Saints Row 4

[Keyrock]

So Saint's Row IV released earlier today at midnight (in The States, anyway) and I decided to stay up late last night to get my grubby little digital hands on it.  I'm definitely paying the price for it a bit today (lack of sleep and all), but it was worth it, oh it was so worth it.  I didn't play nearly enough to give anything approaching a review, but for now here are some early impressions for those wondering what all the buzz is about.

 

As the vast majority of professional reviews have stated, it's fun, it's really fun, even before you get super powers, it's fun.  There is a particular 50s America sequence early on that had me doubled over laughing then grinning from ear to ear.  While the graphics are definitely showing their age, they're not bad, it's the same graphics as SR3.  The voice acting work is fantastic as usual.  While I miss my Russian lady boss, having a female president with a thick French accent and saying things like "merde" is great.  Zynyak, in particular, has been an absolute delight to listen to.  I like the little touches.  Most games have 2 different movement speeds when using a controller, depending on how far you push the analog stick, basically walk and run.  In SR4 the walking speed has a lot of increments depending on how far you push the analog stick, right down to hilariously super slo-mo.  Right off the bat the game starts poking fun at other games and pop culture.  Mass Effect, in particular seems to be a big target.  It's never done in a mean or condescending way, though, more of a fun loving, wink wink way.  Super powers are a game changer.  Holy smokes are they fun!

 

tl;dr version of my initial feelings on SR4:

 

 

I'll post further thoughts as I get deeper and a thorough review once I finish the game.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Keyrock

[melkathi]

It's releasing in the EU in 3 days

Still waiting for my retailer to send me the email that I can "pre-load". It's silly that some customers are still being told they are pre-loading while others have already played the game.

[Keyrock]

Yeah, in the age of digital distribution, the different release dates for different regions is just plain ludicrous, especially since the EU version, unlike the Aussie alien drug-free version, is probably identical to the NA version except for a PEGI rating screen.

[Raithe]

Yeah, amazon just told me they were cancelling my pre-order of the pc version and they'd let me know when they were actually getting stock.

[melkathi]

Yeah, amazon just told me they were cancelling my pre-order of the pc version and they'd let me know when they were actually getting stock.

 

Well, that is awefully kind of them...

[Tale]

Yeah, in the age of digital distribution, the different release dates for different regions is just plain ludicrous, especially since the EU version, unlike the Aussie alien drug-free version, is probably identical to the NA version except for a PEGI rating screen.

It would be anti-competitive to brick and mortar stores that have stricter schedules.

[Keyrock]

 

Yeah, in the age of digital distribution, the different release dates for different regions is just plain ludicrous, especially since the EU version, unlike the Aussie alien drug-free version, is probably identical to the NA version except for a PEGI rating screen.

It would be anti-competitive to brick and mortar stores that have stricter schedules.

 

Which would make sense were they actually selling boxed versions in Europe, which they are not.  

[Tale]

Which would make sense were they actually selling boxed versions in Europe, which they are not.

You win this round, rodent.

 

No really, fair point.

[Nepenthe]

 

Which would make sense were they actually selling boxed versions in Europe, which they are not.

You win this round, rodent.

 

No really, fair point.

 

 

Not really, since consoles.

 

Not sure if I'm getting mine on Thursday (usual Nordic release date) or Friday (occasional EU release date being enforced even up here). Wubwub edition INCOMING.

[alanschu]

 

 

Not really, since consoles.

 

Indeed!

 

 

I picked this up yesterday.  Expect good fun ^_^

[Tale]

I chose free shipping from Amazon. So it'll be a few days for me.

[Malcador]

Wonder where they can go from here, heh.

[Orogun01]

You sold me on it.

[Hurlshort]

Wonder where they can go from here, heh.

 

Probably time travel.  Johnny Gat riding a dinosaur duking it out with cavemen and time police.

[Malcador]

Probably, go back to the 30s and be old time gangsters.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Malcador

[HoonDing]

When is it on sale?

[Malcador]

When is it on sale?

Christmas should be 30-40% I guess, maybe more if Deep Silver starts to go out of business or something

[Raithe]

heh. The lastest UK trailer for it includes the "the game australia doesn't want you to play!" as an additional selling feature.

[LadyCrimson]

I still haven't played more than about an hour or two of SR2 (I have 3, too, but I haven't even dl'd it...). And yet I'm still tempted to buy this one. The games always look so funny/cool, but I just haven't gotten around to investing the time.

[Lexx]

I really want to play it, but SR3 was kind of short and I've heard that SR4 is at least as short... And I don't really want to pay 40+ euro on it then. :/

[LadyCrimson]

Yeah...I bought the other two on Steam-sale, so as much I wouldn't mind playing the new one now, so I can be in-the-know in a timely fashion (heh), I'll probably wait for at least a moderate sale.

[Raithe]

I really want to play it, but SR3 was kind of short and I've heard that SR4 is at least as short... And I don't really want to pay 40+ euro on it then. :/

 Well, the numbers I heard was that the "main" storyline is about 10 hours long, but the additional side stuff and crazy moments adds about 30 hours. So yes, you could blitz through it fairly quickly but if you're wandering around and just having fun with it.. I think you'd be fairly happy.,

Frankly any game that gives you about an hour of fun for every $4 you spent on it, it's still more cost effective then seeing a few films at the cinema..  

[Amentep]

I hate when games I want to play cluster...I still haven't beat Dragon's Crown...

[alanschu]

Happening to me too. EU4.  SR4, and also Rome 2.

 

I played 48 hours of Saints Row: The Third, and aside from some randomish driving around for fun, was always doing something (did 100% playthrough with a friend).

[AGX-17]

While I miss my Russian lady boss, having a female president with a thick French accent and saying things like "merde" is great.

Rebecca Sanabria (the original female voice #3 in SR2 and 3,) was the best. It's funny how they've cleansed SR's female player cast of all ethnic minorities. So now it's middle/upper-middle class WASP, WASP doing a fake french accent and Paula Deen. Frenchie is the least bad of the selections, but all of them are bad to me since I can't import my SR2-3 character anymore, since she was a muy caliente chica for two games and suddenly now all hispanics and blacks sound like white people.

Edited August 21, 2013 by AGX-17