Saints Row 2 (abbreviated to
SR2) is a sandbox-style
action-adventureAn action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by
THQTHQ Inc. is a worldwide international American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices.The company publishes internally created and externally...
. It is the second title in the
Saints RowSaints Row is a video game series created by Volition, Inc. The series began in 2003 when development started on Saints Row, released as the first seventh generation sandbox-style game in August 2006 for the Xbox 360, gaining critical acclaim and commercial success...
series. The game was preceded by
Saints Row and a sequel to the game has been rumoured.
Saints Row 2 was released in North America on October 14, in Australia on October 16 and in Europe on October 17 in 2008, for the
Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft, and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles....
and
PlayStation 3The PlayStation 3 is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment, and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series...
. A
PCMicrosoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces...
version of the game was released in North America on January 6, in Europe on January 23 and in Australia on February 5, in 2009. Upon its release,
Saints Row 2 received generally positive acclaim from fans and critics alike. The game shipped over 2 million units within the first two weeks of its release, of which about 400,000 were sold. As of May 2009, the game has shipped nearly 3 million units for all its ports. A smaller variant of the game was published for
mobile phoneA mobile phone or mobile is a long-range, electronic device used for mobile telecommunications...
s. Three
downloadable content packsDownloadable content is a form of digital media distributed through the Internet. The phrase is used to refer specifically to content created for video games that is released separately from the main video game release...
have been released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 systems; the first,
Ultor ExposedSaints Row 2: Ultor Exposed is an episodic expansion pack for the sandbox-style action-adventure video game Saints Row 2, developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ. The first of three planned downloadable content packs, Ultor Exposed was released via Xbox Live and PlayStation Network for the...
, was released on April 23, 2009, the second,
Corporate WarfareSaints Row 2: Corporate Warfare is an episodic expansion pack for the sandbox-style action-adventure video game Saints Row 2, developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ...
, was released on May 28, 2009, and the third, The Unkut Pack, was released on June 11, 2009.
The game follows the unnamed protagonist — referred to as male in this article — who leads a fictional street gang known as the 3rd Street Saints, to whom he followed in
Saints Row until he was betrayed and landed in a trauma-induced coma after a staged yacht explosion. After escaping from prison five years later and bringing the Saints to power again, the protagonist takes on the gangs who now control the city Stilwater on a quest to bring it to the Saints' power, who had controlled it in
Saints Row. The game is composed of elements from
third-person shooterThird-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
s and driving games in
open worldAn open world is a video game level where players can freely roam a virtual world. Open world gameplay is sometimes described interchangeably with sandbox gameplay or free-roaming. Terms such as open world and free-roaming allude to the absence of artificial barriers, in contrast to the invisible...
gameplay. The main game can be played through in single-player or through online co-operative play. The game also contains competitive multiplayer modes.
Gameplay
The gameplay of
Saints Row 2 is structured similarly to that of its predecessor,
Saints Row. The core gameplay comprises elements of
third-person shootingThird-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
and driving in a nonlinear environment, affording the player an
open worldAn open world is a video game level where players can freely roam a virtual world. Open world gameplay is sometimes described interchangeably with sandbox gameplay or free-roaming. Terms such as open world and free-roaming allude to the absence of artificial barriers, in contrast to the invisible...
in which to move around. The player's character is capable of maneuvering through the environment, utilizing weaponry and engaging in
meleeMelee generally refers to disorganized close combat involving a group of fighters. A melee ensues when groups become locked together in combat with no regard to group tactics or fighting as an organized unit; each participant fights as an individual.-Origin of the term:The French term is the...
combat. The player's character can instantly be warped to dry land while swimming in water bodies. After successfully completing the first game mission, the player is able to explore the environment and choose how they wish to play the game. Missions are unlocked by earning 'respect' points from
minigameA minigame, sometimes called a subgame, is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained...
s and side-missions and although completing missions is necessary for game progression, players can complete them at own leisure. The player is granted the option of instantly retrying the missions should they fail an attempt. Numerous checkpoints save progress in each mission, and missions can be replayed from locations within the environment. Aside from attempting missions, the player can explore the environment, purchase items at shops and participate in the aforementioned mini-games and side-missions. The player can also
wreak havocTerrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.At present, there is no internationally agreed definition of terrorism...
upon the environment which can provoke potentially fatal attention from
authoritative forcesA police service is a public force empowered to enforce the law and provide security through the legitimized use of force.The term is most commonly associated with police services of a state that are authorized to exercise the police power of that state within a defined legal or territorial area of...
. The player can recruit members from a friendly gang and use a mobile phone to contact friends and/or businesses, as well as to input cheat codes.
The player can drive a variety of vehicles which can be
stolenMotor vehicle theft, sometimes referred to as grand theft auto by the media and police departments in the US, is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle, including an automobile, truck, bus, motorcycle, snowmobile, trailer or any other motorized vehicle...
, bought or unlocked. Aside from automobiles, the game contains boats and
water craftA personal water craft is a recreational watercraft that the rider sits or stands on, rather than inside of, as in a boat. Models have an inboard engine driving a pump jet that has a screw-shaped impeller to create thrust for propulsion and steering...
, helicopters,
fixed-wing aircraftA fixed-wing aircraft, usually called an airplane, aeroplane or plane, is an aircraft capable of flight using forward motion that causes air to pass over its wings to generate lift. Planes include jet engine and propeller driven vehicles propelled forward by thrust, as well as unpowered aircraft...
, motorcycles, and other vehicle types. The player can activate a
cruise controlCruise control is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a steady speed as set by the driver.-History:...
system on land and sea-based vehicles, which may aid in
chasesthumb|right|250px|Car chases often result in collisionsA car chase is the vehicular pursuit of a criminal by law enforcement officers. Car chases are often captured on film and broadcast thanks to the availability of video footage recorded by police cars and police and media helicopters...
and
drive-bysA drive-by shooting is a form of hit-and-run tactic, a personal attack carried out by an individual or individuals from a moving or momentarily stopped vehicle. It often results in bystanders being shot instead of, or as well as, the intended target...
.
WaypointA waypoint is a reference point in physical space used for purposes of navigation.-Concept:Waypoints are sets of coordinates that identify a point in physical space. For the purposes of terrestrial navigation, these coordinates usually include longitude and latitude, and sometimes altitude...
s can be placed on the pause-screen map, leaving a
GPSThe Global Positioning System is a U.S. space-based global navigation satellite system. It provides reliable positioning, navigation, and timing services to worldwide users on a continuous basis in all weather, day and night, anywhere on or near the Earth.GPS is made up of three parts: between 24...
route between the player character's location and the set destination. Instead of having to manually drive, the player can hail a
taxicabA taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire, with a driver, for a single passenger, or small group of passengers, typically for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
from cab services and pay a fee to travel to destinations on the map.
The player is granted the ability to alter the player character's appearance; modifying the gender,
ethnicityAn ethnic group is a group of humans whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage that is real or presumed.Ethnic identity is further marked by the researcher Seng Yang in the recognition from others of a group's distinctiveness and the recognition of common cultural,...
, fitness, voice, facial structure and hair of the player character is allowed. The player may also modify the player character's interactions in the game, i.e. the player's movement,
fighting styleMartial arts or fighting arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. While they may be studied for various reasons, martial arts share a single objective: to physically defeat other persons and to defend oneself or others from physical threat...
and personality traits. Clothes, tattoos and piercings can be purchased for the player character, and the colour or style of individual items can be modified. Set outfits can be bought or created and saved for later use. The game allows the player to modify land-based vehicles, after being taken to a
chop shopA chop shop is a slang phrase for an illegal location or business which disassembles stolen automobiles for the purpose of selling them as parts. It may also be used to refer to a location or business that is involved with the selling of stolen goods in general, or a brokerage that sells...
. The player can equip performance modifiers like
hydraulicsHydraulics is a topic in applied science and engineering dealing with the mechanical properties of liquids. Fluid mechanics provides the theoretical foundation for hydraulics, which focuses on the engineering uses of fluid properties. In fluid power, hydraulics is used for the generation, control,...
and
nitrous oxideNitrous oxide, commonly known as happy gas or laughing gas, is a chemical compound with the chemical formula N
2O. At room temperature, it is a colorless non-flammable gas, with a pleasant, slightly sweet odor and taste. It is used in surgery and dentistry for its anesthetic and analgesic...
, apply
body modsCar tuning is both an industry and a hobby, in which an automobile, motor bike, scooter or moped is modified in order to improve its performance, handling and looks and improve the owner's driving style...
and apply paint schemes to the vehicle. In-game
safe houseIn law enforcement agencies jargon and intelligence jargon a safe house is a secure location, suitable for hiding witnesses, agents or other persons perceived as being in danger...
s, known as 'cribs', can be purchased by the player. At a crib the player can withdraw from the player character's earnings, alter the player character's outfit, replay missions/cutscenes and save game progress. The player may also alter the interior of cribs by applying themes and purchasing items like
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
sets and pool tables. Boats and fixed-wing aircraft can be stored at
docksA dock is a man-made feature involved in the handling of boats or ships. However the exact meaning varies between different variants of the English language.-History:...
and
hangarA hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but wood and concrete are other materials used. The word hangar comes from a northern French dialect, and means "cattle pen."...
s, respectively. The player can select from preset clothing fashions, vehicles, 'signs' and 'tags' for recruits of the player character's street gang.
Combat and response
In
Saints Row 2, the combat systems from
Saints Row have been updated but many of the basics remain unchanged. While engaging in melee-based combat, the player character will perform combos and charge up attacks, and can execute a
finishing movein video games are player character moves that often involve the violent and gory death of the enemy it is performed upon. The most famous examples of these types of finishing moves are the "Fatalities" of the Mortal Kombat franchise, which involve attacks ranging from decapitation of a defeated...
if three consecutive hits are dealt. With a gun equipped, the player can perform a
groin attackA groin attack is an attempt to cause pain to the groin area of one's opponent. The technique can be quickly debilitating, due to the large number of sensitive nerve endings in the testicles of males, as well as the highly innervated vulva of females. A sufficiently powerful blow may fracture the...
, and can zoom in for a finer aim reticle. The player can also employ the use of
human shieldHuman shield is a military and political term describing the deliberate placement of civilians in or around combat targets to deter an enemy from attacking those targets...
s, and can use makeshift weapons pulled from the environment e.g. fire hydrants, cement blocks. Should the player either commit
illegal activitiesCrime is the breach of one or more rules or laws for which some governing authority, via mechanisms such as police power, may ultimately prescribe a conviction...
or incite rival gang members, they will provoke potentially fatal attention from authoritative figures or rival gangs. The notoriety bar is a visual representation of the proactivity of the opposing figures' response and continual inciting of these groups will bring about a more powerful response, such as
SWATA SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in American and some international law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
teams from the police. The player will continue to be chased by these groups until captured or killed and must reduce the notoriety bar by either hiding from the police or gang and wait for it to "cool off", or by seeking out a drive-through
confessionalA confessional is a small, enclosed booth used for the Sacrament of Penance, often called confession, or Reconciliation. It is the usual venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church, but similar structures are also used in Anglican churches of an Anglo-Catholic orientation, and also in the...
which will clear the notoriety bar for a small fee. Should the player character be apprehended or killed, a small percentage of the player's earnings will be removed and the player will respawn at law or healthcare institutions. The game contains over forty different weapons, many of which have been recycled from
Saints Row .The game allows the player to utilise new weapon types, examples of which include
satchel chargeA satchel charge is a demolition device, primarily intended for combat, whose primary components are a charge of dynamite or a more potent explosive such as C-4 plastic explosive, a carrying device functionally similar to a satchel or messenger bag, and a triggering mechanism; the term covers both...
s,
laser-guidedLaser guidance is a technique of guiding a missile or other projectile or vehicle to a target by means of a laser beam. Some laser guided systems utilise beam riding guidance, but most operate more similarly to semi-active radar homing . This technique is sometimes called SALH, for Semi-Active...
rocket launchers, chainsaws and more. The player has the ability to dual wield handguns and submachine guns. Weaponry can be purchased by the player from specific stores or unlocked throughout in-game progress.
Respect system
The Respect system is a scoring system where the player earns Respect points to unlock missions and progress through the storyline. The player can partake in storyline and
strongholdA stronghold is a strongly fortified defensive structure.The history of fortified buildings extends from antiquity to modern times.From Celtic Europe, an example of a stronghold is the hill fort, a large structure, with walls made of wooden stakes, and built on a steep hill...
missions only after filling up at least one bar of Respect, and Respect points are removed when the player starts a mission. The 'style rank' is a modifier of how much Respect the player can earn; this is increased by purchasing items for the player character. Respect points can be earned in two ways; by progressing through side-missions called Activities and by completing mini-games and stunts called Diversions.
There are a broad range of Activities and Diversions available for the player to progress through. Many of the game's Activities made appearance in
Saints Row and a variety of new Activities have also been introduced in the game. Examples include an underground fight club, a parody of the
COPSCOPS is an American documentary television series that follows police officers, constables, and sheriff's deputies during patrols and other police activities...
television show known as FUZZ and numerous others. Each Activity can be initiated from various locations and plays out over six levels of increasing difficulty. The Activities have been designed to suit solo and co-operative play. Most Diversions do not have specific start points. There are a large selection of Diversions available in the game, such as acts of
indecent exposureIndecent exposure is the deliberate exposure by a person of a portion or portions of his or her own body under circumstances where such an exposure is likely to be seen as contrary to the local commonly accepted standards of decency , and may in fact be a violation of law...
, combat and driving stunts,
car surfingCar surfing is a form of acrobatics in which passengers of moving vehicles perform various stunts, including hanging out of the car or 'surfing' on the hood , trunk or on the roof of the vehicle while it is in motion...
, and a survival horror mini-game called Zombie Uprising.
Multiplayer
Saints Row 2 has various multiplayer components implemented throughout the game. Through an online
networkA computer network is a group of interconnected computers. Networks may be classified according to a wide variety of characteristics. This article provides a general overview of some types and categories and also presents the basic components of a network....
or through System Linking, the player can progress through the game with a
cooperativeCooperative gameplay primarily refers to a feature in video games that allows players to work together as teammates with the absence of player-controlled competitors. Cooperative gameplay is usually built around the single player mode of a game, modified to allow additional players...
partner. While in co-op mode, both players can explore the city and progress through the game's storyline missions and minigames. Both players are rewarded and credited for completion of such activities, and the players can furthermore verse each other in competitive
metagamesMetagaming is a broad term usually used to define any strategy, action or method used in a game which transcends a prescribed ruleset, uses external factors to affect the game, or goes beyond the supposed limits or environment set by the game...
. The co-op mode is "drop-in/drop-out" and there is no limit as to how far the players can be away from each other.
The game contains competitive multiplayer modes, supporting between four and twelve players in a match. There are two standard
deathmatchDeathmatch may refer to:*The Death Match, a wartime association football match in 1942 between Soviet POWs and Nazi soldiers.*Hardcore wrestling, a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules...
modes; the free-for-all "Gangsta Brawl" mode and its team-based variant, "Team Gangsta Brawl". Another mode, known as "Strong Arm", pits two teams against each other fighting for control over the neighborhood.
In "Strong Arm", the first team to earn $100,000 dollars wins and money is earned by competing head-to-head in activities, controlling "
tagGraffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
spots" which serve as bonus modifiers or by eliminating members of the opposing team. While in a
partyA LAN party is a temporary, sometimes spontaneous, gathering of people with computers, between which they establish a local area network , primarily for the purpose of playing multiplayer computer games. The size of these networks may vary from the very small to very large installations...
, players are free to roam around a lobby. The player can
rank upIn video gaming slang, and especially in online multiplayer games, to rank up is to achieve a higher ranking relative to other players...
in multiplayer and displays this by earning various "badges" which are displayed next to the player's name. By ranking up, the player can unlock more expensive clothing for their multiplayer character.
Plot
At the end of
Saints Row, the protagonist was put into a trauma-induced coma after an attempted assassination while aboard a
luxury yachtThe term luxury yacht refers to a very expensive privately owned yacht which is professionally crewed. Also known as a Super Yacht, a luxury yacht may be either a sailing or motor yacht.-History:...
. Five years pass and the protagonist awakes in a prison
hospital wardA hospital is an institution for health care providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment, and often but not always providing for longer-term patient stays....
and received extensive
plastic surgeryPlastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. While famous for aesthetic surgery, plastic surgery also includes two main fields: body modification and reconstructive surgery...
. The protagonist meets inmate Carlos Mendoza and the pair escape the island and return to the protagonist's home city Stilwater, rebuilt from an earthquake. The protagonist then rescues friend Johnny Gat from a courtroom proceeding, enlists the help of Johnny's friends Pierce and Shaundi and begins to rebuild the divided 3rd Street Saints gang. The protagonist garners "the Boss" as a nickname and leads the Saints on a quest to retake the city. The main storyline is divided into three separate story mission arcs, completable at any time and in any order.
In one story arc, the Boss and Carlos meet with Maero, leader of the Brotherhood of Stilwater gang and becomes enraged at Maero's offer of a 20/80 split of the city between the Saints and the Brotherhood. This sparks a feud between the gangs and the Boss, and after shaking up mechanic and Brotherhood ally Donnie, the Boss burns Maero's face by poisoning his tattoo ink with
radioactive wasteRadioactive waste is a waste product containing radioactive material. It is usually the product of a nuclear process such as nuclear fission. However, industries not directly connected to the nuclear industry may produce quantities of radioactive waste. The majority of radioactive waste is...
. The Brotherhood retaliate by torturing Carlos, forcing the Boss to
euthanizeEuthanasia refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. Many different forms of euthanasia can be distinguished, including animal euthanasia and human euthanasia, and within the latter, voluntary and involuntary euthanasia...
him. The Boss exacts revenge by kidnapping Maero's girlfriend Jessica, and arranges for her to be inadvertently killed by Maero in a
monster truckA monster truck is an automobile, typically styled after pickup trucks, modified or purposely built with extremely large wheels and suspension. They are used for competition and popular Sports Entertainment and in some cases they are featured alongside Motocross races, mud bogging, tractor pulls...
rally. After interrogating Maero's tattoo artist Matt, the Boss begins to uncover information about a large weapons shipment. Maero confronts Dane Vogel of the
Ultor CorporationThe Ultor Corporation is a fictional megacorporation prominently featured in the Red Faction and Saints Row series of video games, both of which are developed by Volition, Inc...
, demanding the release of arrested Brotherhood members. Although freed, the prisoners are intercepted by the Boss and when an enraged Maero threatens Vogel, he is informed that Vogel will seize the weapons shipment. The Boss intercepts the shipment and launches an attack on the crippled Brotherhood; Matt is killed but Maero and Donnie escape. Maero then challenges the Boss to a face-off, but loses the fight.
In another story arc, Shaundi begins to gather information on the Sons of Samedi gang, and learns of their
illegal drug tradeThe illegal drug trade is a global black market consisting of the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of illegal controlled drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug control laws...
. The Saints target various assets in the Sons' drug trading. Gang leaders The General and Mr. Sunshine order lieutenant Veteran Child to kill Shaundi, a former girlfiend. Although he succeeds in kidnapping her, the Boss kills him and saves her. The General then kidnaps the Boss and orders an attack on the Saints, but the Boss escapes and the Saints are able to hold off the attack. Through tips from an addict, the Boss uncovers Mr. Sunshine's hiding place, a meat-packing plant, and kills him there. The Saints then co-ordinate an attack on the General's
convoyA convoy is a group of vehicles traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval convoys have been used for hundreds...
and kill him as he flees.
As Johnny and Pierce assist the Boss to take down the Ronin gang in a story arc, they identify various rackets the Saints can hit to recover territory. However, their activity does not go unnoticed by the Ronin and leader
Shogo Akuji orders an attack on Johnny and his girlfriend, retired R'n'B singer Aisha, resulting in her death at the hands of Shogo's friend and henchman Jyunichi. Shogo's father and international Ronin leader Kazuo Akuji arrives in Stilwater and after Jyunichi is killed in a face-off with the protagonist, disgraces his son and shows regret at giving him power over the Ronin. At Aisha's funeral, Shogo attacks Johnny and the Boss but is
prematurely buriedAnimals and humans may be buried alive intentionally , voluntarily , accidentally , or unintentionally...
after being captured. Kazuo threatens the Boss' longtime friend and leader of the Triads gang, Mr. Wong. Kazuo is killed by the Boss during a Chinese New Year's celebration after being bested in a swordfight.
In the aftermath, Vogel uses the Saints' overthrow of the city to stage a
coup d'étatA coup d'état , or coup for short, is the sudden unconstitutional deposition of a legitimate government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another, either civil or military...
within Ultor, indirectly convincing the protagonist to kill the rest of the
boardA board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. The body sometimes has a different name, such as board of trustees, board of governors, board of managers, or executive board...
. However, when Vogel attempts to take control of Ultor, the Saints stage an assassination attempt at a press conference. After fleeing to safety in the Phillips Building, Vogel is met face-to-face by the Boss, who kills him, crippling the Ultor Corporation and ensuring the city under the Saints' control.
Wiretap conversationsTelephone tapping is the monitoring of telephone and Internet conversations by a third party, often by covert means. The telephone or wire tap received its name because, historically, the monitoring connection was an actual electrical tap on the telephone line...
reveal that of the surviving members of the old Saints, Dex Jackson took up a job offer with Ultor, and that former Saints' leader Julius Little planted the bomb from the original game's climax hoping to kill the Boss and let the Saints dissolve, through threats from undercover cop Troy Bradshaw. A mission becomes available and the Boss contacts Dex, who tells the Boss to meet him at the old Saints' church. Upon arrival, the Boss finds Julius, who was also told by Dex to meet there. The two are ambushed by Ultor security forces and are forced to flee. Having escaped, the Boss kills Julius as revenge for losing five years of his life.
Setting
Saints Row 2 is set in the fictional city of Stilwater, primarily based upon the real-life cities of
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
and
DetroitDetroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Wayne County. Detroit is a major port city on the Detroit River, in the Midwest region of the United States. Located north of Windsor, Ontario, Detroit is the only major U.S. city that looks south to Canada. It was founded...
. The city consists of forty-five neighborhoods divided into twenty districts. The entire city is an expanded version of the Stilwater setting from
Saints Row, being roughly 145% bigger after being rebuilt after a devastating earthquake, as the plot follows. Game developers stated that the city has very much been redeveloped and each individual neighborhood has been touched up in one way or another. According to the storyline, the in-game corporation
UltorThe Ultor Corporation is a fictional megacorporation prominently featured in the Red Faction and Saints Row series of video games, both of which are developed by Volition, Inc...
spent more than three-hundred million dollars redeveloping the city, funding the police force turning and, as it states, turned the "once crime-ridden third-tier city" into an "urban utopia". The Saints Row district is a more notable change within the city, having been completely redesigned and serving as the location of Ultor's headquarters; a towering
skyscraperA skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building. There is no official definition or height above which a building may clearly be classified as a skyscraper...
referred to as the Phillips Building. Many old districts from the earlier revision of Stilwater have also seen changes. Examples include the expansion taken place on the Suburbs district, which is double the size of its
Saints Row rendition and the Museum district, which features the Eramenos
Ancient GreekAncient Greece is the civilisation belonging to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca. 1100 BC and the Dorian invasion, to 146 BC and the Roman conquest of Greece after the Battle of Corinth. It is generally considered to be the seminal culture which provided the...
museum exhibit, complete with models of the
Acropolis of AthensThe Acropolis of Athens is the best known acropolis in the world. Although there are many other acropoleis in Greece, the significance of the Acropolis of Athens is such that it is commonly known as The Acropolis without qualification...
and
Theatre of DionysusThe Theatre of Dionysus was a major open-air theatre in Athens, built at the foot of the Acropolis and forming part of the temenos of "Dionysus Eleuthereus" . Dedicated to the god of wine and fertility, it hosted the City Dionysia festival...
. A numerous amount of new districts have also been established within the game, granting the player full roam over them, such as the Marina district and the University district.
From the beginning of the game, the map of Stilwater is fully visible. However, shops and activities will simply be displayed as a question mark until the player discovers them. By completing missions and wiping out enemy strongholds the player gains control of the various neighborhoods the city is split into. There are over 130 interiors within the city, including over ninety shops which can be purchased when the player controls each shops' associated territory. The player gets a 15% discount at owned stores and buying an entire chain of departments will mean that the protagonist’s face appears on in-game billboard advertisements. The game shares technology with that of
Red Faction: GuerrillaRed Faction: Guerrilla is a third-person shooter video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ. It was released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in June 2009 in North America and Europe. A Microsoft Windows version, ported by Reactor Zero, was released on September 15, 2009...
, another Volition-developed game and so certain elements of the environment are fully destructible. A number of
Easter eggsA virtual Easter egg is an intentional hidden message, in-joke or feature in an object such as a movie, book, CD, DVD, computer program, web page or video game. The term was coined – according to Warren Robinett – by Atari after they were pointed to the secret message left by Robinett...
are placed within the sandbox, including the pop-out
Easter BunnyThe Easter Bunny is a mythical character depicted as an anthropomorphic rabbit. In legend, the creature brings baskets filled with colored eggs, candy and toys to the homes of children on the night before Easter...
which won "Top Easter Egg of 2008".
Development
Work began on
Saints Row 2 in 2005, about a year before
Saints Row was released. Unlike
Saints Row, the game is not an Xbox 360-exclusive title; the game was developed for the PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows systems.
Saints Row did have a PlayStation 3 port of the game in development alongside
Saints Row 2, but it was later cancelled. Despite having a general idea of the technological capabilities of the PlayStation 3, developers still found this development process a challenge. The game was first announced by
THQTHQ Inc. is a worldwide international American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices.The company publishes internally created and externally...
's CEO Brian Farrell in late February, 2007 in a conference call, alongside the announcement of six other THQ-owned franchise continuations for the 2008 fiscal year.
In early May, 2007, THQ's executive vice president of worldwide publishing said that "The original
Saints Row gained critical acclaim [...] The game's worldwide success shows the growing fanaticism for open-world gaming and our talented team at Volition is now using their proprietary technology to revolutionise the genre yet again". On May 14, 2007, THQ's CFO Edward K. Zinser confirmed this at a conference call. A
PlayStation 3The PlayStation 3 is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment, and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series...
port of the original was scrapped to focus resources on
Saints Row 2. First details of the game began to surface in May, 2008 after the launch of the first teaser trailer, with game aggregators like
IGNIGN is a multimedia news and reviews website that focuses heavily on video games...
and
GameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which purchased...
getting a first look at an early build of the game. The official website launched in late May 2008 and a short teaser for the game was unveiled.
On April 3, 2008, THQ set the release date for August 28, 2008 and the game was then made available to pre-order from various retailers; in addition, the website underwent an overhaul. On May 28, THQ announced that
Saints Row 2s release would be pushed back by about two months, from August 28 to October 14, 2008 in the USA. Senior vice president of marketing Bob Aniello told
ReutersReuters Group Limited is a UK-based, Canadian-controlled news service and former financial market data provider that provides reports from around the world to newspapers and broadcasters. News reporting once accounted for less than 10% of the company's income. Its main focus was on supplying the...
that "product quality is a huge driver of a game's success and this move allows us to polish the game. [..] There is a bigger trend within the industry to build big marketing events within a bigger time window. This allows us to lead up to the holiday timeframe". To coincide with the heavy promotion and sponsorship of the game, the official website and community page were launched on July 15, 2008. This was the third website redesign since it was first announced and the old forums site (developer.saintsrow.com) was redirected and renamed "The Row Community". On July 23, 2008, it was revealed that the game had passed the
OFLCThe Office of Film and Literature Classification was a statutory censorship and classification body overseen by the Australian Government which included: the Classification Board which classified films, video games and publications for exhibition, sale or hire in Australia; the Classification...
classification body without having to be edited and was given an MA15+ rating with a release date set for October 16.
Game engine
Saints Row 2 was developed and published by Volition, Inc. and THQ respectively, with additional development from Mass Media, Inc. Additional graphics were provided by Paprikaas Interactive and Shanghai Art-Coding Software, cutscene animations were directed by Technicolor Interactive Services, and sound and voice recording were provided by Danetracks and VoiceWorks Productions, Inc. respectively. The game utilizes the
HavokHavok Physics is a physics engine developed by Irish company Havok. It is designed for computer and video games by allowing interaction between objects or other characters in real-time and by giving objects physics-based qualities in three dimensions...
physics engineA game engine is a software system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and desktop operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X...
, which allows interaction between objects or other characters in real-time and by giving objects physics-based qualities in three dimensions. The game also uses a custom physics engine which was originally utilized by
Saints Row, but was rebooted during
Saints Row 2s development phase. Because of this, as lead producer Greg Donovan states, the developers were "able to push the technology a lot more" and did not have "any of the issues that were experienced towards the end of development on Saints Row
.
As Donovan states, a fundamental goal for the game's development team was to create a game that woud "further distinguish Saints Row from other non-linear games, and carve out a distinct identity in the genre". He said that the game needed to broaden the competitive window by reiterating gameplay from Saints Row
, while adding new features and mechanics. He admitted that the game wouldn't be bug-free, stating that "[Saints Row 2] won't be bug free. I don't think any game is. But part of what we did was to start development early on. Our development schedule is all about getting the gameplay in and even though this [version of the game shown to press] is pre-alpha, we're all about iterating the gameplay now" while later reassuring that "95% of gamers aren't even going to come across them." He commented on the game's instability and challenges during its development phase, stating that "Build stability was a real problem. It wasn’t until late in the development cycle that anyone could play the game for more than a couple of hours without crashing". He said that "Top-level, our instability was caused by failing to take systems and features to completion [...] Programmers rushed to fix bugs that came late in development, and design and art expectedly fell behind on polish and iteration. Therefore, Q/A wasn’t able to progress through test plans efficiently, and we couldn’t conduct extended playtests until late in development".
Design and graphics
Being a direct sequel, Saints Row 2
has many similarities with Saints Row
. Developers on the game worked alongside some core members from the Saints Row
development team, meaning that they were able to "learn from the mistakes" in Saints Row
and talk to its development team about what should be looked out for. The game has noticeable improvements in comparison with the original Saints Row
. Lead producer Greg Donovan stated that " Macro scale [improvements] would be technological; we've given the engine a complete overhaul, so we're able to push the technology a lot more. We're not having any of the issues that were experienced towards the end of development on Saints Row
[...] I think the visual quality is layers above that on Saints Row
, and I think much of that comes from the fact that we were able to work closely with the team behind Saints Row
. Lead designer Scott Phillips commented that "There isn't anything that we didn't touch, rethink, polish and improve from Saints Row". Textures and dynamics have been reworked so the city looks more realistically detailed and colourful. A greater level of detail in the game results in people, cars and explosions being given enhanced aesthetics; lighting and shadows have been improved as well as additional sky and weather effects can be seen. The game is considered "over-the-top", meaning it consists of deliberately unrealistic gameplay. Lead designer James Tsai commented that "[Saints Row 2] is something gamers can count on to satisfy their wild and outrageous side". He went on to say that "In the early stages of development we had some really crass stuff in the game [...] There was a lot of stuff we had in that didn't register very high on the human decency scale, so we dialed some things back". Donovan also commented that "[Saints Row 2
is] all about over-the-top memorable moments [and] hyper-realism".
An improvement in Saints Row 2 is the game's
AIArtificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science which aims to create it. Textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents,"...
.
NPCsA non-player character, often shortened to NPC, is a character that is controlled by the gamemaster in role-playing games. When this definition extends to video games, an NPC in a video game is usually part of the program, and not controlled by a human....
undertake more realistic actions and respond to the player's actions in the world. Tsai commented that "from the start of development, it was a goal to create a world that exists independent of the player - a very lifelike place where the citizens have a purpose and behave in believable fashion in addition to reacting to all the things the player does." Non-playable characers perform realistic actions such as smoking, talking on cellphones, drinking coffee, opening umbrellas at the chance of rain and sitting on benches and cuddling, which would not have been possible in Saints Row
because the systems could not support two people interacting that closely. There are over 20,000 hand-placed nodes all over the city. According to developers, placing these took a long time and it only happened very late in the game's development, once most of the action node types worked and the city art was more finalized.
The game became subject to comparison with sandbox-style action game Grand Theft Auto IVGrand Theft Auto IV is a sandbox-style action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar North. It is the sixth 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto series....
, which has notable similarities with Saints Row 2
. The close proximity of its release date to GTA IV
's was thrown into question but in an interview, lead producer Greg Donovan said, "We wouldn't be releasing this year if we didn't think we could be competitive. The only thing I know about GTA is what I've read. [...] It seems like [Rockstar Games are] going in a more realistic direction." He later commented on Saints Row 2s release date, "I think having some separation between us and competitive product is good. We've got to remember that open-world is a genre and so there's room for more than just one game in that genre. [We think]
Saints Row 2 is offering a much different experience than the competition. [...] It's a very different experience than what some other games are looking to do."
Writing and casting
The story of
Saints Row 2 was put together by three of Volition's script writers. The final script had roughly 80,000 lines of dialogue, which was twice the amount of dialogue used in
Saints Row. The story has a strong cultural and cinematic influence; developers have stated that the game's story was influenced by
Quentin TarantinoQuentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s he was an independent filmmaker whose films used nonlinear storylines and aestheticization of violence...
's critically acclaimed 1994 film,
Pulp FictionPulp Fiction is a 1994 crime film directed by Quentin Tarantino, who cowrote its screenplay with Roger Avary. The film is known for its rich, eclectic dialogue, ironic mix of humor and violence, nonlinear storyline, and host of cinematic allusions and pop culture references...
. Tsai commented that "There's definitely a strong Tarantino vibe in Saints Row 2. [...] Stylistically, we drew a lot from
Pulp Fiction and
Kill BillKill Bill is a two part film by writer-director Quentin Tarantino, starring Uma Thurman as The Bride. Originally conceived as one film, it was released in two separate 'volumes' due to its running time of approximately four hours...
." The story blends black comedy and gritty realism to illustrate the vibrant narrative. Lead producer Greg Donovan commented that "Saints Row 2 has a much darker and more sinister story that leads your character down a path of betrayal, revenge and redemption against the city that has left him for dead, although we've blended that with the same light-hearted humor from the original". Tsai also commented that "There's this over-the-top, socially distorted lens through which we're telling these gang stories. [...] But at the same time, we have some very dark elements in each mission arc that push the bounds of brutality, sadness, anger and empathy". Tsai said that "from a storytelling standpoint, it's been very liberating. [...] The attitude of the main character is very empowering this time around. The story was written in three parts,
Saints Row 2 being the second of these three. Tsai said of the story, "
Saints Row 2 will definitely have its share of surprising moments in the story, but I don't want to say whether we're going to do anything that would be a cliffhanger of the scale that you saw at the end of
Saints Row, at the risk of doing a spoiler [...] We needed to make a very compelling story but one that is still accessible to people who haven't played the first, so we have to bridge that gap between people who did play the first, those who didn't play the first, and create a good entry point".
The characters in
Saints Row 2 are highly stylized and have different personality traits and identities. In an interview, Tsai said that "In
Saints Row 2, we definitely had the general ideas for the characters down first because we had our story that we wanted to tell, and we knew that certain characters are needed to service these roles in the story. As far as the personality quirks and the way the characters are expressed in cut scenes, a lot of that does come back to the voice acting, how do they say things, what are their mannerisms, you try to anticipate what they're going to do. You also have some leeway when you're doing the lip synch in the cut scenes, so definitely, it's kind of a two-way street. You have the base role for the characters, and the actors were great about reading who the characters were and coming in prepared for the roles and understanding what we wanted to do with them, but also letting them infuse some of their own personality into it and put their own spin on the characters as well." He also stated that "All of the actors took hold of their roles and brought them a real sense of weight and personality that they didn't have previously. It's a pretty amazing process to build a character from scratch, design their look, create them, put them in game, and then when voice is finally recorded to see that character become a real person in the world." An array of popular film and television stars voice characters within the game, such as
Michael RapaportMichael David Rapaport is an American actor and a comedian. He has acted in more than twenty films since the early 1990s.-Early life:...
,
Neil Patrick HarrisNeil Patrick Harris is an American actor. Prominent roles of his career include the title role in Doogie Howser, M.D., the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother and a fictionalized version of himself in the Harold & Kumar series...
,
Michael DornMichael Dorn is an American actor known for his role as the Klingon Worf in multiple Star Trek shows and movies.-Early life and career:...
,
Eliza DushkuEliza Patricia Dushku is an American actress who has appeared in several Hollywood movies such as True Lies, The New Guy, Bring It On, Wrong Turn and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back...
,
Jaime PresslyJaime Elizabeth Pressly is an American actress and model, best known as Joy on the NBC sitcom My Name Is Earl. She was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series in 2006 and 2007; for a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2006; and for a Golden Globe Award in 2007.In...
,
Daniel Dae KimDaniel Dae Kim is an American actor. Although he has appeared in numerous television shows, Kim is well known for playing Jin-Soo Kwon on the series Lost.-Early life:...
,
Jay MohrJay Mohr is an American actor, impressionist and stand-up comedian.-Personal life:Mohr was born Jon Ferguson Mohr in Verona, New Jersey to Jean, a nurse, and Jon Mohr, a marketing executive. He has two sisters, Julia and Virginia. He also has one son, Jackson, from his six-year marriage with...
and
Keith DavidKeith David Williams , better known by the stage name Keith David, is an American film, television, and voice actor. He is perhaps most known for his live action roles in such films as Crash, There's Something About Mary, Barbershop and Men at Work...
.
Soundtrack and audio
The soundtrack of
Saints Row 2 is comprised of a diverse selection of music, featuring roughly 170 tracks played through the in-game radio system. There are twelve radio stations the player can listen to whilst in a vehicle or at an in-game crib. Stations will play different genres of music, such as
alternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s...
, hip-hop,
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States...
and
1980's popFor music from a year in the 1980s, go to 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89For a history of music in all times, go to Timeline of musical events....
. A particular radio station,
My Radio 85.5, allows the player to create a custom soundtrack from the music featured in the game. Musical artists such as
a-haa-ha is a synthpop/-rock band from Norway, formed in 1982. The group initially rose to fame during the 1980s and has had continued success in the 1990s and 2000s.a-ha achieved its biggest success with their debut album and single in 1985...
,
Avenged SevenfoldAvenged Sevenfold is an American rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band has achieved mainstream success with their 2005 album City of Evil, which included singles such as "Burn It Down", "Bat Country," "Beast and the Harlot" and "Seize the Day." The band's success...
,
Culture ClubCulture Club were a British pop group that formed in the early 1980s. The band consisted of Boy George , Andy Woodard , Roy Hay , and Jon Moss...
,
Duran DuranDuran Duran are an English rock band from Birmingham, United Kingdom. They were one of the most successful of the 1980s bands and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States. Since the 1980s they have placed 14 in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart and 21 in the...
,
Hot ChipHot Chip is a Grammy-nominated British electropop band. They have released three studio albums—Coming on Strong, The Warning, and Made in the Dark. The Warning was named Album of the Year by Mixmag and voted the fourth best album of 2006 by NME...
,
JetJET is a rock band from Melbourne, Australia composed of Cameron Muncey, Mark Wilson, and brothers Nic and Chris Cester. The group has sold 4 million records worldwide; with their debut album Get Born, released in 2003, accounting for about 3.5 million of that figure.-Formation and Dirty...
,
Joss StoneJoss Stone is an English soul and R&B singer–songwriter and actress. Stone emerged to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist...
, Kasabian,
Lamb of GodLamb of God is one of the titles given to Jesus in the New Testament and consequently in the Christian tradition. It refers to Jesus' role as a sacrifice atoning for the sins of man in Christian theology, harkening back to ancient Hebrew sacrifices in which a lamb was slain during the Passover...
,
MastodonMastodon is a Grammy Award-nominated heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. They are one of the most notable bands in the New Wave of American Heavy Metal. They were formed in 1999 by Troy Sanders, Brent Hinds, Bill Kelliher, Brann Dailor and original vocalist Eric Saner...
,
Men at WorkMen at Work were an Australian reggae-influenced rock band which achieved international success in the 1980s. They are the only Australian artists to have a #1 album and single simultaneously in the United States . At the same time, they also had a simultaneous #1 single and album in the United...
,
MSTRKRFTMSTRKRFT is an electronic music group from Toronto , Ontario, Canada who are signed to Last Gang Records. The group was started in 2005 by Jesse F. Keeler formerly of Death from Above 1979 and Al-P formerly of the Mississauga electropop group Girlsareshort...
,
My Chemical RomanceMy Chemical Romance is a Grammy-nominated American rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, bassist Mikey Way, guitarists Frank Iero and Ray Toro and drummer Bob Bryar. Shortly after forming, the band signed to Eyeball Records and released their...
,
NasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones , who performs under the mononym Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, he was born and raised in the Queensbridge housing projects in New York City...
,
Ne-YoShaffer Chimere Smith , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer–songwriter, record producer, actor, and occasional rapper. Since his debut, Ne-Yo has had five top ten songs on the Billboard Hot 100 as a lead artist and two number-one albums on the Billboard 200...
,
OpethOpeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. While the band has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force since joining promptly after its inception....
, Panic at the Disco,
ParamoreParamore is a Grammy-nominated American rock band that formed in Franklin, Tennessee in 2004 consisting of Hayley Williams , Josh Farro , Jeremy Davis , Zac Farro , and Taylor York...
,
Run-D.M.C.Run-D.M.C. was a hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is arguably one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop. They were the biggest act in...
,
Tears for FearsTears for Fears are an English pop rock duo formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesizer bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...
,
TriviumIn medieval universities, the trivium comprised the three subjects taught first: grammar, logic, and rhetoric. The word is a Latin term meaning “the three ways” or “the three roads” forming the foundation of a medieval liberal arts education. This study was preparatory for the quadrivium...
and
WolfmotherWolfmother are an Australian hard rock band that formed in Erskineville, Sydney in 2000. Originally a trio comprising vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett, the band released their debut self-titled album in October 2005, which reached...
have some of their works featured in the game. Lead audio designer Frank Petreikis stated that "We've doubled our budget for more current and big-name talent for the programmable radio stations plugged into the gameplay. We have a dozen in-game stations with a broader variety of music genres and twelve or thirteen tracks per station for 150-plus songs, compared to 140 in [
Saints Row]".
An objective for developers was to try and depict the Ultor Corporation as a large presence within the media of the game. As such, many of the in-game radio advertisements promote Ultor-branded products; demonstrating how Ultor maintains control over the city. Game developers hired a new radio commercials producer, Erik Hastings, because of their requirement to "find a contractor that was much more open to collaboration and revision", writer Steve Jaros stated. Voice actors for radio commercials were recorded in the same room, instead of individually, so that they "could work off each other and in general get a stronger performance", stated Jaros. Many of the in-game commercials went through several drafts and developers found this writing process to be a challenge. The in-game radio was used as a way to effectively tie-in the over-the-top atmosphere of the game with the radio advertisements. Lead designer James Tsai stated that "As far as the commercials go, you'll definitely find that humour in
Saints Row 2. We're making a concerted effort to tie it to the game world, and what happens in the world".
Marketing and release
Prior to its release,
Saints Row 2 was marketed and promoted heavily through the use of numerous Internet and TV trailers. In addition, contests and competitions were enterable by fans with various paraphernalia, including special editions of the game itself, available as prizes. For marketing considerations, the original release date of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 ports of the game were pushed back.
A trailer was released in March 2008, formatted as a tourist insight from the Ultor Corporation into the city and how Ultor had helped to rebuild the city. In early April 2008, American film actor
Gary BuseyWilliam Gareth Jacob "Gary" Busey is an American film and stage actor and artist. He is most famous for his roles in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Buddy Holly Story, Big Wednesday, Lethal Weapon, Point Break, The Firm, Surviving the Game, Predator 2, Black Sheep, Rookie of the Year, Drop...
became part of the marketing campaign for the game. Three
Street Lessons with Uncle Gary clips were released on April 4 2008, demonstrating the use of satchel charges, taunting and throwing people in gameplay. Two additional Busey clips were released at the end of April 2008, demonstrating heavy weapons and police response in gameplay. A second trailer was released in early June 2008, comparing
Saints Row 2 to similar game
Grand Theft Auto IV, poking fun at it for its lack of
replay valueReplay value or replayability is a term found in combination with video games, but it may be also used to describe other kinds of games, movies, music, or theater plays. In video games, the term replay value to describe the entertainment value of playing a game more than once...
. A third trailer was released in late June 2008, giving an insight into the storyline of the game and introducing the new gangs that would feature in it. A fourth trailer was released in mid-July 2008, showing some of the customization options available in the game. Two Busey clips were also released in mid-July, demonstrating groin attacks and improvised weaponry in gameplay. In late July 2008, American
pornographic actorA pornographic actor/actress or a porn star is a person who appears in pornographic films. Most actors appear nude in films...
Tera PatrickLinda Ann Hopkins Shapiro , known professionally as Tera Patrick, is an American pornographic actress.-Modeling years:...
became part of the marketing campaign for the game. A "Developer Diary" video was released featuring Patrick presenting the game. Over a three-week period in August 2008, three trailers were released a week apart from each other, giving an in-depth preview of each of the three main story arcs revolving around the three gangs. Two Busey clips were released at the end of August 2008, demonstrating customization and flying in gameplay, and the improvised weaponry clip was re-released alongisde them. An additional Busey clip was released in early September 2008, demonstrating motorcycles in gameplay. An eighth trailer was released in early September 2008 previewing the co-operative gameplay, featuring in-game recreations of American presidential candidates
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office, as well as the first president born in Hawaii...
and
John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, the former of which won the
presidential electionThe 56th quadrennial United States presidential election was held on November 4, 2008. Outgoing Republican President George W. Bush's policies and actions and the American public's desire for change were key issues throughout the campaign, and during the general election campaign, both major party...
. The official launch trailer was released in early October 2008, a week before the game's release, taking another look at the storyline.
The "Pimp Your Crib" contest launched on July 17, 2008 for residents in the United States, offering prizes such as a 46"
SamsungThe Samsung Group is the world's largest conglomerate by revenue, headquarted in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's largest chaebol and composed of numerous international affiliated businesses, most of them united under the Samsung brand, including Samsung Electronics, the...
HDTVHigh-definition television is a digital television broadcasting system with higher resolution than traditional television systems...
and a
LogitechLogitech International S.A. , headquartered in Romanel-sur-Morges, Switzerland, is the holding company for Logitech Group, a Swiss peripheral-device maker. Logitech makes peripheral devices for PCs, including keyboards, mice, game controllers and webcams...
cordless precision controller. The "Summer of Bling" contest launched on August 21, 2008 for residents in the United Kingdom and Germany; first week prizes included a game-themed
hip flaskA hip flask is a thin flask for holding a distilled beverage; its size and shape are suited to a trouser pocket.-Description:Hip flasks were traditionally made of pewter, silver, or even glass, though most modern flasks are made from stainless steel. Some come with small cups to make sharing...
and bottle of
tequilaTequila is an agave-based spirit made primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco. The red volcanic soil in the region surrounding Tequila is particularly well suited to the growing of the blue...
. The second week of the competition offered a
radio-controlled helicopterRadio-controlled helicopters are model aircraft which are distinct from RC airplanes because of the differences in construction, aerodynamics, and flight training. Several basic designs of RC helicopters exist, of which some are more maneuverable than others...
. THQ and WorthPlaying launched a competition offering the winners a chance to attend the
Saints Row 2 Multiplayer Event in San Francisco, USA and have their thoughts published in an article. A
T-shirtA T-shirt is a shirt which is pulled on over the head to cover most of a person's torso. A T-shirt is usually buttonless, collarless, and pocketless, with a round neck and short sleeves. The sleeves of the T-shirt extend at least slightly over the shoulder but not completely over the elbow...
design competition launched on September 19, 2008 hosted by British fashion label Joystick Junkies which tasked the competitor to design a themed T-shirt; the winning entry was featured in the downloadable content pack
Ultor ExposedSaints Row 2: Ultor Exposed is an episodic expansion pack for the sandbox-style action-adventure video game Saints Row 2, developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ. The first of three planned downloadable content packs, Ultor Exposed was released via Xbox Live and PlayStation Network for the...
. The third run of the "Summer of Bling" contest launched on September 19, 2008 offering the Joystick Junkies-themed shirts as prizes. The "Trick Your Pack" tool launched on September 23, allowing the player to create their own box art for the game. The fourth run of the "Summer of Bling" launched on October 4, 2008 offering an Ultor-themed
Flak jacketthumb|300px|The two components of an obsolete British military flak vest. On the left, the nylon vest. On the right, the several layers of [[ballistic nylon]] that provide the actual protection...
. Another contest launched on October 10, 2008 offering a gold-plated Xbox 360 Elite console with the "Gun Pack" collector's edition of the game. On November 6, 2008 a competition launched in Australia offering an airbrushed 60GB PlayStation 3 system.
Saints Row 2 has received heavy funding and sponsorship and has appeared at game conventions with its own booth.
Saints Row 2 has appeared at E3,
THQTHQ Inc. is a worldwide international American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices.The company publishes internally created and externally...
Gamer's Day,
Comic ConComic-Con International: San Diego, commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con was founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention and later the San Diego Comic Book Convention in 1970 by Shel Dorf and a group of San Diegans...
,
PAX '08The Penny Arcade Expo is an annual gamer festival held in Washington state, USA. PAX was created by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik, the authors of the Penny Arcade webcomic, because they wanted to attend a show that gave equal attention to console gamers, computer gamers, and tabletop...
,
GameStopGameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters are in Grapevine, Texas , United States, operates 6,200 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand,...
Expo '08 and
Leipzig Games ConventionThe Games Convention, sometimes called the Leipzig Games Convention and abbreviated as GC, is an annual video game event held in Leipzig, Germany, first held in 2002. Besides video games, the event also covers Infotainment, Hardware, and Edutainment...
. In addition,
Saints Row 2 provided funding and marketed itself with the
MyspaceMySpace is a social networking website. Its headquarters are in Beverly Hills, California, USA, where it shares an office building with its immediate owner, Fox Interactive Media, which is owned by News Corporation. MySpace became the most popular social networking site in the United...
Music Tour.
Saints Row 2 also supported
Movember 2008Movember is an annual month-long event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November...
, an
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
n fundraiser for men's health.
In November, 2008, THQ signed a deal with
Massive IncorporatedMassive Incorporated is an advertising company that provides software and services to dynamically host advertisements within video games. Massive Incorporated was purchased by Microsoft in May 2006 for approximately $200 million to $400 million...
to include in-game advertisements on their Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 products.
Saints Row 2 was the first game to follow through and players connected to Xbox Live or PSN will be able to find movie posters throughout the city promoting upcoming releases.
Retail versions
There are three separate "Collectors Editions" available. All contain a copy of the game, along with several extras. The
Saints Row 2 "Initiation Pack" is exclusive to Australia and New Zealand packaged in
Freckle Bitch's pizza box and includes a poster, limited edition art book, metal
money clipA money clip is a device typically used to store cash and/or credit cards in a very compact fashion for those who do not wish to carry a wallet.-Metal money clip:...
, 1GB gold bullet
USB memory stickA USB flash drive consists of flash memory data storage device integrated with a USB 1.1 or 2.0 interface. USB flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, much smaller than a floppy disk, and most weigh less than 1 ounce...
with buddy icons and wallpapers and content including a basketball singlet, videos, a Saints ID card and a "Saints Rule" book.
The "Gun Pack" unveiled in late August and contains a copy of the game, a poster, an art book and a
USBUSB is a way of setting up communication between a computer and peripheral devices. USB is intended to replace many varieties of serial and parallel ports. USB can connect computer peripherals such as mice, keyboards, PDAs, gamepads and joysticks, scanners, digital cameras, printers, personal...
stick with wallpapers and icons, packaged in a gun-mould case. The
Saints Row 2 "Gift - Buka Edition" is exclusive pack for
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and
CISCIS usually refers to the Commonwealth of Independent States, a modern political entity consisting of eleven former Soviet Union republics.The acronym CIS may also refer to:-Organizations:...
packaged in standard
DVDDVD, also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc,is an optical disc storage media format, and was founded in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage...
-box and includes a limited edition art book, two posters and 1GB gold bullet USB memory stick with buddy icons and wallpapers.
THQ confirmed to Big Download that a
Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces...
port of the game was in development on June 2, 2008. No official release date was given out and the port was not released with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, delayed to January 5, 2009 (later changed to January 6) in North America. The official specifications were unveiled on December 16, 2008.
Although a setup guide for the
SteamSteam is a digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications platform developed by Valve Corporation. It is used to distribute a wide range of games and related media entirely over the internet, stretching from one-man independent efforts to some of the world's most...
digital distribution platform was posted, the port was delayed on Steam after minor issues, while the retail version was released in North America as planned. THQ's vice president of global brand management Kevin Kraff stated that "Saints Row 2's console release was met with heavy praise from press and consumers alike. [...] [The game's] debut on Windows PC will introduce the truly unique, highly entertaining open-world experience to PC fans worldwide". Volition's vice president of product development and general manager Mike Kulas said that "We've spent a great deal of time optimizing system specs for Windows PC to ensure gamers get the high quality experience no matter what system they choose". The port was released on Steam and also on Direct2Drive on January 7 while the European and Australian version releases were confirmed for January 23 and February 5 respectively.
The port underwent marketing with the release of a PC launch trailer on January 8, and a patch for the port was confirmed on January 22. The patch was made available on January 26 after the release of the European version, correcting graphical and technical issues while allowing for a 20% performance increase, significantly reducing in-game crashes.
On July 16, 2009,
SwedishSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States...
band
OpethOpeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. While the band has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force since joining promptly after its inception....
announced that their music would feature in a
PlayStation PortableThe PlayStation Portable is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on May 11, 2004 at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
port of the game which would be released in March 2010. However, there has been no official confirmation on this from Volition or THQ.
Downloadable content
On September 25, 2008, lead producer Dan Sutton stated in an interview that "Definitely we have [plans for downloadable content], yes. We haven't announced them yet, but we are looking at bigger stuff definitely." On December 13, 2008, a theme pack for
Saints Row 2 was released via
Xbox LiveXbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
, followed by a picture pack on December 18, 2008. A premium theme was also released on April 23, 2009.
The first downloadable content pack,
Ultor ExposedSaints Row 2: Ultor Exposed is an episodic expansion pack for the sandbox-style action-adventure video game Saints Row 2, developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ. The first of three planned downloadable content packs, Ultor Exposed was released via Xbox Live and PlayStation Network for the...
, was released on April 23, 2009. The pack adds new customization options, vehicles, multiplayer maps, and a competitive multiplayer
metagameMetagaming is a broad term usually used to define any strategy, action or method used in a game which transcends a prescribed ruleset, uses external factors to affect the game, or goes beyond the supposed limits or environment set by the game...
. The pack features
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pornographic actress
Tera PatrickLinda Ann Hopkins Shapiro , known professionally as Tera Patrick, is an American pornographic actress.-Modeling years:...
, who plays herself as a former
microbiologistA microbiologist is a scientist who works in the field of microbiology. Microbiologists study organisms called microbes. Microbes can take the form of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protists...
for the
Ultor CorporationThe Ultor Corporation is a fictional megacorporation prominently featured in the Red Faction and Saints Row series of video games, both of which are developed by Volition, Inc...
who calls upon the protagonist to help her expose the evils within it. The second downloadable content pack,
Corporate WarfareSaints Row 2: Corporate Warfare is an episodic expansion pack for the sandbox-style action-adventure video game Saints Row 2, developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ...
, was released on May 28, 2009. The pack adds new customization options,, including in-game recreations of the finalists from Movember 2008, vehicles, multiplayer maps, and a competitive multiplayer metagame. The pack focuses on the struggle between the Saints and the Ultor Corporation, featuring Ultor's executive Eric Gryphon and head of security Dex Jackson, a former Saint from the original game. The third and final downloadable content pack, The Unkut Pack, was released on June 12, 2009 for free, adding over sixty new Unkut-themed clothing and tattoo items.
Reception
Saints Row 2 has received generally positive reviews. The PlayStation 3 version received an average score of 83% based on 45 reviews on the review aggregator
Game RankingsGameRankings is a website which keeps track of video game reviews from other sites, and combines them to present an average rating for each game. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games. The Ratings show the general critical opinion about a game; thus, Gamerankings has...
, and an average score of 82% based on 50 reviews on the review aggregator
MetacriticMetacritic is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
.
1UP.com1UP.com is a video game website owned by UGO Entertainment, a division of Hearst Corporation, following the acquisition of the 1UP Network from Ziff Davis Media...
gave the game a B, stating that it "relishes the hedonistic aspects of the open-world genre", that it has "plently of innovation" and that the "excellence in the presentation makes the world of Saints [Row] 2 a great introduction for newcomers to open world games".
EurogamerEurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
gave the game a 9/10, stating that it "is one of the most ridiculous and enjoyable games of the year".. GameInformer gave the game an 8.75/10, stating that "in its own silly, b-movie way, it’s a damn fun game" and a "profanely good time".
GameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which purchased...
gave the game an 8.0/10, stating that "from beginning to end, this is one of the most fun urban chaos games out there" and that it will "keep you happily creating havoc for a long time".
GameSpyGameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current company...
gave the game four and a half stars out of five, stating that it "offers up a shooting and driving experience that is plenty of fun" and that it is "self-consciously funny in its irreverence" and "will definitely appeal to much of its audience".
IGNIGN is a multimedia news and reviews website that focuses heavily on video games...
US gave the game an 8.2/10, stating that "the core gameplay experience is extremely enjoyable".. IGN AU gave the game an 8/10, stating that it is "big, dumb fun". IGN UK gave the game a 7.5/10, stating that it "demonstrates that there is still plenty of mileage to be eked out of open-world games" and that "there’s certainly enough here to keep any fans of sandbox violence entertained". PGNx Media gave the a 9.6/10 and an Editor's Choice Award, stating that "In terms of pure, unadulterated fun,
Saints Row 2 is in a league of its own". MS Xbox World gave the game a 9.5/10, stating "There are lots of games out this holiday season, and
Saints Row 2 should be one of the games that you play, as there’s nothing at present that can rival its madcap adrenaline fueled flamboyance".
Ben CroshawBenjamin Richard "Yahtzee" Croshaw is an English comedic writer, video game journalist and author of adventure games created using Adventure Game Studio software. He writes articles for Australia's Hyper magazine, a major games publication...
of
The EscapistThe Escapist is an online magazine covering video games, gamers, the gaming industry, and gaming culture. Published by the Themis Group, it is edited by Julianne Greer, and was first published on July 12, 2005. The Escapist, which claims "print-quality writing", runs weekly with a main edition...
, who is known for his humorous and deliberately negative '
Zero PunctuationZero Punctuation is a video game review series created by comedy writer, video game journalist and gamer Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw and produced by online magazine The Escapist. Each week's review is previewed on The Escapist Show the Tuesday before it is released on Wednesday in the Zero Punctuation...
' reviews, gave the game a favourable review and awarded it as his personal Game of the Year, stating that he "had more fun with it than any other 2008 release." The game was awarded "Game of the Year 2008" by JustPressPlay.com. It also came runner-up in
GameSharkGameShark is the brand name of a line of video game cheat cartridges and other products for a variety of console video game systems and Windows based computers. Currently, the brand name is owned by Mad Catz, Inc., who actively market GameShark products for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable,...
's "Xbox 360 Game of the Year" and "Overall Game of the Year".
Among positive acclaim, some publishers gave the game generally negative reviews. Edge Magazine gave the game a 5/10, stating that "few of the game’s details will stick in your mind for long, and its pranky focus means it rarely gives you anything interesting to do with the toys on offer".
GamingNexus.comGaming Nexus is a multiplatform videogame website that operates out of Columbus, Ohio. Its coverage is focused on reviews and news, although the website does offer previews and other articles...
gave the game a C+, stating that it "has to mature, or make a more convincing argument that it’s never going to – and never has to – grow up".
Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books and popular culture. Unlike celebrity-focused publications US Weekly, People, and In Touch Weekly, EWs primary concentration is on entertainment...
flagged the game as "racist, misogynistic, crude, cynical, humorless and stupid" and labelled it the worst game of 2008, despite previously giving the game a B and calling it "a larcenous good time".
Saints Row 2 has sold generally well since its release. The game was the sixth-best selling of October 2008, with sales of about 400,000 within the first month. The game shipped two million units within the first two weeks of its release and a further six-hundred thousand by January 2009. As of May 2009, nearly three million copies of the game have been shipped worldwide and it has since joined the
Xbox 360's
Platinum HitsPlatinum Hits is a term used to refer to a line of select Xbox games that have sold over 400,000 units on the platform in the nine months after release and have dropped in price from their original MSRP to a newer, lower price, generally that of US$19.99, although multi-game packs may sell for...
and the
PlayStation 3's Greatest Hits line of games.
Saints Row 2 did not gain a favourable response from New York City officials and police. City spokespersons requested that the game be pulled from shelves upon its release; NYPD union boss Patrick Lynch criticized the game, stating that "these horrible and violent video games desensitize young people to violence while encouraging depravity, immorality while glorifying criminal behavior". Jack Thompson, a former
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
lawyer and longtime critic of violent video games, called
Saints Row 2 a "Grand Theft Auto ripoff," and said that "as is true with pornography, as is true with violence, the subsequent products tend to push the envelope even more". On Tuesday, October 14, 2008, the game's US release date, candidate
Leslie Crocker SnyderLeslie Crocker Snyder is an American lawyer and former judge, most notable for her challenge of Robert Morgenthau in the Democratic Party primary for the Manhattan District Attorney election in 2005. Morgenthau did not seek re-election in 2009. Snyder ran again...
and others spoke out against the game, surrounded by police union members who support her bid.
Gov. PatersonDavid Alexander Paterson is an American politician and the current Governor of New York. He is the first African American governor of New York and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C...
signed a bill in July, 2008 requiring prominent display of age ratings on video games and mandating parental control on game consoles by 2010.
External links