The open-world action/adventure formula that revolves around committing crimes and embracing the madness of it all was popularized by Grand Theft Auto III. And in its wake, there's been an abundance of titles that stick to the tried and true formula that Rockstar Games' biggest IP has put forth. Saints Row is one of those franchises inspired by everything GTA introduced the world to and has been going strong since 2006. The last mainline entry in the series (Saints Row IV) was released in 2013, while its standalone expansion (Saints Row: Gatt Out of Hell) launched in 2015. After taking a break from its zany brand of open-world gunplay, driving, and more, Saints Row is returning in 2022 with a new look but the same mayhem fans know all so well.
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Everything You Need to Know About ‘Saints Row' (2022)
Release Date and Playable Platforms
Saints Row (2022) will be available on August 23 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, PC (Epic Games Store), and Google Stadia.
Story
Players will be transported to a new wide-open location inspired by Las Vegas and the American southwest called "Santo Ileso." This inspired hub world is split up between three gangs:
Los Panteros - a gang that's all about fitness and showing tons of love to their automobiles.
The Idols - a gang that embraces pure anarchy and all the debauchery attached to hitting the clubs when the sun goes down.
Marshall Defense Industries - an international private military corporation based that makes usage of advanced high-tech weaponry.
The main protagonist at the heart of this game's story is simply referred to as "The Boss," who's a character that grows dissatisfied with their former affiliation with Marshal Defense Industries and ends up creating a new unit with former members of the other gangs. Those new allies are Neenah (a mechanic who was once aligned with Los Panteros, who now serves as The Boss' gang as its driver) and Kevin (a DJ that formerly ran with The Idols, but now handles the execution of The Boss' gangs wild heists). A non-former gang member that runs alongside The Boss' new crew is Eli, a business entrepreneur with an MBA that's tasked with organizing The Boss' numerous gang activities. This foursome's main goal is to wrest control from their three rival gangs and fully take over Santo Ileso.
Gameplay
One of the biggest features attached to Saints Row as a whole is the series' extensive character customization feature. And just like previous entries in the series, Saints Row (2022) embraces that trademark quality in full. Before the full game even launches, players can download the "Saints Row Boss Factory" beforehand and create their own version of The Boss right now. Once completed, that avatar can up uploaded to the "Boss Factory," which allows you to download that character for use at the game's launch. Other players will be able to download your custom boss and you'll be able to download those same players' bosses as well. The game's wide customization options can also be applied to its huge bevy of flashy guns and varied vehicles. By the way, Saints Row's (2022) driving has been improved to the point where they can even be used as weapons this time around.
If you've played previous Saints Row games, then you know what to expect here - intense third-person gunplay, madcap driving, and outlandish happenings that point to the huge dosage of humor the series fully embraced in Saints Row: The Third. And thankfully, you can enjoy all that madness with another player thanks to online drop-in and drop-out co-op multiplayer (both players can run around causing chaos with their versions of The Boss). The world of Santo Ileso is massive and is split into nine different districts, which happen to include the following:
Rancho Providencio - a small, run-down rural town.
El Dorado - a gambling casino locale.
Monte Vista - a low-key suburban area.
As your gang gains a foothold in each hub, you'll come to acquire certain group benefits over time. Your gang will regularly converge at their headquarters, which is referred to as "The Saints Church." Here is where you'll be able to upgrade your surroundings via decorative items that have been awarded to you, obtain and set up items that you've taken photos of around Santo Ileso, and perform all the operations tied to customization and mission planning. Your gang's (legitimate?) businesses can be set up around each area of Santo Illeso, which finances everything they get into. As far as the game's navigation goes, Saints Row (2022) will incorporate more vertical areas to explore and provide the player with the tools needed to take advantage of those new vantage points.
