Probably just me but did anyone else get the "Mass effect, most powerful biotic" feeling? SR was good, but it disappointing to me after play SR2. SR2 was awesome, full of win. SR3rd was fun in terms of gameplay but I missed the serious and dramatic feeling from SR2. I rate SR2 as the best of the three games because of its gameplay, storyline, and of course cuz you got a voice. That doesn't mean I won't play SRIV. Who wants to pass up the chance to go super nova as the leader of the saints? If that's still the storyline anyways. Will have to investigate more.
Somewhere along the way this series has lost its way. I missed the Tamed but wild matter of II it just gone to far into absurdity to take serous anymore. Plus this was originally a DLC for three and now they are charging full price for it as a standalone. This series is pretty much dead now(at least to me).
It's been developed into a full game with a full dev cycle. What's the big deal?
SR3 was great because they threw taking itself seriously out the window and just went for the ridiculous and absurd. If I wanted to play an open world game that was trying to take itself seriously, I'd play GTA...which hasn't been fun since the PS2.
I can agree and disagree with both of those.
Agreeing with Peach/Disagreeing with Phanteros Version
-It was fun not having to play a game that was constantly serious (Hint: AC, Halo, BF, COD, ES, DA, ME). Saints Row has always had a "Lets be stupid and do something fun" feeling to it, SR3 just went far enough to develop that into an actual full length game rather then a few minutes. There were still some serious parts on it of course, which was still nice.
Disagreeing with Peach/Agreeing with Phanteros Version
-Now while I can't agree that the series is dead with me because of that game, I will say that overall I enjoyed SR2. That's mainly because when someone died, you felt something about it. When you killed the leader of the gangs in SR2, it was a very strong. The only boss kill I didn't enjoy in SR2 was the drug leader. More of an assumed death I think. Come SR3, the main guy (leader of the sex trade) got crushed by a giant ball with a smug look on his face still (and I really hated him for killing Gat), you never actually /get/ to kill Matt, and in killing Killbane.
This one needs its own section cuz it's more detailed. Killbane really pissed me off. The fight with him had potential, it could have been more then just a quick time event. So could melee combat for that matter. SR2 had awesome melee combat. They replaced it with a kick in the balls. Sure, it's funny, but it's not nearly as fun or awesome. I'm getting off track. Killbane's death was a quick time event too. Press the buttons to do the preset actions. Which sure, it was nice, but didn't hold nearly the same feeling as the previous game when you killed Vogel (Which was quite personally one of my favorite... scenes... ever....)
I kind of lost track of what I was talking about now since I'm looking back at the game again. I'll give people time to digest what I just said, lol.
Still on the fence with this one
I enjoyed it more as well.
The main missions were all excellent and because it was way over the top, I didn't feel like I was playing a slightly more crazy version of GTA.
If I want to play a serious GTA game, I will play the excellent GTA game. If I want something batshit crazy that's simple to play, I will play Saints Row.
Considering GTAIV and Saints Row 4 are coming out very close to each other, they have to make Saints Row 4 crazy as shit because it won't compete with GTAIV.
The missions were boring.
The setting is boring.
Blax and I can't fathom why this series is still called Saints Row. Because the series has nothing to do with Saints Row anymore.
SR2 had a well-constructed balance between grounded reality and over the top goofiness. This made it interesting, fun, and gave a reason to continue playing. 3 and onward just piles stupid shit on top of stupid shit, making a game willed with nothing but stupid shit.
If you enjoyed 3 more than 2, you are wrong.