustration. The action in Saints Row 3 is way more extravagant than Saints Row 2 and less grounded in general. Hijacking jets and getting into dog fights, waging war against the military, smacking people with giant purple dildos, fending off hordes of zombies, all these are just some examples of the over the top chaos. Weapons like the airstrike call-in that rains missiles on everything are just pure fun, further distancing itself gameplay wise from the street level, more gritty approach of SR2.
You do not need to have played the previous games to enjoy this one since it works as a standalone story, though it is technically a continuation of the previous game's narrative with returning characters and references to past events. The Saints are a criminal crew led by the Boss, and they have moved to Steelport to expand their empire. In their way is the Syndicate, the powerful criminal empire running Steelport split into three distinct gangs. Phillipe Loren is the Belgian leader of the Morningstar and the entire Syndicate, a sophisticated corporate minded villain who handles high-end logistics and arms dealing. His right-hand women are Viola and Kiki DeWynter, identical twin sisters who manage the day-to-day business.
Matt Miller is a teenage computer prodigy leading the Deckers, elite hackers who handle digital money laundering and are stereotypical nerds with emo aesthetics. Killbane is a popular professional wrestler and hot-headed leader of the Luchadores, the muscle of the Syndicate who handles gambling and drug trades. They all see the Saints as a threat to their own turfs, setting in motion the inevitable conflict that kick starts the story of this game. There's only room for one big criminal organization in this city and both sides are determined to make sure they are ones in charge. From there it is all about building the Saints up, taking down the Syndicate gang by gang, and becoming the most powerful criminal organization in Steelport. The story is straightforward but fun and way more entertaining when played through with a friend, as the campaign features coop.
The Saints feel like a real crew you want to be part of because they have actual personalities and chemistry. Shaundi is the aggressive, no-nonsense crew member who becomes hyper-focused on the mission after Gat dies at the start of the game, a complete shift from her laid-back party girl persona in the previous game. Pierce tries to be the marketing and PR mind of the Saints but usually ends up as the butt of the joke while the rest of the crew ignores or makes fun of his plans. Oleg is the massive Russian intellectual brute who is extremely intelligent and calm despite his size. Kinzie is the abrasive, high-strung ex-FBI agent who is socially stunted and constantly bickers with the Boss and Pierce about conspiracy theories. They joke with each other, they have real moments where they care about the crew, and watching them grow throughout the story makes you actually invested. The dialogue and character development is genuinely superior to Saints Row 2, with everyone feeling distinct and well written. You can be any gender or race in the character creator and even change your voice, which really makes you feel like you are the Boss rather than just playing a character called the Boss. I like the art style of the character models personally, though I get it if some people do not like them since they do look a bit Play Doh-ish.
Some of the activities don't hit quite as hard as they did in Saints Row 2, mostly because favorites like Insurance Fraud and Snatch lose some of their charm without the environmental variety of the old map. I honestly preferred Stilwater over Steelport because the old city felt so much more alive; it had those iconic spots like the massive underground caverns, the shopping malls, and the university district that actually felt distinct, while Steelport can feel a bit "samey" after a while. There was also a certain level of immersion in the previous activities because they felt grounded in actual street level operations, such as the Drug Trafficking missions protecting a dealer or the Escort service tasks, which gave the world a darker edge. In contrast, the activities in this game lean much more into absurd, high octane spectacle. I really missed the weirder diversions like Septic Avenger too, but on the flip side, Professor Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax was absolute gold. The segments are brilliant and addictive, offering an intense game show vibe that fits the new direction perfectly.
The main game is fire, but the DLC is honestly mediocre because it feels more like a collection of ideas that didn't make the final cut. The Genkibowl VII pack is a bit of a letdown since it mostly just adds more side activities, those optional, arcade-style mini-games, like rolling giant yarn balls or mascot stunt-driving, which feel repetitive because they function exactly like the ones you already did in the base game instead of offering actual story missions. Gangstas in Space is definitely the highlight even if it is short, mainly because playing through a sci-fi flick alongside Jenny Jaros is a great experience. I really liked her character's mini arc where she's taken under the wing of the Boss and finally learns to stand up for herself against the director pushing her around on set. The on-screen effects like the film grain filters and dramatic camera angles are really immersive and do a solid job of making the gameplay feel like a cheesy B-movie production, though it is a shame you can finish the whole thing in under an hour.
The Trouble with Clones was a cool concept in theory, but it was ultimately flawed because there was nothing really unique about the execution. While the idea of a fanboy trying to clone a legendary Saint sounds like it would lead to something special, the actual gameplay just has you driving around and shooting things in a way that feels almost similar to a standard side activity. Even though you get to play with some temporary super-strength at the very end, it still felt lacking. Running fast was a cool highlight that felt like a glimpse into what was coming next in Saints Row 4, but the only other power was a fire ball that felt no different than having a standard RPG. It didn't have anything truly unique like the telekinesis we would see in the later games, making the whole experience feel straightforward and repetitive compared to the chaos you already cause in the streets of Steelport. Aside from these, the rest of the DLC is essentially just cosmetic packs with extra outfits and vehicles; while those aren't really interesting to me, they might be worth it for others who want more customization options for their Boss.
I first played this on the 360 and fell in love, pulling many an all nighter in coop sessions with my friend and kick starting a love for a franchise that still persists to this day. The game runs smoothly and looks beautiful on modern systems with great frame rates and crisp textures, though i did experience several crashes throughout my playthrough they were few and far between.
If you are here for the main game, you are getting a solid, chaotic, fun ride. Skip the boring DLC and you will have a great time.
