Review Roundup For Saints Row

A day before launch, reviews for Saints Row have gone live. A reboot of a sandbox-genre series that has never taken itself seriously, Saints Row developer Volition has aimed to create a more grounded story that still has plenty of over-the-top moments scattered throughout its main campaign. Reviews range from positive to disappointed, and while some critics adore the new direction and colorful cast of characters, others regard the gameplay and the new sandbox of Santo Ileso to be average at best.

“For as much as Saints Row differentiates itself from the bombast of its past few entries, it still closely resembles a game from the same era, leading to an experience that often feels stale and dated,” Richard Wakeling wrote in GameSpot’s Saints Row review.

Game: Saints RowPlatforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox OneDeveloper: VolitionRelease Date: August 23, 2022Price: $60

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On GameSpot’s sister site Metacritic, Saints Row currently has an average score of 63 from 39 outlets. Here’s what other critics have to say about Saints Row.

GameSpot – 60/100

“Saints Row reins in the absurdity to a fairly significant degree but still manages to indulge in some of the chaotic action and silly hijinks the series is known for. Its story is simple and fairly predictable, yet spending time with its diverse and well-rounded characters makes it worth seeing through to the end. It’s a shame the gameplay isn’t quite as progressive, opting instead for out-of-date mechanics and level design.” — Richard Wakeling [Full review]

Game Informer – 85/100

“It may not push your new hardware to the limit and is a little rough around the edges, but the latest Saints Row is everything it needs to be, delivering a wonderful comedic experience with plenty of depth. While a little irritating, I was never bored and wanted to see where my team’s goofy antics would take them next. The payoffs are often worth the time investment, and just veering off the beaten path pays dividends. I’m glad the Saints are back, hopefully for another long haul.” — Andrew Reiner [Full review]

Destructoid – 80/100

“An open world that lets you waste time in it for fun feels like a lost art, especially in a post-GTAV world mostly barren of games like GTA. I didn’t really know how I felt about Saints Row until I hit the open-world segment, and this current team showed me what it is capable of. The campaign likely isn’t going to strike a chord with a lot of people, but the muck-about nature of the world map kept me playing longer than I expected. A sequel that leads into its biggest strengths has a lot of potential.” — Chris Carter [Full review]

Inverse – 60/100

“Even without all the technical issues, I still feel a bit mixed on Saints Row overall. It’s certainly a good time, but doesn’t bring much new to the table. Likable characters can only take a generic story so far, and it struggles to iron out a coherent and consistent tone.” — Hayes Madsen [Full review]

GamesRadar – 60/100

“There’s a solid game here, and plenty of fun to be had with the new Saints Row, but I find myself wishing the team had taken the concept and ran with it to the bank – before robbing said bank, of course.” — Alyssa Mercante [Full review]

PC Gamer – 60/100

“Saints Row is always at its best when it cuts loose, when it goes full dubstep-gun stupid, and the reboot forgets that for long stretches. When it remembers, you get things like a storyline in which you take part in a citywide LARP, fighting Mad Max roleplayers with foam weapons while dressed in cardboard armour, and that’s the kind of daftness it could do with more of.” — Jody Macgregor [Full review]

VGC – 40/100

“Our overwhelming takeaway after finishing Saints Row was how badly the open-world genre needs Grand Theft Auto VI. How the genre is so past the point of relevance that it needs the flag bearer for the open-world action game to once again provide the roadmap forward..” — Jordan Middler [Full review]