Saints Row has got to be the most successful GTA knockoff to ever release. This isn't a backhanded compliment, by any means. Rockstar Games' line of open-world adventure titles is so iconic and influential that there is bound to be similar games and the Saints Row franchise just happens to be the best of them. They are, of course, great, fun games in their own right.
However, in its later entries, the Saints Row franchise deviated from the usual GTA formula. Instead, it focused more on "over-the-top" action that literally took gamers through hell and back in its latest installment.
Now, Deep Silver Volition has announced that it wants to take the Saints Row series back to its roots, revealing the long-rumored reboot at Gamescom 2021.
What changes will the Saints Row reboot make?
We've known for quite some time that either a reboot or sequel of Saints Row was coming. What we didn't know was which of the two the new Saints Row game is going to be.
As per Volition's announcement at Gamescom 2021, the Saints Row reboot will retain certain fan-favorite aspects of the series. In particular, you're still going to play as the highly customizable, The Boss. You're still going to lead your own gang. The main difference is that you are going to lead a new set of characters. Not only that, but the game's setting will change from Stilwater to Santo Ileso.
According to actor Bryce Charles, Volition went back to the drawing board for the Saints Row reboot. Even though the game is still all about social deviance and making it to the top, the story it is going to tell is much more grounded. However, judging by the talks of rival gangs and rockets with "Marshal Defense technologies" written all over them, we don't think that Volition is going for more realism.
Our take on Volition's description of "grounding" the Saints Row series is probably less going to hell or outer space, and somewhere along the lines of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
Judging by the gameplay footage near the end of the showcase, the Saints Row reboot is still going to be more of the same but better. Fans can expect to see some over-the-top high-speed shootouts and absolute mayhem once Saints Row releases on February 25, 2022.
With GTA VI not expected until 2025, the Saints Row reboot could effectively steal the show and be two games deep.
