All Saints Row Games, Ranked From Best To Worst

Just prior to Volition's closure, the final DLC expansions landed for the Saints Row reboot. While these expansions added more content to the game, they didn't result in a dramatic turnaround akin to No Man's Sky's redemption arc. Even if they had, it's doubtful it would have altered the Embracer Group's decision to close the studio.

The future of the series remains uncertain post-closure, and any updates are unlikely for several months. In the meantime, this article has been polished to enhance its clarity, incorporating additional details. This revamp aims to facilitate a comprehensive comparison among all Saints Row games (including their quasi-spin-off) to discern the standout titles in the franchise.

1. Saints Row 2

Saints Row 2 retains some quirks from the first game (such as shooting from vehicles, etc.), yet it struck a perfect balance between serious storytelling and outrageous antics. When certain players found GTA 4 overly serious, SR2 offered a more unrestrained alternative. It featured outlandish scenarios like attacking pimps and hos with sewage, launching chopper assaults on marijuana farms, and introducing a plethora of imaginative options.

Players had the liberty to create the Boss as a male, female, or anything in between, accompanied by voice options for the first time. The game incorporated more mini-games and activities, rewarding players with upgrades upon completion. While maintaining similarities with SR1 in the Stilwater setting, controls, and graphics, SR2 refined its features sufficiently to serve as an accessible entry point for fans who hadn't played on the Xbox 360. If the series does make a return, following SR2's blueprint would be a prudent choice.

2. Saints Row 4

Saints Row 4 had its origins as a planned DLC chapter for SR3, titled "Enter the Dominatrix." However, due to the collapse of their original publisher THQ and the urgency for a new game, it evolved into a full-fledged entry centered on the Saints battling aliens across both cyberspace and actual space. It essentially repurposed everything from SR3 but bestowed the Boss (now referred to as the "President") with superpowers that could be upgraded throughout the game.

This transformation from a GTA-like experience to something reminiscent of Crackdown pushed the series further into absurdity, resulting in a game even more prone to bugs and crashes than SR3. Nevertheless, the game offered a wider array of activities, enjoyable superpowers to experiment with, and some well-executed references to previous installments. However, despite a handful of missions, the game departed from the urban charm that had been a hallmark of the series.

3. Saints Row: The Third

Whether Saints Row: The Third or SR4 takes the lead largely hinges on the gamer's preferences since, fundamentally, they are quite similar. They utilize identical maps, graphics, and assets for the most part. However, SR3 came first and adheres to the traditional formula of seizing control of the city from rival gangs using appropriate vehicles and firepower. For many players, this adherence to the classic formula positions it ahead of its more ludicrous successor. Yet, it's not without its flaws, many of which persist in its Remastered version.

While it represented a graphical and gameplay improvement over SR2, it experienced a reduction in content. There were fewer customization options, no mini-games, and a smaller array of activities spread thinly across the less vibrant and more generic setting of Steelport. To compensate for this, Volition doubled down on the absurdity factor: murder-themed game shows, shark guns, luchadors, and AI companions with subpar intelligence. It remains an enjoyable and functional game, but akin to a stick of gum, its appeal fades relatively quickly.

4. Saint Row

This game marks the inception of the entire series, as the Player joins the Third Street Saints to aid them against their adversaries. Being the inaugural Saints Row installment, it had ample space for refinement. Some of its controls and activities appear clunky compared to the sequels – for instance, the Hitman activity's hit-tracking mechanics. Additionally, the Playa's customization options are restricted to males only, and the character remains voiceless. As an Xbox 360 exclusive, unless it receives its own remaster someday, it remains accessible solely to those with Microsoft consoles.

However, it retains considerable appeal. Initially criticized for mirroring Grand Theft Auto, it was designed to cater to fans until the release of GTA 4. Yet, revisiting its more serious elements after over a decade of zaniness feels refreshing. Its narratives, humor, gang benefits (like wearing Saints colors for an XP boost), and the city of Stilwater itself strike a chord that even SR3’s peculiarly shaped bats cannot quite achieve.

5. Agents of Mayhem

While technically not part of the main series, Agents of Mayhem maintains connections to Saints Row beyond sharing Volition as its creator. The game continues from the 'Recreate the Earth' conclusion in Gat Out of Hell, following Persephone Brimstone's MAYHEM organization, complete with the Saints' emblem, as they confront the nefarious LEGION group in Seoul, dubbed "the city of tomorrow." Notably, it reintroduces SR2's Pierce and SR3's Kinzie and Oleg, albeit under different aliases, alongside Gat himself.

Transitioning into a third-person shooter inspired by Saturday morning cartoons, the game retained an open-world format but now set in brighter, more cartoonish locations, akin to possibly Overwatch. Each playable character possessed distinct weapon layouts and tactical approaches. While some enthusiasts and reviewers recognized its potential, likening it to SR1 in terms of development possibilities, it faced criticism for its bugs and heavy grind, a contrast to SR1's smoother experience. Consequently, its lack of success compounded Volition's challenges further.

6. Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell

Debate lingers regarding the sustainability of multi-year AAA game development cycles and whether there should be a focus on more creatively rich lower-budget games. While this model thrives among indie games, larger studios often produce games that might have fared better as downloadable content (DLC). Consider Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell, where series icon Johnny Gat (with Kinzie as a female alternative) embarks on a journey to rescue the Boss from hell.

The game introduced a fresh map, new weapons, activities, and familiar faces from the franchise's history. Yet, fundamentally, it resembled Saints Row 4 without the customizable characters and delivered a mix of jokes that hit or missed the mark (including Gat's unexpected singing). Players who relished SR4 might have viewed it as supplemental content for that game. However, fans partial to the old games' classic gangland violence might still feel disconnected, and newcomers might struggle to engage unless they were already acquainted with Johnny Gat from other sources like Divekick.

7. Saints Row 2022

Volition's closure saddened many, yet it wasn't entirely unexpected. Concerns about their stability had been voiced, both within the studio and by external observers, especially following THQ's collapse and their subsequent transitions through Plaion and later the Embracer Group. They needed a major success to solidify their future under their new leadership. Unfortunately, Agents of Mayhem's underwhelming critical reception left them placing high hopes on a new iteration of Saints Row.

The reboot aimed for a modernized approach to the series, intending to shed its 2000s-era humor for a brighter, more contemporary tone. However, the outcome fell short of expectations. Alongside technical issues, lackluster activities, and problematic fast travel mechanics, the new Boss and their crew failed to captivate as much as the original characters. While several major glitches were patched, the new gang remained perceived as bland Gen Z stereotypes. It's a regrettable conclusion for Volition to bow out on.