What HAPPENED To Saints Row? | Saints Row Retrospective 

If you liked this video, check out the project I made on the NEW Saints Row 2022 Reboot... Safe to say I wasn't best pleased ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-AVbqCLLXr5A.html

"there's nothing rememberable" I don't know, I think the mission where you parachute into the penthouse while Kanye west is playing is pretty rememberable.

Saints Row 2 is definitely the best in my opinion. SR The Third was way too goofy and ridiculous for me, and 4 just went further in that direction.

They killed Johnny in SR3 to let us know that the old saints row was gone. Shaudi was different, pierce was different, boss was different, gat was the same, which is why he had to go.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1125">18:45</a> if we look at it, Johnny kept his word. Technically he didn't kill him at Aisha's funeral. He just buried him alive. He probably died later, after the funeral.

A great quote that came into fruition when SRTT came out: “We were just the Vice Kings that wore purple”

I would Love a Remaster or Remake of Saints Row 1+2. Stillwater will look Insane and Replaying 1+2 on Next Gen will look and play Incredible.

The reason Saints Row 3 is “always night” is because there’s no day/night cycle. It changes whenever you reload the game, finish an activity or die. Given that the game runs out of content quickly, and becomes very easy, it’s mostly just going to stay one time of day.

The Saints Row series is like the Fast & Furious series, it started off great, but then slowly descended into madness

Sants Row 2 story was just amazing. I loved the cutscenes, seeing my character killing the boss of each gang. Wish they would go back to their roots.

SR2 is one of my fav games ever with one my fav cutscenes ever, the one where Gat beats up the ronin kid in the graveyard, Masterpiece of a game!

I'd kill for a Saints Row 2 remaster. Like a proper remaster with love put into it. And it can think saint's row the third for in a roundabout way, meeting my core friend group now.

SR2 is the best out of the series. Perfect balance of serious and ridiculousness. The characters were serious in a ridiculous world. Love the ending line, “this city is ours. We can do whatever the fuck we want”. Also love the crossover between SR2 and Red Faction Guerilla, one of my other favorite games of all time.

I think what makes SR unique is having a consistent character in The Boss, who is also completely customizable, which is a thing not many other game series do. Either it's a silent protagonist like Fable (or indeed SR1), a character whose personality you can choose in Dragon Age or Mass Effect or a chosen character for you like The Witcher. But The Boss seems to stand out from them as being both completely customizable in appearance and voice yet still having one set of character traits that unites all those different versions without it feeling jarring or out of place. (Some of the more wacky abuses of the character creation system notwithstanding lol.)

I have one memerable moment from Saints Row the Third, that one mission early on where you skydive out of a helicopter into one of the other gangs safehouses to take over during a big party while Kayne West's "Power" plays. Shit gave my 13 year old self chills

SR and SR2 had this real gang feel that a street dude like me appreciated. Especially after playing games like san andreas. But SR3 is when shit got weird to me. It went from a real gang street game to some kind of sci-fi game. I never beat SR3 and that was the last saints row i played.

One of my favorite/most memorable moments was in Saints Row 2 where you drove around a residential area in a septic truck spraying crap on people's houses. I was laughing so much. Good times.

I grew up with 1 and 2. 2 personally is my favourite by far, it was such a great game, like you said, the moment with Carlos is one of the best in the series, even the "death" of Johnny didn't top it and I love his character. It was unforgiving and brutal, funny and stupid, blended perfectly into a game.

Finally someone who loves SR2 and SR4. Dude I am so happy.

SR1: Loyalty SR2: Revenge SR3: Power SR4: Introspect SRR: Discontentment (?)

The last mission with I Need a Hero was damn memorable. Also the carrier mission as well as the skydiving mission many have mentioned. As well as the mission where you become code. Saint Row 3 was fun and wacky. Could’ve been a bit more serious but it was still fun with memorable, entertaining moments

There’s something else that I feel is often overlooked in the SR franchise: mission/cutscene replaying. SR2 (maybe 1 also, I never played it so I don’t know) allowing you to replay missions and cutscenes to your heart’s content, with your current character no less, allows for so much more longevity in the game, letting you simply enjoy all the parts that you loved without the fat. Pretty much every other game in the genre demands that you replay the whole thing to see everything again, which isn’t always bad, but sometimes you just want to watch that one badass cutscene with a more fitting character, you know? I think that was the most jarring thing missing from SR3 and 4 for me.

Ironically, I feel like SR went corporate and lost its edge from SRTT onwards

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="455">7:35</a> The world of Stilwater was heavily inspired by Detroit and Chicago, it's been stated in past livestreams by the devs and they say that Stilwater is located in Michigan. I've lived in metro Detroit my whole life and there's a lot of places you can tell where the Detroit inspiration came from, such as Saints Row and the Red Light District, which looks just like Joy Road. Even the radio stations are based on real life Detroit radio stations. 89 Gen X, the alt rock station, is based on the now defunct 89x that played alt rock, 95.4 Krhyme, the rap station, is based on the real life 95.5 that plays rap, 106.6 The Krunch, the metal station, is based on 101.1 The Wriff that plays metal, etc. A lot of small details that just scream Detroit.

I played the heck outta SR3 there were great moments. The opening mission, falling on a giant Boulder through a building, the plane crash, the purple bat, Stagg, the cosplay, the sheer ridiculous energy was fun like ZOMBIES?!

I miss 1 and 2, back when they had one foot in realism. The rest of them feel like over the top spin offs DLCs, like a Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon or something

In the new one, Im hoping the characters start off soft and thinking their gonna breeze through this without needing to act like a gangster but as they go they have to wake up with brutal events and harsh realities of crime. Kinda like in Far Cry 3 how the protagonist starts off as a soft party guy and ends as a brutal killing machine without thought but more gangster in SR reboot

The Cockney voice for SR2 was amazing, especially because it was a great performance by Charles Shaughnessy. Shame he didn't return for future games.

Zinyak is easily one of my favourite villains in gaming. He was actually a threat to the boss unlike other villains where we just mowed them down like they were nothing in the story.

I remember when Saints Row the 3rd came out. A Volition employee said something like "Saints Row 2 did alot of things but didn't do anything really good" so that's why SR The 3rd had less content. That was my biggest problem with 3. I liked the game alot but it felt like it had alot less than SR 1 & 2. I remember SR 2 if you drove 1 block there would be a different neighborhood. Drive another block another different neighborhood. I didn't care that everything wasn't fined tuned and polished. The amount of content and thoings to do is what I loved.

I would really like to see you do a mafia retrospective the first two games are my favorite crime sims ever

Saints row 4 is pretty much prototype but with the same cast of saints row 3

love the cockney voice shout out. that's the voice i've always used because the performance is soooo good. they even make minor changes to the wording of the main character's lines that really enhance the humor they're going for

The sheer emotional roller coaster that came from playing through SR2 made me long for the older games and even though I didn’t play through the first game, I found those to be the best even though my introduction was Saints Row the Third. I honestly felt the gut punch of Carlos’s death, and the enjoyment I got from killing Jessica was real. The fleshed out characters and the beautiful world is something I still revisit to this day and I long for it’s comeback.

This is brilliant When they announced the third was announce for remaster, they messed up by not doing number 2 And now with the relaunch, I have very low expectations

thank you so much for making this!! It was really awesome to watch an elaborate and insightful exploration of the series history. You put a lot of my own personal experiences into words where I couldnt, and you did it beautifully.

6 minutes in and I already wanna play SR2 again lol. Solidly one of the best games of that generation

My first exposure to Saints Row was SRTT, so my entire perception of Saints Row is centered around chaos and disorder. I still have to try Saints Row 1 and 2.

They seriously need to remaster SR2, it's so poorly optimized on PC 😣 seriously miss that game

Dude, fantastic retrospective on a series I don't feel gets a solid look at anymore. Not in terms of being ignored; Just in terms of not gettin' a real solid analysis of what works, what changes, and what doesn't yet here ya are doing just that last year. As a huge Saints fan, much appreciated. 2 will always remain my all time favorite for the series due to its balance between silly fun and having the foresight to include serious, character driven moments. Really like some of the lines you've written to describe that phenomenon: Things like "The story you're following is serious, but the world you live in is ridiculous" But I ain't gonna ramble ya off. Ace stuff. Great take on 3's lacking parts. Enjoyed hearing someone who really enjoyed 4's adjustments since my take was always "It's fun... but it's lacking." Hearing another person's take, however different, is genuinely a joy and prompts me to revisit it again with a more open mind to enjoy more of it :) Great stuff.

I'm gen x, and SR4 really felt like a love letter to that generation. My friends and I were even rather moved at a few parts.

Saints Row 2 = Most fun PS3 game ever

This video makes me wanna play the first 2 Saints Row games because I've only played the last two

Your thoughts on SR4 are spot on. Well done

Great video bro this was a great trip down memory lane and reminded me of everything I loved about Saints Row 💪

I've never played a saints game, I've never felt intruiged by "funny" games that don't take themselves seriously. But this video was awesome, and has made me want to play it. Very great video 👍

I was so angry at Gat Out of Hell. It really, really seemed like it wanted to be a full-blown sequel, but it just didn't go all the way. I couldn't be my Boss! All throughout the revamped series I'd been wanting to give my Boss angel wings, and what happens? They remove customization entirely and make Gat the main character! And since when is Kinzie one of the heavy hitter street fighters?? So the character I've been building and playing all this time sits out the climax of the whole series, reduced to a damsel in distress! Sheesh. Should've stayed in development longer. As it stands, it was a half-assed product. Half of a beautiful ass, but still just half.

when I used to watch my brother play saints row 1 then 2 and then 3, I instantly fell in love with these games. I always felt like we were the only people on the planet who knew what these games were alongside the friends who I got into it. Its amazing to see that there are more people out there who loved these classic games and feel the same love I have for these games

So....this is your best video by a mile! Good job dude.

Gat saying "occam's razor" in Gat out of hell made me laugh uncontrollably. James. James. James you know why.

Absolutely need a Remake of SR 1&2 I miss those days some of the Best & Most memorable Games I’ve ever played

There is quiet a few remarkable missions in SR 3: 1. When you escape the morningstar plane and falling to Steelport 2. The one when you take over morningstar mansion with Kenya West banger 3. Kill-Deckers.EXE 4. Both final mission are pretty memorable 5. Philip Loren kill with a giant ball and Oleg rescue 6. Mission when you have to fly to a STAG plane, enter it and then ending up falling in a tank and creating a zombie outbreak 7. The mission when you fight a Killbane and A CHAINSAW! WHAT THE F***?! 8. And how could you possibly not remember a ride on BDSM-carriages that EXPLODES when shot? I also myself really like SR 3 but I guess I can't be objective because it was literally one of my first games that I've played so it's nostalgic for me.

This was an amazing look at the Saints Row series!

I gotta say this retrospective is something I'm eager watch I'm a fan of 1 yet I can't get it due to not owning a working Xbox of any kind. 2 was my first taste and I loved saints row 2 me and my buddy played through the whole story it was a blast and doing the tasks together made the game so much more memorable. I hope the reboot does the same and I can also understand why people were on the fence due to voltions terrible marketing around the time. I'll be watching this today and probably leaving it a like soon :D

You're actually awesome for making this. I remember as a kid seeing the Kanye West trailer for Saint's Row The Third and thinking it was the coolest thing ever. But I was never allowed to play SR or GTA (I had to smuggle GTAV basically lol). But the cartoony weirdness of 4 and 3 kinda turned me off as I got older. You make 1 and 2 sound awesome as hell lol I'm sold on them. And based on this vid, I might understand 3 and 4 better after playing the first 2

SR3 and SR2 are not really comparable - SR3 is a fun game, there are some memorable gameplay moments and it’s just excellent goofy fun with a friend. SR2 is a well-written crime drama. In my opinion the gameplay isn’t as strong, but it more than makes up for it with the writing and characters. They’re targeting different audiences and it’s upsetting knowing that they could have just focused on creating a SR game that has both gameplay and story as key focuses.

SR1 and SR2 both have a day and night cycle, but SR3's "day and night" are static and change as you do missions/activities. If you don't do missions or activities, the time of day doesn't change.

I've never heard that some one was disappointed in SR3 but enjoyed SR4, thought I was the only one.

My man! Yes! A decent sr retrospective. You never disappoint

I very much enjoyed the whole saints row series, I always go back to replay each game, I enjoy it everytime 😊

Idk going to rescue shaundi at the end of SR3 while “I need a hero” blasted on the radio was pretty fun. Then again I’m a sucker for that song.

Well damn, yet another Lazerzz video convincing me to hop on a new franchise! Always entertaining as hell, James!!

As an old fan of Saints row i have to say that you are right about "its their time now" part. Yes we wanted to go back to roots and they didnt do it, they want to make this game for younger people. At this point all i can wish is the best for the new fans. And for us, i know its bad news for us but at least we know that they never going to make another street crime gang game like sr1 and 2 again and we dont have to wait anymore . Its our time to say good bye to this franchise and move away from empty expectations , dreams.

Great retrospective of the Saint's Row games, and i played all 4 of them. The first game was cool to me, and the ending made my jaw dropped seeing that your created character was betrayed by Julius. And i became a fan of Saint's Row. The second game is my personal favorite, and seeing the aftermath in each cutscenes is awesome. And i love that you use the scene where Johnny buried alive Shogo. That was sweet revenge right their. The third game was ok to me but the gameplay was enjoyable. And i took the alternate ending where i caught Killbain and didn't save Shandi. The fourth game.....i liked the cameo appearance of the late Roddy Piper. But now you have a new subscriber to your channel!

Great content. Thanks

Its nice to hear someone show appreciation to SR4. Its the first one I played and it made me a fan of the franchise.

I can tell how much effort you put into this video (and your others I assume) I’m definitely 100% a target audience, the RU-vid algorithm definitely got this right 👍 new subscriber gained

Thanks for the content!

Ahh seeing that head rip of Zinyac (spelling whatever) reminded me how I had it glitch and the head stayed through the whole credits, it was pretty funny

Can confirm, SR1 multiplayer was fantastic. Buggy and glitchy AF.. but fantastic. There were two stand-out game modes, Blinged-out Ride (personal favorite) and Protect the Pimp. Both were ultra enjoyable. Some of my best gaming memories came from B-O R. Its multi wasn't as popular as say Gears of War at the time.. but there were plenty people playing it that you weren't running into the same people very often. It died off after about 2 and a half, 3 years

Really enjoyed this, thank you. 2 is my favourite, I played it again a few weeks ago and had just as much fun with it as I did the first time. I'll try the new one, I don't think I'll like the characters from what I've seen, but the gameplay looks like it could be fun.

I grew up on SR3 and SR4. So they have a special place in me. I also love SR2 but SR3 will always be my favorite and hold some of my most favorite gaming memories

i played all of them (never finished the first) and I like them all but I think sr2 was probably the best balance of tone i also love that it sets the saints in the same universe as red faction and with the aquisition of ultor and being basically space prince at the end of 4 all leads be to beiive that the saints are personally responsible for the human rights and labor violations committed on mars

Thank you SO MUCH LazerzZ for giving SR4 the merits that it deserves. It has it's flaws, yes, but it's a genuinely compelling game with a good story with well written characters and fun as hell superhero gameplay. Is it a "true saints row game"? Not quite but it has the dna in it's bones and feels like a love letter to the franchise to me but also attempting to be it's own thing. Would I want them to try this ever again? NO. Unless it was a spin-off and not a mainline game. But yeah. SR4 I adore almost as much as SR2. I get why people aren't for it, yes. It's incredibly jarring. But the execution of the craziness while also taking itself seriously is what set it apart from 3. Thanks again LazerzZ for shining a light on a game I very much feel is underappreciated.

Good to see someone give Saints Row 2 the props it needs. It had some very deep moments. Carlos still gets me

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1710">28:30</a> this is why I purposely chose the "bad ending" on my first playthrough, it felt right that the boss would get so caught up in revenge that he let maybe his most loyal lieutenant die just so he could take down his nemesis

Deserves more views bravo 🔥

Even as a mega fan of Saints 3, I can't deny saints 2 really balances it's tone the best out of all the games. I understand why everyone wants SRR to follow in the footsteps of 2, and I really hope 2 gets its PC port fixed

You are on point on all you thoughts!

Sr3 was my first video game love affair. 9 year old me playing on the ps3 in my dads living room on Sunday mornings with my step brothers. I definitely have a soft spot for it. Looking back, there are some problems but it was just SO MUCH FUN!!!!! That's why I'll always love it. The fact that I played that game first has left me distinctly underwhelmed by one aspect of SR2: Pierce Washington. When I played SR3, Pierce was instantly my favourite character, and when I first saw him in SR2 on a RU-vid video I almost cried. Pierce's transformation is one of the few changes in SR3 that was seen as an improvement by pretty much everyone. As for SR3, I do think the story needed work and the characters and their relationships with the Boss were shallow and/or inconsistent. The most obvious point is when Angel pursues Killbane and the Boss is clearly really concerned about Angel. Where did that sudden closeness come from? It wouldn't have been so bad even if the two seemed to connect more in the wrestling match. The Boss also didn't seem appreciative of Oleg when he could've been, and Viola had so mucj potential to be similar and different to Shaundi which could've made her very interesting. It was a good idea to add 2 more female characters at first. However, Viola wasn't explored enough and she didn't exactly get her revenge on Killbane since she wasn't in the Luchadore storyline, coming to blows with the Boss and Angel (that would've been sick). I have nothing to say about how they could've improve Kinzie in SR3 because she was just empty, but I love her in the next game. Zimos was funny but only funny and needed work too, but when you're 9 a guy who always talks musically and says "Lotta pussy on that thang" is the best thing ever. All the new Saints except for Kinzie were killed off in SR4, which actually upset me after I'd finished the game, because the "newer" (new to me) intense relationships left me wondering what might've been with the other 4. They could've been as iconic as Kinzie. That was the allies. Now for the enemies. Philippe's death needn't change much. The saints blow up the building (removing the choice to take it over) and Philippe is at the Boss's mercy where the Boss finishes him off in some form of sheer brutality. Matt should've been left alive. The Boss remembers how Johnny thinks the Saints have sunk, and doesn't think an utterly defeated punk kid with a laptop is worth his time (that's my view). It could also help improve the Boss's relationship with Kinzie. I don't quite know how I want Killbane to end because he was entwined with STAG and Cyrus needs to be kept alive because the opening to SR4 was amazing. In my idealised SR3, someone takes over the Morningstar (preferably a hubristic man) and he's the one who isn't spared. Viola scoffs at how he tried to run things and the Boss, having little animosity towards him to start with, just pops him the Stillwater way. The ultimate ending would be STAG removed by the government (basically identical to the actual game), not sure about Killbane, Matt Miller is left to fester in his misery and squalor so he can return in SR4, the Morningstar usurper is dead, and all the other Saints are alive. No one needs to die to add to the story. Johnny is dead, and that has shaped all the Boss's choices in Steelport. He's taken over another Metropolis and brought the Saints back to their approach of do what they want and never give a fuck about anyone else. The Boss has new, different friends (whose improvements I've already mentioned). He and Pierce are now closer than ever, and Shaundi is happier than she was in the real game, but still changed by Johnny's death so it seems meaningful. And that is MY SR3. I realise some bits are missing. Could Josh Birk have played a greater role? But I've already typed a novella in this comment so I'll leave it there. Congratulations on having the patience to read all this waffle about my opinion.

I can't wait to see this one! :)

Due to nostalgic value and offering great memories to me, saints row 3 forever will be one of my favourite games. I loved its over the top violence and humour, for me it was refreshing to play as it felt lighthearted. I have not played 1 or 2, I have played 4 and didn’t even get half way through as it was not for me. However, saints row 2 looks so good to me. I am looking forward to playing it a lot. I feel like 3 missed out a lot on Charecter development.

Great video and I agree with pretty much every assessment of each game. Especially 3. I think I may have liked 4 a bit more than most, but the critique here is certainly fair. Fun fact, I got to meet Eliza Dushku at a convention several years back and I had her sign my copy of Saints' Row 2. She was very nice. Of course I paid to have her autograph my stuff so one would expect congeniality in such a situation, but still. She was happy to see someone ask for an autograph on a voice only performance where most just wanted to get a photo.

awesome intro

saints row 2 is still my favorite game in the series. It came out at tough time in my life. I was in my senior year of college and extremely stressed and it just hit the spot perfectly. I remember countless weekends and evenings playing co-op with one of my best friends and it helped me clear my head and deal with the stress. I still go back and play it from time to time. I agree i didn't like the 3rd game much my first go through but went back and gave it another go after beating 4 and enjoyed it a bit more. It still is nowhere as great as the 2nd game but giving it another chance I had more fun with it once i was able to take it for what it was.

1 and 2 are obviously the peak of the series that was trying to establish its own identity, before The Third completely derailed that by pretending being goofy and out of control was synonymous with having your own identity, which it isn't. I can't remember who described it like this but some RU-vidr once said 2 works because it's crazy things happening in a serious world but TT doesn't because it's silly things happening in a silly world, so they're not noticeable. I generally agree, but 4 somehow manages to buck that trend and despite being silly in a very silly world, it still has an engaging story with quality character writing. It's like the crew of 2 left and came back for 4 and decided "Alright, these are the cards we have so let's play them as best we can to make the end of this series as cartoonishly fun and memorable as possible!" Despite embracing the goofiness of 3, it also reclaims some of the good aspects of 1 and 2, or at least knows how to utilize their nostalgia properly. Whatever the case, it's clear TT derailed the series completely and if the reboot needs to keep anything in mind it's what made 1 a series worth investing in, 2 iconic and lasting, 3 innovative and 4 memorable. That'd be my takeaway at least.

I absolutely loved when gat slugs shogo akuji's head through the headstone. That entire scene was amazing

The conversation between Benjamin King and the Boss in SR4 was what made me want to go back and try SR2 in the first place.

This series was very important to my childhood im sad how it turned out and i hope this new game is better than 4 at least

To be fair about Matt Miller, it was established that he was supposed to be a teenager and because he wasn't all that threatening, I suppose the Boss didn't take him that seriously and probably wouldn't resort to killing someone underage. As for Killbane, I don't think that was actually him on the movie set, but rather an actor playing him.

Have to disagree on you saying that Steelport felt more alive compared to Stilwater in 1 and 2. I would say it was exactly the other way around, the NPCs in 1 and especially 2 behaved in a way that was much more realistic, diverse and fun than what they did in The Third. Also, pretty much every area in Steelport felt exactly the same with very little to do and explore. Stilwater was the exact opposite again, with every block feeling different and there being little details on every corner.

I'm glad the new tone is in between 2 and 3

another day, another night of me crying cause the Saints Row 2 PC patch isn't out

One of the best series out there SR1 and SR2 were just the best in my opinion

Saints row 1 multiplayer was pretty popular even had players years after it came out. Protect the pimp and Blinged out ride were really fun. Also there was a dlc for Saints Row 2 that finished Dex's story

SR4 - Has super powers... ahem yea, dev team said powers were -turn up run speed (no new animations) add effect under -increase jump power -blast atta-COUGH grenades -flying, increase gravity on fall

Scott Phillips being the director for SR3 isn't surprising he also made the critically acclaimed Odyssey, we all know that game is a masterpiece.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="992">16:32</a> i never understood why you couldn't just shoot the chain off

Dude using that saints row song in the intro was perfect brought back so many memories.

As someone who's basically grown up playing and knowing GTA, finding Saint's Row 2 a few days ago and looking into it is really refreshing! I've had it sitting around but just started playing it, and I gotta say it's really fun! I'm glad to hear it's a lot of fan's picks for the best in the series, so far my only real complaint is that the shooting can be sorta clunky and the map is super dense (so somewhat overwhelming for me as of now) but then again it's a 2000s game, so that's kinda expected for the shooting lol, yet the fact that the game is packed full of little secrets, Easter eggs, shops and silly stuff is awesome, it definitely has it's own charm, and I don't just see it as a GTA clone, I really wanna look into getting the first SR now, and at least I can know which ones to avoid