To think about Saints Row franchise, gamers will remind themselves the game as knock of GTA franchise. The elements of open-world with violence crime as the major plot where the seconds installment of Saints Row relies on gangsta culture that foreshadows GTA San Andreas as its competitor. Some think that Saints Row 2 is long lost brother of GTA SA sequel with better HD graphic and ton of open world elements that involves major crimes that attract raging hormones teenagers as the player base.
Saints Row 2 is the second game I've played after the third installment that I have finished and left me major impression that the second perhaps has the most enjoyable gameplay while some glitches happen here and there, sometimes the glitch helped players the difficulty becomes more easier such enemies dont react when getting reached or lack of spawned NPC around the city. And there goes the storyline and characters which are so annoying, try-hard, straight a-hole while playing as literal unstoppable force main character as Saint Row gang leader to take over three faction of criminal gangsters around the city as main mission while to progress players need to play some mini-games to fulfill the requirements of mission based on "respects" level where mostly involves around city crimes that garners a lot of cash to spend on stuffs like buying house, weapon, clothes, and cars.
The game based on fictional city and considering the game perhaps is not really exist and has no place on real world, it tries to convince you to think you are in U.S.A where there are some walking sterotypical ethnicities as your major enemy is not really believable. Its so other-worldly. I think what is another aspect I really enjoy the most it has radio stations that probably if you live around mid 00s, there are some popular pop-punk songs that is not really fitting with the game itself, there are other typical open-wold radio station that feel wholesome with many genre to enjoy while roaming the city.
One thing I notice how the physics is not strong point in the game realism but somehow the presentation of story violence tends to be gritty and edgy while these things may bothered politically correctness which this game was kind of product of its time where mindless violence is kind of selling points for open-world video game around the time, its also the game featured a big university as one of its background which kind of like a game for "bro culture". Its not offending me but to think that the game has weakest point in story and characters, you may play as the another open world crime game where noting is important happen except you are playing greedy bastard who seek after money and power from other gang, they dont accept your action and kill your homies, and then you just mad and doing revenge. The end.
Rating : 7/10
Difficulty : Normal
Written : 11 February 2020
Finished : 9 February
