One of the games that I had the most fun with at E3 was without a doubt Saints Row 4. Part sandbox, part crackdown like superpowers, the game doesn’t give a damn what anyone thinks and is running wild with the gangster-superhero-president idea. Plus, dubstep cannon. It’s the kind of game that should have been a next-gen title, but there’s a reason why Saints Row 4 has remained current-gen.
Speaking to IGN, Volition’s Jim Boone explained that a combination of past experience and timing had resulted in the game remaining as a current-gen title. “We’d been working on [Saint’s Row 4] for a little while and hearing the rumours about the timeline the new consoles might come out, but we didn’t know for sure,” Boone said.
The big thing for us was, we wanted to make sure we had time to do the game right. Going back in our history, we did Summoner way back in the day as a launch title for PS2 and it was hard. We were able to do it but it was brutal. There were things we had to rush as we just didn’t have time to polish.
That’s a sentiment that extended to the very first Saints Row game, which wasn’t even going to appear as an Xbox 360 title originally. “We’d learnt from our past and weren’t about to pump the game out and cut corners,” Boone said.
That’s why with Saint’s Row IV we didn’t want to do the thing we did with Summoner. Saints Row 1 was the blueprint: doing what’s right for the game rather than rushing to get something out.
Boone has a point there. Saints Row 1 was very much a rougher sandbox when it first arrived, but by the time the sequel had arrived, Volition had found their niche. Saints Row 4 though, must have been cheaper to produce, based on the graphical engine being pretty much the exact same as the one used in Saints Row 3.
And yet, despite that cost-cutting move, I’m still excited for Saints Row 4, because the gameplay most certainly has not been entirely recycled. And hell, I just want to get my hands on that dubstep cannon again.
Last Updated: July 19, 2013
Trevor Davies
July 19, 2013 at 14:33
WUB WUB WUB
Admiral Chief Groot Wors
July 19, 2013 at 14:33
WWWUUUUBWUBUWUWUBWUBUWUWUBUWUWBUWBUWUWWWWWUUUUUUBUWBUWBUWBUWBUWUBWUBWWUBWBUWWBUWUBWUBWUBWUBWWUWUBUWBUUBWUWUUWUWUBUUBUBWUUWBUBWUBWUUUUUB
ToshZA
July 19, 2013 at 14:45
I just see claptrap doing his dubstep dance right now. hahaha, thanks. 😀
Trevor Davies
July 19, 2013 at 15:11
For you sir!
ToshZA
July 19, 2013 at 15:33
Much obliged! Now I shall be off to grin in my corner. 😀
HvR
July 19, 2013 at 14:48
BUFFF WUB BUFFF WOOOOOOOOPHGBUF!
Umar Kiiroi Senk?
July 19, 2013 at 14:47
Summoner was such a cool game
TiMsTeR1033
July 19, 2013 at 15:14
STUFF SAINTS ROW! I know many will shoot me down but I dont want the sillyness! Saints Row 3 was pushing already too far, esp future bullshit purple dildo crap! Now this! Ill rather stick to GTA! you wanna know why this wasnt a next gen title because they wont put crap like this on next gen!
Maybe I just need to play saints Row the third but I played 1 and 2 and enjoyed them, but I just dont like the future stuff….. I like our time not future stuff in a game that still feels like gta in many ways.
At the end of the day, Id rather have realism and kill people like in GTA 4 and esp in GTA 5 I mean honestly GTA 5 vs Saints Row 4 what game will look better play better and be a better game. GTA 5…. And that is my 5 cents yes I have had a long day and been up since 3 this morning so forgive me lol
Mossel
July 19, 2013 at 15:16
I actually agree with you.
TiMsTeR1033
July 19, 2013 at 15:24
Thank you. At least i am not alone in this. I mean cmon saints row 1 and 2 were fine but 3! I give up on Saints row
Chris Engels
July 20, 2013 at 11:47
Im glad saints row stopped being a gta clone, if i want realism i know to play gta and if i want to have crazy fun then ill play saints row. why bitch about it?
Aussious
July 20, 2013 at 15:44
GAT IS BACK! Nuff sed…