If you ask me, Saints Row The Third is the highpoint of Volition’s open-world gangster series. When it came out back in 2011, it pushed the comedy and absurdity introduced in Saints Row 2 to new extremes while still keeping one foot planted in reality, unlike the completely over-the-top Saints Row 4. So I was fired up to play again on the Nintendo Switch, but The Full Package edition turns out to be a good news, bad news situation. On the small, 720p screen, it looks and runs okay, though not up to the Xbox 360’s level. Put it in the dock and blow it up on a television in 1080p, though, and...it’s tough to watch.
Gameplay-wise, Saints Row The Third holds up pretty well. Right from the opening moments where you’re jumping out of a plane – and then jumping back into it through the cockpit windshield – it’s a wild ride. Explosions are plentiful, crazy weapons abound, and goofiness is around every turn in Steelport, where the Third Street Saints gang has become satirically embraced as pop culture icons. But it’s got substance to go along with that style; in fact, Saints Row: The Third has great touches that I’m still waiting for modern open-world games to crib from, like a “quick hijack” button to leap through the windshields of cars and steal them in one swift motion while on the move, and augmented reality-style GPS turn indicators on the roads to keep your eyes on the action instead of the minimap.
Continue reading…
Continue reading...
Gameplay-wise, Saints Row The Third holds up pretty well. Right from the opening moments where you’re jumping out of a plane – and then jumping back into it through the cockpit windshield – it’s a wild ride. Explosions are plentiful, crazy weapons abound, and goofiness is around every turn in Steelport, where the Third Street Saints gang has become satirically embraced as pop culture icons. But it’s got substance to go along with that style; in fact, Saints Row: The Third has great touches that I’m still waiting for modern open-world games to crib from, like a “quick hijack” button to leap through the windshields of cars and steal them in one swift motion while on the move, and augmented reality-style GPS turn indicators on the roads to keep your eyes on the action instead of the minimap.
Continue reading…
Continue reading...