Nearly a decade after 2013’s Saints Row IV came out, Volition revealed a new installment last year. However, contrary to what many were expecting, the next Saints Row game will not pick up where The Boss and the rest of the 3rd Street saints left off after a brush with aliens and Satan. Instead, the upcoming Saints Row game is a reboot that will see a tonal shift from overly ambitious to one that’s more grounded. Judging from what we’ve seen so far, the new Saints Row retains the best-selling franchise’s unapologetic and unabashed sense of humor as well as a penchant for destruction. The only difference is that Volition is doing away with the over-the-top theatrics in favor of something more measured, albeit still ridiculous. Only time will tell if rebooting Saints Row was worth it. Volition developers, Kenzie Lindgren and Damien Allen, recently gave the reboot their vote of confidence. In a Eurogamer interview, Lindgren explained that the upcoming game “still feels like Saints Row - even if it’s not the same characters, even if it’s not the same setting, even if it’s not exactly the same as before.” Meanwhile, Allen echoed the same thoughts, adding that series veterans will have something “to enjoy”, describing the game as having a new world that’s “more vibrant and unique” than its predecessors. Of course, just because the people behind the game and those who’ve had a chance to see early previews are saying good things, this doesn’t guarantee that Saints Row will do well. After an unfortunate delay, we’re now inching closer to Saints Row’s release. Barring a late setback, players will finally be able to take over Santo Ileso with their fully customized crime bosses in August. In the meantime, Saints Row fans can keep themselves busy with these GTA-like games.
