Saints Row the Third

[Retlaw83]

I haven't played the previous two, but so far it's one of the funniest games I've ever played.

Best way to describe it is it's like Grand Theft Auto while being nothing like Grand Theft Auto. At it's core, it plays a lot like GTA San Andreas, giving you most of the options that game had that GTA 4 doesn't. The tradeoff there is the physics are like San Andreas, too.

I'm about 6 hours in and have about 26% of the main story done without doing many sidejobs, so there's a lot of stuff to do. I don't think I've ever seen the variety and ridiculousness of action sequences in anything else than I've seen in SR3.

The biggest deviation from GTA's way of doing things is the game is over the top and never takes itself seriously. As you're about to embark on a fairly standard fight-off-waves-of-mooks defense near the beginning of the game, one of the characters asks, "How long is this going to take?" your character responds with, "Stuff like this usually takes two waves of SWAT guys."

If you're not the kind of person that demands all games be super serious, I'd give it a go.

[SenisterDenister]

I enjoy it, I'm about 60% of the way finished with my first playthrough.

[Stalagmite]

Does it have good multiplayer?

[Manoil]

Finished Julie's profile off on friday night, after approximately 35 hours of gameplay. Most of it was getting used to it. Started my profile just afterward, now knowing how things go, and finished it the next night with less than 20 hours of gameplay and 100% completion. Suffice to say, far more short than the others were, but there were many massive improvements and overhauls to the system that it was an enjoyable run, with some really great (and definitely hilarious moments). It did suffer some of the problems of the previous games, such as too few weapons (though customization is awesome, but still lacks diversity and leaves something to be desired), lack of customization in seemingly logical areas (though many new places had far more diversity, so it also mildly makes up for it). The final missions get considerably harder but are really, really awesome.

Also, Professor Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax; one of the best activities in the game. Tron stuff and Tiger Escorts are pretty awesome too but can easily end up pretty frustrating.

Overall, one of the best games I've played in a while. They should have gave it more time in production and waited until enough time had passed since all the other big titles coming out to grab a bit more attention.

[Blargh]

Assorted musings and spoilers :

Characterisation felt anemic when compared with 2. While I realise it's partially due to the length of the game, the antagonists just don't do very much at all. Most striking example would be the entirety of Killbane. A pathologically narcissistic luchador, whose most egregious action against the player (funeral procession crashing), can, due to jarring cutscene fuckery, lack appropriate establishment/context, leaving events and players potentially confused. Early on, you are dissuaded from the why-not-just-kill-him mentality with an explanation that due to his overwhelming investment in the culture of lucha libre, the loss of his mask, and, by extension, his persona and reputation, would leave him as an irreparably broken non person. Later, shockingly, you have the opportunity to un-mask him. Still later, you are effectively begged by the man who first asked you not to kill him, to kill him, before he flees the city to be an impotent, shattered peacock somewhere else. For no compelling reason. Couldn't it wait a few weeks ? There's a fucking huge statue to save from exploding, at the time, after all. And not-Shaundi (I am disappointed with how they handled her double). Who could forget her. Contrast this with Maero, of 2. The player engages in a gleefully sociopathic tit-for-tat escalation of unabashed arseholishness, highlights including mutilating and later killing his best friend, a nuclear waste spiked tattoo, and culminating with tricking him into killing his girlfriend at a monster truck rally. Ultimately, the character of the Boss has mellowed from a joyously violent, complete chunt to that of an occasionally bloodthirsty and (sadly) mostly unremarkable thug. While I found the untimely death of 'Waffles' to be hilarious, both in execution, and in how it so adroitly neutralised expectations of all things nemesis - I cannot help but feel that the characters of 2 were superior. And that Killbane pretty much sucked.

Also found the narrative, in both pacing and framing, underwhelming, and at times schizophrenic - whereas 2 handled affairs with finesse and panache uncharacteristic of a GTA pretender. Also, some excellent cutscenes, the character of which I hope shines through the shiteness of youboob. Stand outs in this area include 'missions' where you drive to a cutscene, and the inclusion of 'introductions' to the activities in the main arc. I am aware that this last detail is probably not too grating for those of you for whom TT is the first of the series you have played. For me, though, even Insurance Fraud is starting to wear thin, at this point. Still reeks of overt padding, nonetheless. At least we mostly dodged the usual here-is-how-you-shoot-a-gun and here-is-how-you-avoid-the-police and here-is-how-you-go-bowling and such. Almost everything after the debut of S.T.A.G is golden, though too bloody short. Also, deckers.die was sublime. A pity they dropped FUZZ. I think it would have been, for instance, fun to masquerade as, and thereby besmirch S.T.A.G with the judicious application of ridiculous violence. Though it could, perhaps, be argued that with their unique approach to crisis management, no one would notice (or care, if they did) the difference.

While I am aware that many of the following points are mostly (?) due to engine migration (and possibly publisher induced pressures), the city of Steelport, when compared with 2's Stilwater, lacks character. Essentially, you have downtown, and you have everywhere else. Reduced pedestrian variety and banter, a lack of explorable non-setpiece interiors, layered clothing, incidental NPC and environmental fluff such as streakers, tai chi groups, streetside dice games, steel drummers, civilian boats/aircraft to list but a few . . . It's just not a very interesting world.

Am mildly disturbed by the fact that 4 is already in development, and the proposed 40 weeks of DLC. The current DLC is, frankly, poor. Except for the shark gun. The shark gun is a thing of beauty.

The occasional end mission choices felt bland and tacked on. Do you want +5% X, or +5% Y ? Some money now, or more later ? Do you want zombies, or Burt 'Fucking' Reynolds ? Celebrity cameos are worthless, no exceptions here. Writing of zombies, the zombie voice option is notable, if only for being the first time I have failed to immediately recognise Steve Blum.

Regardless, due to certain gameplay refinements, including superior gunplay, the 'awesome button' running takedowns/melee/vehicle theft system (which, bafflingly, you cannot use during Murderbrawl XXXI - and no fight club(s) ? Doubly baffling) and a vastly more satisfying vehicular handling model, I will find it difficult to go back to 2.

Both 2 and TT are intuitive to mod. Ergo, if you chose console over PC, you are a bit of a twit. Yes, even taking into account the practically unassailable contender for Worst Port of All Time that is the PC version of 2. Fortunately, the issues are (mostly) easily bypassed with the use of this. Also, consider throwing this on. Unless you loathe fun. (FYI - you may be doing something wrong - please consider a more suitable hobby, like Morris dancing, lawn bowls, or curling.)

And they removed mission/cutscene replays. Why the fuck would they do that ? DLC ? Bastards.

At least it's fairly simple to enable radio for the tank(s). Writing of music and tanks - they actually pulverise cars ! Fucking finally. Yet, still no custom playlists ? What the shit ? Bastards.

I concede that it's minor, but I miss being able to send my character on rampages while they're utterly blitzed. BASTARDS.

multiplayer

2 has superb co-op. While great, SRTT co-op will only improve with time and mods. Your enjoyment correlates to how imaginative you are at the time.

Genki

Have you run into the Professor on the street ? Nightmarish seeing that visage as it runs toward you with an Annihilator. Lucrative though.

tiger

Currently looking at enabling weapon use during both instances of Escort. Fuck those vans.

I agree that it would have benefited immensely from a longer development cycle, but from what I have read, THQ isn't doing too well at the moment. Make of that what you will.

[Manoil]

Well spoken. Very much so.

I haven't found Genki on the street, but I was looking VERY HARD. Apparently NPCs you see wearing his costume have very high health and $300k on hand. That would have been my starter funds, but I couldn't find him. EDIT: But apparently, you already knew that. I should read everything twice these days.

THQ is doing bad right now? Then why are they going out of the way to hire Burt Reynolds and Sasha Grey/etc.? It seems often that they chose to get a voice actor too big for the amount of work they put into the character

[Tofu Man]

Goty material? Goodness knows this year could use a contender.

Too bad this is probably completely unplayable in all but the latest PC, going by how SR2 did. Or rather, did not.

[Manoil]

True. I did play it on 360.

Last I talked with Catman, he did make a good point of that. Consoles lack the flexibility and utility of computers, but they are guaranteed to run the games.

[Stalagmite]

I was just gonna say what's the fucking point of playing anything other than on its lead platform? I prefer a guarantee.

[Retlaw83]

My computer is in the upper mid-range, it runs just fine. Granted, I turned off shadows and reflections to get it to run well, but those aren't requirements to run the game.

[Dogmeatlives]

yo where is the drunk post thread wjen you need it?! I love you guys even though i mostly ghost along through threads now. I just wanna thank y'all for being cool to me even when i was a whiny fuck when I first joined. Also I don't give a shit about gaming anymore but there's like a DAC aura that brings me back. You guys rock so this might be the last of the thanksgiving wine talking, but i love you

[SenisterDenister]

[Blargh]

unplayable

Volition, having learned a lesson as painful as it was illuminative, avoided past mistake(s) and developed TT themselves on PC. It shows. Have you, perchance, played the latest/last Red Faction game ? They're both examples of, dare I write it, exceptional optimisation. And, as a nod to tradition, the only bugs/glitches I've encountered have been as inane/amusing as they are minor/correctable.

Just be sure to put shadows on low. And maybe run in DX9.

[Manoil]

Why are P90s so rare in games today? If you aren't playing a modern war game, then you have to play Fallout 2/Tactics or mods in order to get them (or Goldeneye 64). They're a great gun and have an interesting design. I would imagine more games would get in on that action

[Blargh]

Console yourself with a SHARK GUN, small child.

[Tofu Man]

exceptional

I'll hold such high praise 'til I manage to make it work on a monocore. That'd be exceptional. Then it's TTs for everyone.

Why are P90s so rare in games today?

Could/Would make the same argument over the Jackhammer. It made Max Payne (and Cassidy).

[Blargh]

They still make those ? I'm fairly certain contemporary developers have little regard for catering to antideluvian processors. Best of luck, regardless.

[Tofu Man]

luck

Ach, have faith in the Almighty Monocore Deluxe 3000+, mate! Only let me down once. On SR2.

Anyways, progress update in the morrow; if this runs any better than vanilla GTA IV, then I'm expecting some measure of success.

[Tofu Man]

Alas, the mighty Advanced Micro Device ain't so advanced no more. That's two times a beating.

I'd upgrade, but I can't really be arsed atm. Last time I used it properly was with DEHR, bar trying out Skyropey.

[Blargh]

What a shame.