Last week, Saints Row developer Volition rolled an announcement trailer for the next installment in the franchise. To the surprise of many, it was revealed that the series would be getting a reboot and that it would simply be titled Saints Row.
Alongside the reboot news, Volition also stated that while it will focus on similar elements, including plenty of chaos, the new game will be straying away from the over-the-top antics the series became known for. Instead, the next Saints Row will center around a more grounded gang warfare-style story.
Anyone who has been around long enough knows that sounds far too familiar, as the series started out more grounded and was criticized as a GTA clone. It’s for that exact reason we’ve come up with a list of four things that Saints Row needs to do in order to avoid its previous GTA clone problem.
Heavy Focus on the Gang
If you’ve never played Saints Row before, it is pretty easy to assume that all there is to the game is crazy gameplay and weapons. While that is certainly a huge draw of the franchise, it is essential to remember that, at its heart, this series is all about the gang.
Throughout the original series, the entire premise is to lead the Saints gang to prominence. This is done by competing with rival gangs in turf wars, recruiting characters, growing relationships, earning reputation points, and eventually becoming the big boss yourself.
All of these aspects really help the Third Street Saints feel like your gang, as you were the reason they were growing and thriving. Another big part of this is the wide variety of customization aspects that the game gives its players.
Whether it’s your vehicles, crew members, or crib, there are several unique purple items and looks that can be added to the gang’s stuff that let everyone know that you mean business.
When the Saints rose to prominence in later games, these customization aspects were understandably less prevalent, as you don’t need to grow your rep when you’re already the top dog. Since it is starting from scratch, though, the reboot needs to put customizing and growing the gang back at the forefront of gameplay.
Thankfully, the announcement trailer and discussion that aired afterward for the Saints Row reboot mentioned that the focus will once again be on creating a criminal empire with a delinquent gang of friends. That premise is the perfect opportunity to reshape the gang mechanics from the original to make them even better.
