Grave Gamer News & Views — Saints Row IV

Aliens, Superpowers, and Dildo-Charged Chaos – Saints Row IV Must’ve Been Announced Today

Before THQ sank to the bottom of the sea, as all companies do when they file for bankruptcy, the troubled publisher’s last captain in charge, Jason Rubin, felt it was time for Volition’s Saints Row property to grow up.  “I look at that title and I say, ‘Who cares what it is and why it got to be what it is?’ From that team we can make something that isn’t embarrassing.”

Gears of War’s co-creator, Cliff Bleszinski, echoed similar sentiments, musing that Volition’s open world crime series could go toe-to-toe with GTA if only the games would ditch the dildos for a mature tone.  “[Battlefield] didn’t go after [Call of Duty] by putting dicks on their guns…It doesn’t help industry perceptions.”

In just over a minute, Saints Row IV’s trailer proves Volition doesn’t give a high-flying shit about “industry perceptions,” and bless them for it.

The Third Street Saints have moved up from lowly gangsters, shirked their suited mafioso ways, and have evolved into the ultimate thugs – high ranking politicians.  As soon as their leader is inaugurated as our nation’s President, things take a wide turn for the insane in hallmark Saints fashion.  An alien invasion (you read that right) traps the Saints in a simulated version of their old haunts, Steelport, and in retaliation, you’ll get to harness their technology, going as far to even imbue yourself with superpowers like flight and a freeze ability to smash their interstellar faces in.

It’s all just…fucking lunacy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  The gaming world doesn’t need another serious-faced GTA imitator; the world needs the Saints.  New publisher, Deep Silver, thankfully supports Volition’s applied madness, and letting them go nuts on the concept will surely lead to more immaturity, more embarrassment, and – most importantly – more fun.

Saints Row IV releases for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on August 20th.