Saint's Row 2

[CFav]

Re: Saint's Row 2

I'm still only on my 2nd 360. Seems ironic that the game I was playing when I got the "Ring of Death", was Saint's Row. (never played it again)

I finished SR w/o any problems w/ my 360. The game that so called killed my 360 was Oblivion. But realistically, no game really "kills" your console, it's basically just coincidense. But I'm guessing there's some sarcasm when people say that a game killed their system....

[Eton Rifles]

Re: Saint's Row 2

I mean hell, GTA4 still didn't have Saint's row's 1 targeting system. Just point and shoot.

[DXZeke]

Re: Saint's Row 2

I see Saints Row 2 as a completely different game than what GTA4 was doing... different things.

[Flawless]

Re: Saint's Row 2

New trailer:

<embed src='http://videomedia.ign.com/ev/ev.swf' flashvars='object_ID=882586&downloadURL=http://xbox360movies.ign.com/xbox360/video/article/893/893410/saintsrow2_customization_072408_flvlowwide.flv&all ownetworking="all%"' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' width='433' height='360'></embed>

[in mid air]

Re: Saint's Row 2

4 New Gametrailer Videos of Saints Row 2:

Comic-Con 08: Intro
Comic-Con 08: Opening Cinematic
Comic-Con 08: Jailbreak Gameplay
Comic-Con 08: Jailbreak Gameplay Pt. 2

[NEW_ORLEANS]

Re: Saint's Row 2

New trailer:

<embed src='http://videomedia.ign.com/ev/ev.swf' flashvars='object_ID=882586&downloadURL=http://xbox360movies.ign.com/xbox360/video/article/893/893410/saintsrow2_customization_072408_flvlowwide.flv&all ownetworking="all%"' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' width='433' height='360'></embed>

Lol Randy the Tranny.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Saint's Row 2

Hey guys, I apologize for the name drop, but I met the art director for Saints Row 2 out in San Diego a couple of days ago, and got to see the game up close. It really looks great in person, and there are some surprises in store for those who are going to pick it up. I told him I didn't think I was going to grab it when GTA first dropped, but that they delay of the release was a really good move, because now it's pretty much a automatic buy. He said that they felt the same way, and they were really happy for the extra time that they got to work on it, because they spent most of that time making the game look a lot better, and it shows.

It costs a lot of money to take a million on-location pictures of places the way Rockstar did, and Volition doesn't have that kind of cash, so the extra time is what they needed to have competitive graphics. As a gamer, I'm really glad they got that opportunity.

[23]

Re: Saint's Row 2

Thats great news born, Thanks for the heads up!

How the heck did you end up in San Diego though

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Saint's Row 2

Thats great news born, Thanks for the heads up!

How the heck did you end up in San Diego though

Hey no problem, man! I draw comics for a living, so I had to go out to SDCC to sign autographs and do sketches and meet people, etc. It was a real good time though. It doesn't feel like work until you realize you've been in one room with over 100 thousand people for a few hours, lol.

[23]

Re: Saint's Row 2

Shoot i wish i had had someone keep up with me as a kid when i was drawing posters and stuff. It truly sucks knowing you could've been something like an artist or something of that nature but no one said anything to you.

Anyhow thats not work man when you're doing something like that. .. and you were in beautiful San Diego.

How would you compare the graphics to GTA's graphics though?

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Saint's Row 2

The graphics were very good, but they were very different from GTA. GTA is very very real life based, and the artwork is trying to be very cinematic in terms of color choice, and the drama of the lighting. Saint's Row is more like good video game graphics, but that's not a bad thing. I'm trying to think of something that is similar off of the top of my head, but I'm blanking right now. The main thing with the Saint's Row graphics is that they are much darker in tone, more detailed in texture, and much crispier overall compared to Saint's Row part one. The team at Volition didn't really try to do the same thing as the Rockstar guys, and I like that.

I actually asked the art director about the tone of the story and such. And I'll paraphrase the exchange:

ME: These graphics look great, but I notice the tone is much darker. Did you guys still opt for the tongue in cheek approach used in part 1?

Art Director: We did go for a more serious approach in some aspects, and the overall appearance is that way, but Saint's Row is always going to have that humor around the edges. For example, the scene we have right now(points to dramatic cut scene of cops surrounding a character in a hospital bed), that scene could be really serious, but you could also have your character in a Hot Dog suit while it's happening (laughs)."

----

When I think of a good comparison for the graphics, I'll post it up here, but GTA and Saints Row don't look to be similar. The Art director spoke at lengths about how different guys in the studio were having a lot of fun re-creating different movie stars in the games, which led to this exchange:

ME(along with screenwriter friend, Bryan Hill): Hey, one of us could make Sarah Conner, and the other could make the Terminator and ride the same motorcycle shooting a shotgun.

Art Director: With the jump in and jump out co-op, you could totally do that (laughs).

[23]

Re: Saint's Row 2

Now that could and would be fun wouldnt it?

I liked the tongue and check humor in the game though, and especially luring someone who's chasing you right in the middle of where your boys are so they can get ambushed.

Im planning on buying it anyhow but that's cool, im not expecting this game to be like GTA. I enjoyed the first one quite a bit so i dont see why it wouldnt be any different here. The dark tone though? Not sure im hot on that idea but i guess ill have to wait and see.

[Eton Rifles]

Re: Saint's Row 2

Born thanks for the info you got. This is a day one purchase for me because I enjoyed the first one a lot. this one looks even more over the top than the first. hopwe its great.

[in mid air]

Re: Saint's Row 2

IGN Saints Row 2 Preview:

July 30, 2008 -<SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="http://ads.ign.com/advertisers/DartRichMedia_1_03/DartRichMedia_1_03.js"></SCRIPT> Saints Row 2 is on the home stretch of development at Volition. With an October 14 release date, the development team is fine-tuning and smashing bugs at this point. I recently went hands-on with a few new levels in the gang-fueled romp. This marked my first time getting to play some of the combat-heavy missions in the later part of the game, as well as delving a bit deeper into the customization options for you and your gang.

First thing that you need to know, if you don't already, is that Saints Row 2 is not Grand Theft Auto. If anything, it's like SR2 is GTA's ornery brother who is out to cause nothing but mischief. The game's activities are more over-the-top and the action follows a similar suit.

But before we get into the nitty-gritty of the world of Stilwater, let's start with a few of the more outlandish customization options. For starters, there are three custom vehicle types that you'll be able to get once you've progressed far enough. These vehicles automatically spawn in your garage and there are tons of different types.

There are fighting styles that you can unlock including one in the vein of drunken boxing and one that will remind you of scenes from Karate Kid (called Ronin fighting style). Beyond that there are also several outfits for your gangsters, from the standard slacks and button-downs to an outfit that is described as "Pimps and Hos." I'll let your imagination be your guide on that one. There's also one that puts ninja garb on your hardasses. Combine that with the Ronin fighting style and a katana and you're a force to be reckoned with.

The first real mission that I got to play was one of several "on rails" missions in the final game. My ninja clad character hopped in a helicopter and manned a Gatling gun, firing down on incoming enemy boats and cars as we traveled across different types of terrain. The mission was fun, but I wanted to get my feet on the ground and cause some real chaos.

Before getting to that I had to try my hand at a Jet Ski race, one of the thirty races in the game. For this I made use of the PS3 SixAxis control mechanic which proved to be slightly unruly for a vehicle with such responsiveness. I slammed into walls left and right at which point the THQ rep on-hand explained that the sensitivity can be tuned and that it's still being tweaked to find a balance for the yachts and speed boats that are in Saints Row 2.

There are also multiple weather systems that will influence things like the mood of the ocean during a race and the lighting of a given scene.

After I was through making a fool of myself on the Jet Ski, it was time for a firefight. The developer demoing instantly warped me to a Stronghold mission against The Brotherhood. Anyone who played the first Saints Row knows about Strongholds. There are four or five of them per rival gang and they are tough.

The Brotherhood stronghold that I was faced with required my gangster to break into a building, divert funds via an electronic transfer into my own account, and then blow up their getaway vans and drug-carrying planes. There was plenty for me to do.

Breaking into the place and fighting off the men in the airplane hanger as I made my way up to the office and into the computer room was easy enough. The drug money was a simple score. It was making my way back out that was the problem. Even with the developer feeding me ammunition for my weapons and the auto-recharge system that is Saints Row 2's way of dealing with health, it proved to be a challenge.

There was one door as a usable exit that lead to The Brotherhood who was waiting with open arms. Male and female thugs took aim at my noggin as I pumped off shots with my AR50 complete with grenade launcher. I took one of the few innocent bystanders as a human shield and proceeded to whip out my automatic shotgun and blow my assailants limb from limb.

As soon as my attention veered towards the drug planes, Brotherhood-owned SUVs came careening out of nowhere, unloading enemies as they stopped next to me. I didn't last long.

My strategy changed on my next life. I decided that it would be a better idea to stay inside and shoot at enemies from a distance. I lured bad guys in one at a time until they wizened up to my game and bum rushed me with everything they had. Planted satchel charges and automatic shotguns helped in the tight, indoor quarters, but the planes still proved to be too much.

No one in my demo was able to beat the mission, only getting as close as blowing up two of the four planes. Maybe a better strategy would have been turning my car into a makeshift bomb with satchel charges and then jumping out of the driver's seat once I had set its course. I'll have to wait until I have more time with the game to know for sure.

Had I been able to beat the stronghold I would have been granted ownership of one neighborhood. There are 45 in all of Saints Row 2. Within each neighborhood are any number of activities and businesses. Gang leaders (you) can buy stakes in these businesses and thus will get a cut of their profits. Buy enough of the same type of store (liquor store, gun store, etc.) and your face will adorn their billboards. While I didn't get to see my ninja's face on any signage, the incentive for investment in the businesses of Stilwater seemed to be in place.

The demos that I've seen of Saints Row 2 have certainly ramped up the intensity as the game has progressed through development with this being the most frantic. I had no problem beating the introductory portions of the game or in any of the rail missions, but that Stronghold was a real challenge.

We'll have more, including an extended hands-on detailing the first several hours of the campaign mode in Saints Row 2, in the next several weeks.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Saint's Row 2

Born thanks for the info you got. This is a day one purchase for me because I enjoyed the first one a lot. this one looks even more over the top than the first. hopwe its great.

Hey no problem, man. This one is definitely more over the top. I may have mentioned this already, but this kid was playing and he was in a jail area. He shot someone through the bars with a shotgun. VIOLENT! That's what prompted me to ask about the darker tone, because that was "the killin'" as me and my friends say. I don't want to give the impression that the game doesn't have that same ridiculousness as part one, it's just that they ramped up the "I just shot you in the FACE!" factor of the game, which makes me happy.