Low-brow lowdown: Saints Row 2 multiplayer
by Randy Nelson 
{ Sep 26th 2008 at 3:00PM }
click to pimp-size
THQ is hoping to differentiate Saints Row 2 from other Grand Theft Auto clones. By that we mean it's not so much a clone of Rockstar's crime epic, but rather what might be born unto the world if it had a lapse in judgment and accidentally knocked up the Jerry Springer Show (which turned out to be half-Jackass, according to DNA results).
Our first impressions bore this out, and we were left permanently convinced of the fact once porn starlet Terra Patrick and certifiable loon, Gary Busey, were brought on to, er, entice folks to play the game. We were enticed to check out its multiplayer features, which, as opposed to the in-your-face presentation of the "main" game, seemed to do the best job of really seeming substantively different.
Gallery: Saints Row 2 Multiplayer
Playing off a perceived demographic-wide case of ADD among gamers, Saints Row 2's main multiplayer draw, Strongarm, combines elements of control points (tagging), racing, deathmatch, and other match types into one mega-mode. Akin to an iTunes playlist on shuffle, the mode is constantly swapping out modes and rules, with the overall goal being for each team to amass as much cash as possible.
In one example, typical street racing in an open-world environment is skewered by the fact that team members who aren't racing can take up arms and attempt to destroy rivals as they pass. In many ways, the Strongarm play types reminded us of things we might have put together ourselves in GTA IV multiplayer – only now there's some quantitative payoff for goofing off.
The nudges – some more subtle than others – to do silly stuff even extend into the pre-match lobby, where players can run around in-world, talking smack and shooting each other. Before, y'know, the rest of the smack talking and shooting gets underway.
If it's a war between transvestite pimps and clowns in hotdog suits you want, that's what you'll get. But until we see something truly remarkable out of the game as a whole, you'll have to really want it – otherwise this Row might not be up your alley.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Marty @ Sep 26th 2008 3:10PM
Tera was better before she got... er, enhanced.
juju187 @ Sep 26th 2008 3:31PM
she looks fat no because of them,
Dirty @ Sep 26th 2008 3:17PM
I think this game is going to be fun... but mulitplayer isn't one of those reasons.
MC Double Def DP @ Sep 26th 2008 3:19PM
I have no idea what it is I just read.
zlickrick @ Sep 26th 2008 3:53PM
Im hoping Saints Row contracted some Bloods and Crypts to fill the gangster dialogue.
I am sick of listing to what a programmer thinks street talk is by listening to Will Smith's latest album.
If I have to listen to another cringe inducing "DawG!" or "shizzle", Ill fucking snap.
aj @ Sep 26th 2008 4:47PM
To be fair, though, genuine street talk is pretty cringe inducing itself.
j.howlett @ Sep 26th 2008 7:02PM
the problem is they force a bunch of it in so it doesn't sound natural. it's like watching a clip with a bunch of internet shorthand spoken out loud, i understand it but it's not natural.
Averna @ Oct 8th 2008 8:26PM
Its Crips too I believe
Tez (PSN: Tezasaurus) @ Sep 26th 2008 4:06PM
The explosions look nice but everything else looks like a higher-res Xbox 1 title... am I the only other person getting that vibe?
Aaron H. @ Sep 26th 2008 4:41PM
what MC double said...
Duke @ Sep 26th 2008 5:33PM
I just can't get excited for this release. I never finsished the first one either. It just didn't get me excited to play.
Clinton RRoD sept.3 @ Sep 26th 2008 6:04PM
well i cant wait GTA 4 was boring trying to run around ,i want 2 throw people on here
joe hansoen @ Oct 5th 2008 12:09AM
yeah the game is pretty good it's fun way better than gta4 any given day i played it for couple of days now i haven't tried the multiplayer yet due to the servers not up yet and only a few has the game..
i give this game 10/10 stars for every customization u can even think of and u can make your own gang signs and make your gang dress as ninjas with swords on their back....
shred_nasty @ Oct 21st 2008 2:28AM
Well, I liked Saints Row a little better, but to be fair, I think it was because I hadn't played GTA IV yet. After about 3 hours of agonizing gameplay, I got used to the gay vehicle physics, and PS2 graphics. Now it's a pretty fun game. I mean, now that GTA IV and Call of Duty 4 are all but ancient relics, I have to play SOMETHING, right? Those are two extremely tough acts to follow, and I find my heart broken much more than I find myself "in love" with a game these days........
Saints Row2, Guitar Hero WT, Call of Duty; World at War, Midnight Club;LA, Resistance2, Project Origin, Skate2, and Guitar Hero Metallica are our only hopes for the end of 2008/first half of 2009.....(I don't like Gears of Gay) sorry, PS3 only suckas.