Saints Row IV: Re-Elected (NSW) Review

We're deep in the month of April, and there was no sign of the month's first review. Until NOW, that is! Saints Row IV: Re-Elected launched on the Nintendo Switch at the end of March, and now I have my full review right here on SuperPhillip Central.

The infamous Saints crack down on an otherworldly threat

In 2013, Saints Row IV took the Grand Theft Auto-inspired series and changed things up considerably, taking the wackiness dial, turning it up past 11, and essentially ripping that dial off in the process. Now, Saints Row: The Third already was off the wall as it was, but Saints Row IV somehow went even further down the rabbit hole. I mean, what else you can say about a game that starts with the Saints leader as the President of the United States, an alien invasion, and being abducted by said aliens and placed into a horrific simulation of the city of Steelport?

Make no mistake--this is certainly the Saints Row series at its most insane. (Until perhaps Saints Row V!)

In this simulation of Steelport (yes, the same map from Saints Row: The Third is used in this sequel, though with some obvious and not-so-obvious alterations), you are not bound by the laws of the real world. After all, it's virtual, so as you gain new powers and abilities through story progression, you're able to kick alien ass and anyone else who gets in your way with style and just all-around flat-out awesomeness. I'm talking about powers like the ability to sprint with insane speed, fly in the sky, as well as unleash bursts of ice to freeze foes and fire to conjure up some explosive results. Then, there's my personal favorite of the bunch: telekinesis, offering the ability to pick up enemies and objects and launch them into the air with reckless abandon.

The various superpowers the Boss acquires make traveling around Steelport quite entertaining.

At the beginning of Saints Row IV, you'll be utilizing vehicular modes of transportation to get around and weak weapons with limited ammo. However, as you progress the story and clear side mission, you'll unlock those previously mentioned super-powered mobility options, and a sizable amount of money that can be spent on new guns and upgrades for those guns--great for gearing them up increased firepower, ammo size, and reload speed, for example. Cars become irrelevant rather quickly and a bit of a nuisance when you're forced to drive them in certain missions since running around at super speeds and leaping high up into the air to descend across the skies of Steelport is a much more enjoyable way to get around the simulation. This is especially so when you get the ability to spend money on upgrades for your character and their powers.

When you're able to soar across great expanses, somehow a car doesn't have the same level of fun to it.

Like previous Saints Row games, you get the ability to spend money to unlock upgrades. These come in the form of increased stamina, higher health, faster health recovery, invulnerability to fire and explosions, and on, and when it comes to superpowers, greater range of abilities and faster cooldown times so you can unleash your attack-oriented superpowers with greater speed or with mobility-oriented superpowers, jump higher and run faster. Thus, you can naturally see why riding around in a car isn't as exciting as perhaps picking up that car with telekinesis and plowing it directly into one of alien leader Zinyak's extraterrestrial goons.

The perpetually dark tones of the Steelport simulation grow tiring after a couple dozen hours of playing.

Similar to upgrading your fully customizable character, Saints Row IV's menu also offers the means to select missions. Most of the story-related missions revolve around reassembling the Saints crew from simulations based on their own personal nightmares. While Pierce's has you fending off killer Saints-branded soda can mascots, including a Godzilla-sized one, newcomer Asha's nightmarish simulation plays out like a mission of Metal Gear Solid, complete with hiding in cardboard boxes to slip past dim-witted soldiers. When you're not completing missions centered on the story, you're tasked with completing side missions, but unfortunately, most of these simply task you with completing side activities like Mayhem-style demolition fests, timed checkpoint races using your super sprint and other mobility-concentrated superpowers, and assassination-based missions.

It's a parade of mass-murdering Genki mascots. Just your typical evening inside the simulation.

To be fair, though, from the many (and I do mean MANY) side activities available to you from the ones mentioned and others like finding and destroying Zinyak's statues of his narcissistic self, hacking stores in a "Pipe Dream" video game-like fashion, and retrieving vehicles and getting them back to a chop shop in one piece, they do give fun rewards. From killer mechs (excuse me--"power suits") that you can add to your arsenal to guns that bounce bullets from one target to the next as well as guns that spawn black holes, sucking up anything and everything in their paths (including you), the unlockables on display in Saints Row IV are just as wacky as the premise and concept of the game itself.

Yes, there's still some Grand Theft Auto-like aspects to the simulation of Steelport, but overall, Saints Row IV plays more like Sony's Infamous series or Microsoft's Crackdown series than a typical GTA clone, which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how much of a fan you are of either style. What I can say is that Saints Row IV is definitely a drastic departure compared to the more classic, grounded era seen in Saints Row and Saints Row 2. Though, that's not to see it's a total departure story-wise, as Saints Row IV makes myriad references and allusions to past games, including story missions that take some classic missions from past games and puts a unique twist on them.

In the immortal words of Steve Urkel... "Did I do that?"

I can't say that Saints Row IV isn't dated as a game, but I don't mean in the most obvious of departments--its gameplay. Yes, of course, shooting still feels sloppy--which isn't helped by the Switch controller's smaller analog sticks (though gyro support does assist a little)--and lots of other elements of the game's design come off as relics of a bygone era in 2020. For me, though, it's all the movies references and a fair portion of the humor that I couldn't help but give a cold shoulder. At its worst, the crude humor and blatant immaturity were greeted with nothing but an eye roll from me instead of what the writers wanted from me, a laugh or even a smile. However, that's not to say there aren't elements of Saints Row IV's humor that kept me straight faced. When the game lets loose and gets at its most self-deprecating, it's legitimately a funny game. There's just all that other nonsense you have to sit through to get to it.

This alien should have thought twice before going to the Boss for his spine realignment.

You might be wondering why throughout this review of Saints Row IV: Re-Elected that I've just now called the game out by its full name instead of just "Saints Row IV". Well, there's a very good reason for that. The "Re-Elected" part of Saints Row IV is meant to feature DLC. However, thanks to a bug/glitch/error/whatever, the Switch version currently cannot access all of the DLC owners of Nintendo's hybrid system and this game were promised. Oopsy-daisy! Thus, really, all the Nintendo Switch has is the vanilla version of Saints Row IV with modest improvements and the occasional software crash. Not optimal.

Still, there's no denying that while some aspects of Saints Row IV are indeed dated, it remains a blast to speed through Steelport's streets, running up walls, leaping over tall buildings in a single bound like Superman, soaring through the sky, and unleashing your superpowers all over Zinyak's intergalactic army. It's some of the most fun I've had moving around an open-world setting. Though the currently MIA DLC is a drag and a downer, the devs are currently looking into a fix. Saints Row IV: Re-Elected was a pleasing power fantasy, but it won't be earning a second term on my Nintendo Switch any time soon.

[SPC Says: C+]

Let the Good Names Roll: Great Credits Sequences in Gaming - Part Three

The staff roll, otherwise known as the credits of video games. This is where not only do we see all the names of the folks who worked on the game you just beat, but perhaps something special to go along with it, whether it's an overview of your adventure, the cast of enemies in the game, or something else. This article delves into some of the very best and most memorable staff rolls/credits sequences in video game history. From old school classics to modern marvels, part three of this expanding list continues to bring the excellent staff rolls. Click on the game title to see the credits sequence described, and to click these links to see part one and part two.

Super Mario World (SNES)

This classic credits sequence from Super Mario World kicks things off. It has Mario leading the rescued Princess Toadstool, riding on Yoshi, across a series of backgrounds from the game. Trailing behind them is a series of seven Yoshi eggs that Mario and the gang leads to Yoshi's Island, where they hatch. A "thank you" message appears on the screen, followed by a rousing rendition of the credits theme as the game's cast of enemies and bosses appears in sliding boxes with names identifying them. This all concludes with Mario and Luigi standing tall and proud with Princess Toadstool situated between them. The words "The End" rest over their heads, signaling the end of Super Mario World's sensational conclusion.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)

After Ganondorf and his beastly form of Ganon have been vanquished, players are greeted with a heartfelt credits sequence that starts out innocuously enough with panning shots of various Hyrule locales like Death Mountain and Kakariko Village. Following these tranquil scenes is a celebration unlike any other at Lon Lon Ranch with a veritable who's who of Hyrule citizens, from Gorons to Zoras, Malon, Talon and Ingo, and many more. Soon, up in the sky, the six sages soar, then taking a brief moment to reflect at Death Mountain. Back at the Temple of Time, the heroic Link, in his younger form, stands tall with Navi saying its goodbyes to him. Link turns away from the Master Sword, leaving it to rest in its pedestal as triumphant bells rings, congratulating both the player and Link on a job well done.

Donkey Kong Country (SNES)

Like Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country allows its cast to shine with every enemy, boss, and Kong taking their curtain call, walking, hovering, hopping, marching, or flying across the screen. Of course, you can't expect the credits to go on without a hitch. The Kongs have to get into their usual shenanigans, and with Rare's trademark sense of humor, you can bet some goofiness is thrown in. That's exactly what players get. Donkey Kong and Diddy proceed to pull some practical jokes on one another after the rest of the cast has been reintroduced, with Diddy Kong stepping on Donkey Kong's foot, Donkey Kong pounding Diddy to the floor, and Diddy biting DK's finger, for starters. Following this is some boasting by Cranky Kong, bragging that he beat the game with only one life and in less than an hour. Sure, Cranky. We TOTALLY believe you.

Super Monkey Ball (GCN)

We've seen interactive game credits in past installments of Great Credits Sequences in Gaming. We now look at another one with Super Monkey Ball's credits sequence, keeping true to its arcade roots. For those that are uninitiated, the Super Monkey Ball series has players guiding a monkey in a ball around obstacle laden courses with the objective to reach the goal without falling off. Super Monkey Ball's credits keeps the fun of guiding a monkey in a ball, but this time it's down a ramp full of bananas, as well as names of the development team that has each of its letters falling onto the course. Each letter you hit takes off about ten bananas. The fun is in seeing how many bananas you can acquire before the credits are over. It all sounds easier than it actually is, as those letters are quite the vexation! It ends up being a memorable staff roll due to its enjoyable interactivity.

Rayman Origins (Multi)

Time for some more interactivity! Ubisoft game credits are known for being extremely long affairs, usually crediting everyone from every worldwide Ubisoft studio and even the janitors seemingly. Not to say everyone doesn't deserve credit, but it can be maddening sitting down, waiting for the credits to finish, particularly when you can't skip them. Rayman Origins takes this otherwise mundane experience and throws in the ability to move around as Rayman, bashing and smashing each letter in every word and name of the credits sequence. It's especially entertaining to try to make a game of it, seeing how many Lums, essentially the coins of Rayman Origins, you can collect before the final name is listed. Alongside your name-destroying, you have Christopher Heral's tremendous Rayman Origins score, making this experience far from tedious.

Saints Row IV (Multi)

From interactive credits to just plain off the wall awesomeness, Saints Row IV definitely didn't take itself seriously whatsoever, and it was immensely refreshing. This line of thinking bleeds into its credits sequence, starting off with the Saints (and an unexpected guest) having a dance line to "This is How We Do It". After that is where the actual credits begin to flow, with cartoon-styled art on the right side of the screen showing the Saints in all their insane hijinks through history. The icing on this deliciously delightful cake is the end of the credits, where the entire Saints crew sing along to Biz Markie's "You Got What I Need". The chorus left me in tears when I originally heard it, and it remains just a fantastic ending to the game, even if the actual Saints Row IV left some to be desired. You can bet that the credits certainly didn't!

Best Levels in Gaming History - Volume Twelve

WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!

One of my favorite aspects in gaming is level design. Levels have always fascinated me, and as young as I can remember being, I loved drawing up little maps for games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Mega Man X, for example.

My personal history aside, we last looked as some of my favorite levels in gaming history back in July. I think it's high time for another peek at what some of the greatest levels ever devised are with this twelfth volume. This volume contains levels and areas from Final Fantasy VII, Saints Row IV, and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, to name just three. 

If you missed a previous edition of Best Levels in Gaming History, have no fear. I have collected the links of all previous eleven entries in my long running series for your convenience!

Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six
Volume Seven
Volume Eight
Volume Nine
Volume Ten
Volume Eleven

The Bombing Mission - Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

So many RPGs prior to Final Fantasy VII started the same-- in bed or in an otherwise subdued fashion. Meanwhile, Final Fantasy VII kicked things off as if bidding adieu to the old style of RPGs the series was associated with in the past, and saying "I am Final Fantasy VII. This is a new generation of Final Fantasies. Hear me roar." And boy, did Final Fantasy VII's opening bombing mission at a Mako reactor in Midgar roar like a lion on steroids.

You play as a part of an anti-Shinra (a corporation with a firm hold on the government throughout the world) militant group AVALANCHE. As the ever-sociable (not) Cloud Strife, your team of militants rush out of a steam locomotive and towards the Mako reactor, one of many in Midgar that AVALANCHE considers Shinra to be using to suck the life out of the planet.

The Shinra rebels leap from the locomotive, knocking out the guards at the station platform. Barret, leader of AVALANCHE, runs forward after giving the newcomer Cloud instructions to follow him. After a battle with two blue-clad soldiers, Cloud and the anti-Shinra militants run into the Mako reactor for the goal of planting the bomb.

Final Fantasy VII's first boss battle occurs, having Cloud and Barret temporarily team up to take on the Guard Scorpion robot. Despite an incorrect translation when and when not to attack the robot, it is an easy battle, as expected from a first encounter with a boss. From there, the bomb is successfully planted and a ten minute countdown is given for players to am-scray or else get blown up with the Mako reactor. 

After exiting the reactor, a tremendous explosion occurs from it, jostling the entire massive city of Midgar with it. AVALANCHE's mission this time around is a success, and so is the developers' attempt at creating one of the most exciting, adrenaline-pumping, and fun openings to any Final Fantasy game, much more to most RPGs. 

Zero Saints Thirty - Saints Row IV (PS3, 360, PC)

We go from one opening mission to another with Saints Row IV's ridiculous first mission. Well, really, most of Saints Row IV's missions classify as ridiculous, but I digress. A nuclear threat has gripped the United States thanks to former STAG commander Cyrus Temple. It's up to a joint effort by the Saints and MI6 to save the day, the country, and look pimpin' while doing it.

Saints Row IV starts out with the Saints in a chopper en route to the missile silo that Temple is holed up in. Upon arrival they meet up with an MI6 agent named Asha Odeckar and proceed to do some reconnaissance on a nearby hilltop. However, the Boss of the Saints' patience isn't the greatest, so he (for purposes of consistency and my own sanity, I'll refer to the Boss as a "he") runs, guns blazing and knives ready to strike into combat, absolutely ripping all of the terrorists outside of the missile silo's entrance a new one. The rest of the group follows into the missile silo and proceeds to give the player control of the Boss, running, shooting, and carving up terrorists with his knife. 

Upon reaching Cyrus, the two duke it out with their fists, a fight revolving around quick time event button presses for the player to successfully pull off in order to win. When Cyrus reaches for a machine gun in a box, the Boss leaps to a nearby gun and blasts him over the railing, into a vat of hazardous material. Before Cyrus is fully bathed in the liquid of certain death, he triggers the nuke to launch. Target? Washington D.C.

Throwing caution to the wind once more, the Boss decides to apparently sacrifice himself to stop the nuke, leaping towards it and hanging off the side. For the award for perfect use of a licensed song in a video game, as the nuke enters the nighttime sky, Aerosmith's "Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" begins playing as the Saints give their final goodbyes to the Boss as the Boss rips into the circuitry of the missile. Heck, even Asha has a goodbye message for the Boss, although it's what you'd expect from someone who just met the Boss less than ten minutes ago.

Regardless, the Boss victoriously destroys the warhead, leaps from the missile, giving a thumbs up as it explodes behind him, and falls into his seat in the oval office, returning to work as president of the United States. With a quick kicking up his feet onto his desk, another mission to earn America's eternal love and gratitude is in the books.

Saints Row IV's Zero Saints Thirty mission sets the stage for the entire game. This is a game that is here to give player insane moments and crazy good fun. It successfully carves a niche for itself in a genre of open-world sandbox games and distinguishes itself from the Grand Theft Auto franchise in the process.

Mute City - Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (3DS)

Super Smash Bros. fever is hitting SuperPhillip Central! I've got it! Do you?! I've been really enjoying Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. I take it as an appetizer to the main entree, the Wii U version, releasing in less than two weeks! It only seems appropriate to bring up one of my favorite new stages within the 3DS game.

Mute City features 2D platforms and original sprite vehicles cast on top of the Mute City race from the original SNES F-Zero game. Typically the layout has two 2D platforms on either side of the Blue Falcon that races along the course. Along the way, different vehicles like Pico's Wild Goose, for example, enters the battlefield from one of the sides of the screen as a makeshift platform. Just don't stay too long on these secondary vehicles, as they'll quickly retreat out of the battlefield.

There are plenty of new stages in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS that I really admire and love battling on, but Mute City somehow manages to blend retro visuals with the enjoyable Mute City track environment to make for my favorite.

Bury My Shell At Wounded Knee - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (SNES)

Taking place aboard a train in the Wild West in the year 1885-- wait, are the TMNT and Back to the Future series in the same universe? That would have been some kind of crossover! ...Anyway, sorry about that. Taking place aboard a train in the Wild West in the year 1885, Bury My Shell At Wounded Knee takes the pace of Turtles in Time and ramps it up. It sure beats sailing one mile per hour on a pirate ship, does it not?

This level has a lot to it beyond the moving background, however. There are large barrels that can be used to a turtle's advantage, hitting them into a row of enemy Foot Soldiers. There are Foot Soldiers that pull up to the train via horse and dismount onto the train itself-- showing some mighty fine athleticism, mind you. There is also the ending enjoyment of challenging the killer croc with a nasty fashion sense, Leatherhead, in a one-on-one, one-on-two, or if you're in the arcade, one-on-three, one-on-four battle. (Seriously, was it necessary for me to type that all out?) 

Anyhow, Bury My Shell At Wounded Knee is like an old West train ride-- bumpy, entertaining, a thrill from beginning to end, and it always concludes with you battling a bipedal talking crocodile!

Nintendo - Super Monkey Ball 2 (GCN)

I conclude this edition of Best Levels in Gaming History with an ode to one of Nintendo's home consoles of yesteryear, the GameCube. As an owner and lover of the system, I have a wide assortment of software for my purple little lunch box. Two of my favorite titles on the system are both Super Monkey Ball games. (We don't talk about Super Monkey Ball Adventure on this site.) 

I always found the second game the more entertaining of the two, due to the ability of grinding for a multitude of extra lives and continues. That's how I was able to play the final level in the ultra-hard series of Master levels in Super Monkey Ball 2, simply entitled "Nintendo."

The level has you rolling on a slowly spinning Nintendo GameCube. You have to be incredibly careful with your finger-work, as if you fall into one of the cavities on the underside of the system, you would have no momentum to get out. Thus, when the GameCube turned over, you would fall into the abyss below. 

Unlike many of the later stages in Super Monkey Ball 2, the Nintendo level was fair and didn't require running at full tilt and hoping for the best like how more stages than many would have liked were designed. It was all about going over the edges of the ever-turning GameCube at a sufficient enough pace that you didn't go too fast and slide down the side, or too slow and not have enough momentum to get to the other side. 

At the end of the level, the top hatch of the GameCube system opened, revealing the level's goal inside. I can't tell you how badly I cursed when the system's lid unsuspectingly opened with me on top of it. Into the bottomless abyss I went, along with my hopes and dreams...

===

How did you enjoy this edition of Best Levels in Gaming History? Which levels would you add to the list? Perhaps they will a part of a future installment!

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - A Fascination With Roman Numerals Edition

SuperPhillip Central is here on this lovely Monday morning to pump up the jams-- video game jams, that is. This week we're all about games with roman numerals in their titles. All of these games are sequels to well known series. We have Saints Row, Street Fighter, God of War, Breath of Fire, and Final Fantasy to satiate your thirst for great video game music. If that somehow doesn't, however, why not check out our VGM Database? It contains every theme we've ever put under the spotlight in this weekly segment.

v606. Saints Row IV (PS3, 360, PC) - Main Theme

What better way to kick off the first morning of the work week than with some dubstep? Now, we must admit that we aren't the biggest fans of this more modern musical genre, but we can't help but enjoy Saints Row: The Third's main theme given a dubstep makeover.

v607. Street Fighter II (SNES) - Guile's Theme

This is apparently the song that goes with everything. You've most likely heard or read that if you frequent the Internet and its underbelly. This triumphant theme for the patriotic American fighter Guile, gets the body energized and primed for battle! Now excuse us while we go home and be family men.

v608. God of War III (PS3) - Rage of Sparta

We need to drop a bomb on you. Kratos of the God of War series is the type of antihero that we absolutely despise. He's always angry, he's always a jerk, and he does both of those things obnoxiously well. Still, it is way too much fun hacking and slash foes into huge combos, exploring majestic palaces, temples, and mountains, and hearing all of it backed by this chilling score.

v609. Breath of Fire III (PS1) - The Insane Warriors

Played in the battle arena, Breath of Fire III's The Insane Warriors definitely has a 90's feel to it. This jazzy piece has a really nice beat to it, consists of quick motifs, and gets the toes a-tappin'. A port of this PlayStation One classic arrived on the PSP. However, only PAL and Japanese markets received it. All others needed to import, which could be rather expensive.

v610. Final Fantasy XII (PS2) - Ending Movie

Longtime series composer Nobuo Uematsu only wrote one piece for Final Fantasy XII. The majority of the rest of the music was composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, whose credits include Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, and more recently Valkyria Chronicles. This symphonic masterpiece does Final Fantasy XII's climactic ending supreme justice. It's stirring, riveting, and makes one's pulse pound with its excitement.

Review Round-Up - December 2013 - January 2014

Booker and Elizabeth starred in one of the
best stories told in video game history.

Our general rule with Review Round-Ups is that we at least need to have four reviews in a single month to have a recap of the past month. That didn't happen in the last month of 2013, so we've combined December of last year and January of this year into one Review Round-Up.

December saw the reviews of Star Fox: Assault (8.0), Ys Seven (9.25), and Custom Robo (6.5). We started off the new year with two Nintendo 3DS titles, Mario Party: Island Tour and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, both receiving a 7.0 and a 7.5 respectively. Our game of the month was BioShock Infinite, which bowled us over with its complex and cleverly written story and excellent gameplay. That's why we gave it a 9.5. Following that was a disappointing game, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, which earned itself a 6.5. Then we returned to Steelport, but this time with superpowers in Saints Row IV (8.5). Finally, we had to rest for a moment after we said Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games in one breath. It's a long title, after all! Anyway, that final review of the month had an 8.0 score attached to it. It was a productive two months for SuperPhillip Central's review team, and we look forward to reviewing more games in February!

Scores are based on a 10 point review scale

Star Fox: Assault (GCN) - 8.0
Ys Seven (PSP) - 9.25
Custom Robo (GCN) - 6.5
Mario Party: Island Tour (3DS) - 7.0
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate (3DS) - 7.5
BioShock Infinite (PS3, 360, PC) - 9.5
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (PS4, X1, Wii U, PS3, 360) - 6.5
Saints Row IV (PS3, 360, PC) - 8.5
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (Wii U) - 8.0

What's a bigger force than the Saints?
How about the Saints with superpowers?

Better Late Than Never Reviews: Saints Row IV (PS3, 360, PC) Review

Released last August, but just hitting Japan this past week, Saints Row IV is the latest in the series that started out as Grand Theft Auto Lite. Now, the series has come into its own, and this time the Saints have not only executive powers but superpowers as well. Here's our review of Saints Row IV.

The Superpowered Saints Go Marching In

Saints Row: The Third made plenty of steps to ensure that the series would step away from trying to become another Grand Theft Auto clone, which the game's previous two titles had been heavily compared to. Saints Row IV takes the craziness switch and pulls it into uncharted territory! With superpowers and a load of kooky missions, Saints Row IV is an open world game that feels more like Crackdown than Grand Theft Auto, and it's hard to deny that this change is good.

Beginning with a mission that ends with you riding a warhead into the night sky, trying to dismantle it, while Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" plays, Saints Row IV lays on the wackiness quite earlier. What follows five years later is info that the Saints have made it into the White House. The boss, the once silent and stoic main character from the original Saints Row, serves as President, and his cabinet-- rather your cabinet-- is made up of members from the Saints gang. Suddenly, during a press conference, an alien race known as the Zin invades the Earth and sends your character into a virtual simulation exactly like Steelport from the third game. However, this Steelport has depictions of the Zin leader Zinyak plastered all over, as well as signs mentioning the Saints' doom and futility of their actions.

Steelport sure is looking different these days.

The humor of Saints Row IV is always there, and that is due to some incredible writing. Sure, some of it is quite juvenile and dirty, but I couldn't help but laugh or have a stupid smile on my face playing the game regardless. How can you not laugh at real life actor Keith David serving on your cabinet? How about a scenario where you're riding in a car with Pierce and you both start singing to Biz Markie's "Just a Friend", only to become very pissed off when the always-watching antagonist Zinyak starts singing along to the rap song's chorus as if it were opera. Then there's having a voice for male characters literally titled "Nolan North", perhaps poking fun at Western studios putting his voice in nearly every game imaginable (some exaggeration may be present in the last statement). Case in point, Saints Row IV does not take itself seriously whatsoever, and that is without a doubt a good thing.

Because just having one gun is for bustas. 

The humor and whimsy of Saints Row IV doesn't end with the writing, either. The story-related missions of the game, of which there are around 35, take you on a trip through sheer madness. From participating in a parody of Metal Gear Solid, complete with the infamous guard alert noise and hiding inside cardboard boxes, to fighting in a stone statue against a giant can of soda named Paul, Saints Row IV shows that the developers want players to have fun and they made a game that shows they had a lot of fun making it as well. After all, shouldn't fun be the most important part of a video game?

!

The fun factor is accentuated by the powers that you acquire through these missions in a way to hack the simulation and help bend it towards your will. Doing this enables various upgrade-able superpowers for your character to use. Early powers include the ability to leap high into the air, run at blazing fast speed, and freeze enemies temporarily, allowing enough time to shatter their frozen bodies. By collecting Clusters, scattered all around the simulated Steelport, you can upgrade these powers to allow for faster recharging, more stamina to use for running, among other things. Your character can have his or her abilities upgraded as well, whether that's immunity to fire, higher ammo capacity for the game's different guns, and much more.

It's a faster way of getting around Steelport,
which makes it difficult to want to drive.

The weapons of Saints Row IV are definitely otherworldly. What else can you say about a gun that launches black holes, sucking in nearby characters and objects, as well as a gun that emits a light that abducts whoever walks into it? These weapons are amazingly fun to use, though combat in general can sometimes get a bit repetitive, even with the superpowers involved. Like the superpowers and your character, weapons can be upgraded, also.

Girls' night out

Outside of Saints Row IV's story missions, the series' activities return, too. Standbys like Fraud and Mayhem return. Fraud has you making your body limp in front of cars, in hopes that they run into you, hurling your body into the air for points, while Mayhem requires you to cause a certain dollar amount of pure damage, whether it's with a tank, a UFO, robot armor, or just yourself.

Talk about a mech assault!

New activities have been included to make great use of your character's superpowers. One has you racing through the city streets, jumping on rooftops and speeding through alleyways from waypoint to waypoint. Another has you using your Telekinesis to pick up cars and people, and throwing them through the designated rings. Then there's fighting inside an arena, trying to kill your opponents before time runs out. All of these new activities in addition to new takes on classic ones and optional objectives like collecting all of the Clusters and audio logs, as well as destroying all Zinyak statues have it so this simulated version of Steelport has a large amount of things to do long after the credits have rolled.

For my next trick, I will turn
water into wine!

Steelport itself wasn't that memorable of an open world area in Saints Row: The Third, so it is a bit disappointing that Volition, the developer, decided to reuse it for Saints Row IV. This also makes it so Saints Row IV feels more like an expansion of Saints Row: The Third rather than a wholly original and fresh take on the series.

One of the optional things you can do
is traverse these tall towers.

Saints Row IV generally runs well, but there are occasional hiccups in the framerate, massive amounts of pop-in, and even some freezing that soil the experience slightly. Other than those issues, Saints Row IV plays admirably. When pertaining to sound, Saints Row IV hits all of the high notes with superb voice acting and a licensed soundtrack that spans 109 songs. From classical to alternative rock, there's most likely a station for any given player. I particularly found The Mix to be my personal favorite. You can even create a mixtape of selected songs you have chosen and hear them while moving around Steelport-- in and out of vehicles.

Let this be a lesson to you kids out there:
Always help out your homies.

Saints Row IV was pure fun and hilarity from beginning to end. While many games, particularly from the West, take themselves overly seriously to the point of near self-parody, Saints Row IV doesn't pretend it is anything but a game. It might not push the art form of gaming forward, or even make an actual argument for it, but it's hard to deny that you won't find an open world game as zany and insane from any developer. It's with this that makes me ready to see where the Saints will go next.

[SPC Says: 8.5/10]

Awesome August: Eleven Games to Look Out for This Month

July was not a busy month when it came to retail releases. However, August is making up for lost time with eleven retail releases that we deem to be the most exciting. It's just our opinion, of course, so feel free to disagree or list a game that we missed. Just remember that these North American dates are subject to change, as we've found out the hard way with Rayman Legends! What games are you getting this month, if any?

Pikmin 3 (Wii U) 
Release Date: 8/4

Already getting positive critical reception across the globe, Pikmin 3 has been a game many years in the making, and fans of the series have had to wait nearly a decade for the third installment. Offering up three captains to split up the various duties, Miiverse functionality to share pictures taken in first-person view and new Pikmin types like flying and rock. Players can utilize either the Wii Remote and Nunchuk or Wii U GamePad (or a combination of the two) to play the game. Pikmin 3 looks like the best installment yet, and you can be sure that SuperPhillip Central will have a review for you this month.

Tales of Xillia (PS3)
Release Date: 8/6

Tales fans have waited a long time for this one, over a year to have it localized to the West. It's Tales of Xillia, and in its home country of Japan it broke pre-order records for the Tales series and wound up selling over a half million copies in its first week alone. To say that there are high expectations for Xillia would be an understatement. That said, Tales of Xillia looks to scratch the itch for a well crafted RPG on PlayStation 3 with its quick battle system, lovely visuals and dynamic story. We can think of no better game to whittle away the last full month of summer than with a deep and meaty RPG like Tales of Xillia.

Dragon's Crown (PS3, PSV)
Release Date: 8/6

Developed by Vanillaware, makers of such jaw-dropping and beautiful games like Odin Sphere and Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Dragon's Crown looks to be the studio's most ambitious project yet. The game itself is a 2D action-RPG with many beat-em-up sensibilities to it. Players have the choice of six unique characters to use, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Dragon's Crown also allows up to four players to hop onto the PlayStation Network and cooperatively play through the game together. It is all of these reasons that Dragon's Crown is hotly anticipated by PlayStation fans. The game comes out next week for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita owners.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (3DS)
Release Date: 8/11

The fourth entry in the Mario & Luigi RPG series, and the first to hit the Nintendo 3DS, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team has a higher focus on Luigi than past games. Mario can enter his brother's dreams at specific spots in the game and solve puzzles. In the dreams, Luigi is a much braver figure than his real world self, and that makes for some truly awesome moments. Word from Japan and PAL players is that the game is highly humorous, well written and mostly plays like... well... a dream. Mario & Luigi: Dream Team will finally release in North America on Sunday, August 11.

Disney Infinity (Multi)
Release Date: 8/18

Get ready for the next children's sensation, Disney Infinity. The game uses a similar concept to Activision's Skylanders series, having figurines that players use to insert characters into the game world. The starter pack will feature three sets: Monsters University, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lone Ranger. New figures and packs will be released in the future for series like Toy Story, Wreck-It Ralph and Phineas and Ferb. With the Toy Box mode, players can essentially create their own custom experience, using any piece and figurine from any set. Disney Infinity is the Disney corporation's $100 million gamble, and if it plays as good as it looks and resonates well with customers, it will be one that certainly pays off.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Multi)
Release Date: 8/20

Coming with a much touted gameplay feature in the form of Killing in Motion, allowing players to quickly highlight enemies while on the run and swiftly take care of them, Splinter Cell: Blacklist is the sixth installment of the Splinter Cell franchise, and the first to not feature Michael Ironside as the voice of Sam Fisher. Ubisoft Toronto (for the PS3, 360 and PC versions) and Ubisoft Shanghai (for the Wii U version) seems to be putting great effort in all versions of the game. For the Xbox 360 version, voice commands via the Kinect peripheral will be allowed, while the Wii U version will use its mighty GamePad to access gadgets on the fly and for gyro and touch-based actions.

Saints Row IV (Multi)
Release Date: 8/20

Since Grand Theft Auto IV, in retrospect, was disappointing in many regards, we've grown quite fond of Volition's Saints Row series. Saints Row II is still one of our favorite sandbox-style games, Saints Row: The Third dialed up the crazy considerably and Saints Row IV looks to make Saints Row 3's crazy look sane in comparison. The newest installment of the series introduces aliens into the already zany world of Saints Row, where it seems that the only rule is that there are no rules. We can't think of any better way to prepare for Grand Theft Auto V than returning to the wacky antics of the Saints Row series when the fourth installment hits store shelves on August 20.

New Super Luigi U (Wii U)
Release Date: 8/25

The digital release of New Super Luigi U has been around for Wii U owners (all five of you-- we're kidding, don't shoot us!) to download for over a month now. The retail release, in its limited edition run and special green box, comes out on the 25th, a Sunday. For those who complain about Mario games being too easy, this DLC in disc form will put such thoughts to rest. New Super Luigi U is an incredibly difficult game to beat, much more get all of the star coins in each level. Though it may seem like a negative that each level is shorter than what would normally be expected of Mario platformers, you'll sort of be glad they're not any longer, as there are no checkpoints and plenty of easy places to die. New Super Luigi U arrives in retail form on August 25.

Lost Planet 3 (Multi)
Release Date: 8/27

Lost Planet 3 returns to the extreme conditions of the original Lost Planet, where the world is submerged in an ice age like never seen before. Spark Unlimited, the developer for the game, promises a more story-centric game than Lost Planet 3's two predecessors. There will be full mission-based quests that further the story along, as well as optional side quests. The world will be able to be explored fully, and this time your character's thermal energy is not related to health, meaning exploring the world will be much less of an arduous and annoying task. Lost Planet 3 is shaping up to be an interesting take on the franchise, despite it being yet another title that Capcom has farmed out to a Western developer. We don't mind that, as long as the quality is great.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (PS3, PC)
Release Date: 8/27

After the original version of Final Fantasy XIV was bombarded with immense negative criticism from both reviewers and players, Square Enix decided to completely overhaul the game into a form. That form is the upcoming Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, with a subtitle that is meant to be taken literally, as the game world really is being reborn. This MMORPG is also slated to hit the PlayStation 4, but its release will obviously be later. Expect that version to release some time next year. Regardless, A Realm Reborn hopes to recapture some of the lost faith that fans of the series have had after multiple misfires from the developer. We'll see what happens when the game releases on August 27.

Madden NFL 25 (Multi)
Release Date: 8/27

Are you ready for some football? Then grab a controller, get ready to toss around the pigskin and celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Madden NFL franchise. The game is promising new upgrades such as better running animations, updated visuals, improved physics as well as better attention to detail, such as the field wearing down at spots where the most action takes place. The latter upgrade is obviously going to be a major selling point and have the game fly off shelves. We may be a bit sarcastic here. Regardless, Madden NFL 25 is shaping up to be the edition of Madden to get if you've been away from the series for any extended period of time.