Review: Saints Row 2

[EvilSpaghetti]

Saints Row 2
Mobile Game Review

Title: Saints Row 2
Developer: G5 Mobile
Publisher: THQ
Release Date: 10/08
Format: J2ME
Game Features: Free roam
Reviewed on: SE K800i

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Summary

The saga of the Third Street Saints continues with the highly anticipated multi-platform release of Saints Row 2! This also marks the return of the franchise to mobile, in an exciting open-world action game with multiple diverse missions, activities and mini-games seamlessly integrated into the game-play.

Review

This week Saints Row 2, you know what? I feel really dirty reviewing this; it feels as if I’m having an affair, being that Saints Row is GTA’s main rival, and well I’m a huge Rockstar fan, but seeming as there is not GTA mobile, I guess it’s alright to review this without feeling somewhat guilty. When I first played Saints Row on the mobile I wasn’t impressed; poor graphics, poor gameplay, the game really didn’t do itself any favours, but that was over two years ago now, times have changed, graphics have improved and most of all they’ve hopefully learnt from their mistakes.

If you’ve played the not so GTA Saints Row you’d know that it’s a top-down view or in simpler terms the game was fixed in a birds-eye view, now with Saints Row 2 you’ll find that it’s still a top-down game, but more I guess you could say angled, yes I know I may seem boring mentioning the games camera angle but bare with me, there is a reason as to why I’m mentioning it, it makes you feel much more involved and makes the action seem more enjoyable to watch, not only that it just makes the game easier to play and nicer to look at, sometimes it’s nice just to watch the car and people pass by and you can’t really say that about many other mobile games. Don’t worry there is more to Saints Row 2 than just watching the game pass you by, there’s more than enough to, like taking people out, planting bombs, robbing stores, or committing all sorts of other crimes, basically you can do what you want. Most of the tasks are simple enough, the only real challenge being not getting yourself killed, be it by a rival gang member, the police or even one of your own, pretty much anyone and everyone is out to get you, your main goal is to reclaim the city for the ‘Saints’, although staying alive really isn’t all the easy.
With most mobile game the controls are simple enough; shooting and stabbing is merely ‘5’ to shoot or stab and '#' to target, so it’s easy enough to become a one-man army or as it’s more commonly known as doing a Rambo and take on anyone you want, but I wouldn’t suggest doing that, unless you get bored, which does happen a few times throughout the game.
Now when it comes to driving... that’s when it all starts to go downhill in the controls department, it’s not easy, basically, driving equals a lot of dead people and dead people equals police. There are two control methods to choose from in Saints Row 2, but really whichever of the two you choose doesn’t matter they’re both equally as complicated as each other, the first choice imitates a real steering wheel while the other really isn’t important enough to mention because it’s just going to end in the same result, bodies and police.
So really then Saints Row 2 really isn’t that different from Saints Row, gameplay wise that is, visually it’s far superior to its predecessor, but again gameplay lets the game down, THQ clearly haven’t learnt from their own mistakes and have come up with an average game which makes the likes of Gangstar look a different class, now I’m not one for a Gameloft game, but at least they know how to put graphics and gameplay together in a GTA wannabe.

Conclusion

So then Saints Row 2 wants to be the GTA for mobile... don’t make me laugh, it’s just another wannabe which we’ve seen the like of before and done better, sure it’s full of tasks, but as a mobile game it just doesn’t work, bring on Gangstar 2 I say.

Screenshots

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Graphics: 6/10
The best thing about the game.

Sound: 5/10
Nothing special

Gameplay: 4/10
Good amount of task, Hard controls

Story: 5/10
Nothing special

Overall Score: 5 out of 10

[Shadow]

Nice review like always!Good job Aaron!And score is to good for it (in my oppinion).

[James]

Good review Aaron as always +Rep!

[Chris]

Great Review Aaron!

[Joshua_pohan]

Nice review aaron the s40 version is worse than this one, the graphics are horrible

[EvilSpaghetti]

Next Review:

SimCity Metropolis

[Alan1812]

I'm waiting for Gangstar 2. It's better than this thing!!!

[gooblaster]

I dont quite like saints row...
i think i would if the controls were smoother...

[mitchman_93]

Cool. I knew it was to hyped up to be that good. I cant wait for next review.

[gooblaster]

Ehs... wat is the next review about?