Saints Row
Encyclopedia
Saints Row is an open world
action-adventure
video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ
. It is the first title in the Saints Row
series and is succeeded by Saints Row 2
. A PlayStation 3
port was cancelled after protracted development time. The game was released to commercial and critical success, selling over 2 million copies, and prompting for development of its sequel.
Set in Stilwater, a fictional city based heavily on the likes of Detroit and Chicago
, the game begins with the unnamed protagonist being caught up in a war between three rival gang
s. He is rescued by Julius Little and Troy Bradshaw, who lead the 3rd Street Saints, a street gang tasked with bringing an end to the ongoing gang war that has crippled the streets of Stilwater. When he is offered a position in the gang, the protagonist gladly accepts and the storyline follows the protagonist's journey as he aids the Saints in bringing down the other gangs and giving the Saints full control over the city.
Saints Row is composed of elements from driving games and third-person shooter
s and features open world
gameplay that gives players control over their playing experience. An array of land-based weapons and vehicles are included in the game and an in-depth customization system allows the player to modify the protagonist's appearance and clothes, as well as vehicles. Saints Row also features competitive multiplayer modes and an online gang system.
and a driving game, affording the player a large open environment in which to move around. On foot, the player's character is capable of walking, running, swimming, climbing and jumping, as well as utilizing weapons and basic hand-to-hand combat. Players can also drive a variety of land-based vehicles like automobile
s, truck
s and van
s.
The open, non-linear environment allows players to explore and choose how they wish to play the game. After a short cinematic-based prologue, the entire environment can be fully explored. Although storyline missions are necessary as they are part of in-game progress, players can complete them at their own leisure and after filling up a bar of 'respect', which is in-game currency used to unlock missions. As missions are separated into three linear mission arcs with different storylines, each mission can be completed at the player's leisure or played through in respective order. In addition, the player can replay any mission or cutscene through use of an in-game movie theater. Should the player ever fail a mission in Saints Row, the option of instantly retrying the mission is given to the player, instead of having to drive back to the point in the city where the mission originated from. The goal of the game is to wipe out other rival gangs.
When not taking on a storyline mission, players can free-roam and explore the environment, spend money on various shops and participate in eleven mini-games called activities which in turn earn the player money and respect. However, creating havoc can attract unwanted and potentially fatal attention from the authorities and rival gangs.
The game incorporates the use of a vast array of weaponry. The player is capable of firing over twenty different weapons, including melee weapons, pistols, submachine guns, shotguns, rifles, an RPG and thrown weapons. Many weapons can be bought from weapon stores across the city however some need to be unlocked throughout the game. The player can tap into their own private stash of weaponry through in-game progress, available at their crib for use at any time.
The game uses a "wanted level" system and a bar is gradually filled up when authorities and rival gangs are provoked. Each bar filled is represented by the provoked enemy's logo, be it a star to represent the police or a "gang sign" to represent an enemy gang. One bar of notoriety will result in non-lethal retalliation however two, three, four or five bars of notoriety will result in a gradually increased lethal response. Notoriety will go down over time, but the enemy will continue to be aggressive towards the player until all the bars are fully depleted. When arrested by the police, the player will reappear outside a police station with a small bounty collected from their earnings, but will not have any items revoked. The player can recruit members of the 3rd Street Saints as "homies" who will follow the player around and respond to any attacks made on the player, serving as personal bodyguards.
is featured in Saints Row. The phone can be accessed from the in-game menu. The phone allows the player to call different services around the city, including emergency service
s. In addition, the phone can be used to input a variety of cheat codes which can then be activated through the "cheats" menu, but will subsequently disable Achievements. The phone can also be used to call up special "homies" which are unlocked through in-game progress and depending on the player's location, the "homie" will arrive in his/her vehicle within seconds.
The game makes use of a large pause-menu map— and also an in'game minimap; which allows the player to view a graphical representation of the streetscape and view each district with its subsequent neighborhoods, shown in different colors indicating which gang controls that territory. The map also filters numerous icons used to represent unique points on the map such as shops, activities, missions and cribs. Saints Row is the first game of its kind to adopt an in-game GPS navigation device
. Through the use of this, the player can set a waypoint anywhere in the city and a directional line will indicate the quickest route to the marked destination.
, Spain
, in September 2006, the "Funky Fresh Pack" was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace
as the game's first downloadable content. The item, which costs 100 Microsoft Points, added 23 different clothing and tattoo items for use in both the single and multiplayer modes. In December 2006, the "Ho Ho Ho Pack" was released, adding Santa Claus
themed clothing items. The pack is free to download. In January 2007, another free downloadable pack was released. The UnKut pack installs clothes designed by UnKut and features shirts, jackets, overshirts, pants and hats.
and Chicago, in the middle of a gang war between several gang factions. Though he attempts to maintain distance, he witnesses a fight between the 3 major gangs. Members from one gang attempt to gun him down; however, the 3rd Street Saints, led by Julius Little, step in and save him. Julius informs the player that he formed the Saints to bring down the other three gangs with the goal of returning peace to the streets. After proving himself to the Saints, he's initiated into the gang and then asked to assist them in taking over the city from three gangs in the city: Los Carnales, the Westside Rollerz and the Vice Kings. The player, over the course of the game, assists in several missions and stronghold takeovers against each rival gang, slowly bringing the entire city under control by the Saints.
Because of the three different gangs, there are three linear plots that deal with the conquest of each gang, though events in one plot do not affect any of the other plots. In the end, the player is able to defeat the boss and several of the lieutenants of each rival gang and brings all of Stilwater under the Saints' control. The game apparently ends when the player receives a call from Julius, who tells the player that he is the new "right hand man". However, he implies that he is about to be arrested by corrupt cops, who were waiting for the gang wars to end before they made their move against the Saints. At this point, other members of the Saints ask the player for their orders.
After a shortened version of the credits, featuring only the voice actors in the game, and the game appears to be completed, the player is allowed to engage in three "epilogue" missions, resulting in attacks on the mayor and the corrupt police chief in order to try to free Julius from prison. Once the mayor is dead, the player is invited to the private yacht of Alderman Richard Hughes, the only other candidate for mayor in the upcoming election. Hughes thanks the player for eradicating his political rival for him, planning to use his mayoral power to destroy the Saints. Before the player can respond to Hughes' ultimatum, a bomb can be heard beeping and the yacht explodes, leaving the player's character's fate in question as the game ends.
), with lieutenants Johnny Gat (Daniel Dae Kim), Dex Jackson (JAQ
), and Troy Bradshaw (Michael Rapaport
) backing him up. Lin (Tia Carrere
) works as a spy to infiltrate the Rollerz and Aisha (Sy Smith
) is a singer from Saints Row that signed on with the Vice Kings' record label, Kingdom Come Records, and is also the girlfriend of Johnny Gat. The Saints start their operations from a derelict church in a run-down residential area on the east side of Stilwater. The Saints wear purple and their symbol is a gold Fleur-de-lis
. There are 9 missions for the 3rd Street Saints.
s, mostly Colombians and Dominicans, and a small group of Caucasians
, and sporting red colors, Los Carnales specialize in arms and Drugs
. Hector Lopez (Joaquim de Almeida
) leads the gang while his brother Angelo Lopez (Freddy Rodríguez
) is his right-hand man. He is dating Luz Avalos (Andrea Zafra) at the game's onset. Victor Rodriguez (Philip Anthony Rodriguez) is their enforcer, and Manuel Orejuela (Carlos Ferro
) is a liaison from the cartel that supplies them with cocaine. The Carnales operate primarily out of the region around the airport and the run-down industrial areas of Stilwater. It is revealed in the church in Saints Row 2 that the Lopez Brothers' father was named Alejandro Lopez. The gang is probably based on the Texas Syndicate or Barrio Azteca
s. It is also a running gag that some members of the Saints incorrectly refer to Los Carnales as The Los Carnales ("Los" is Spanish for "the".). Los Carnales' symbol is a cross. There are 10 missions for Los Carnales.
) in Sunnyvale Gardens and one of the sections of the Projects district in Stilwater to counterbalance the might of Los Carnales. Warren Williams (Ogie Banks
) and Anthony "Tony" Green (Terrence "T.C." Carson) are lieutenants, with Tony's girlfriend Tanya Winters (Mila Kunis
) running the gang's brothels. In present-day Stilwater, the Vice Kings serve as little more than the private security force that serves to safeguard King's personal dynasty, which includes illegal gambling, prostitution and, the crown jewel of the Vice King empire, Kingdom Come Records, a semi-legitimate record company. The Vice Kings refuse to sell drugs, as Benjamin King does not want to lose his political connections with law enforcement and City Hall. The Vice Kings is loosely based on the Chicago-based gangs the Vice Lords
and Latin Kings
, and their gang color is yellow. The Vice Kings symbol is a Golden Crown. There are 11 missions for the Vice Kings.
and automobile
s, the Westside Rollerz are composed of Asian-Americans
and caucasians
, and dress in blue. The gang is run by Joseph Price (Greg Sims
) and financed by William Sharp (David Carradine
), Price's uncle. Donnie (Andrew Kishino
) is Price's best friend, another lieutenant, and also their expert mechanic
. The Rollerz operate from the northwest area of Stilwater, encompassing expensive suburban housing as well the area around the Stilwater stadium. The Westside Rollerz is used to parody the street racing characters from popular films. The Westside Rollerz symbol is a Chrome Wheel. There are 9 missions for the Westside Rollerz.
then-record for being downloaded more than 350,000 times in the first week of its release.
The game has received generally positive ratings. Although most critics have noted the striking similarities in gameplay that Saints Row shares with releases from the Grand Theft Auto series, they have also praised the game for the inclusion of new features and its improvement of existing ones from GTA. Saints Row has received ratings of 95/100 from GamePro
, 8.75/10 from Game Informer
, 80/100 from Official Xbox Magazine
, 8.5/10 from IGN
, 8.4/10 from GamerNode, and 8.3/10 from GameSpot
. GamePro called it "the best reason to own an Xbox 360 this side of Oblivion
", while IGN noted, "Hate it if you want to, snicker at its obvious me-too qualities, but don't forget to recognize impressive, kick-ass gameplay as you walk out the door." Saints Row has received an average critic score of 82% on Game Rankings
and 81% on Metacritic. It was the Australian video game talk show,Good Game
s, first ever review, with the two reviewers giving the game a 7/10 and 8/10.
Most critics have praised the "Activities" and the online multiplayer, as well as the free-form control scheme. Common complaints about the game are over issues with glitches, unsatisfactory car physics, cartoonish graphics and forced, hit-or-miss humor. While the robust character creation mode was praised, several gaming publications also complained about the main character's lack of dialogue.
Although welcomed by critics and fans alike, the online multiplayer suffered from significant lag
upon the game's debut, making it difficult to play. This issue was mostly fixed by a patch that took 2 months to develop.
As of November 2006, Saints Row had sold more than 1 million copies.
Saints Row received awards from GameSpot for "Most Surprisingly Good Game of 2006", as well as Gaming Target
for one of 52 Games We will Still Be Playing From 2006 selection.
Saints Row has since joined the Xbox 360 lineup of "Platinum Hits
" games, being rebranded and sold for US$19.99.
has expressed interest in developing a screenplay for a Saints Row film in collaboration with THQ.
Open world
An open world is a type of video game level design where a player can roam freely through a virtual world and is given considerable freedom in choosing how to approach objectives...
action-adventure
Action-adventure game
An 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 THQ
THQ
THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
. It is the first title in the Saints Row
Saints Row (series)
Saints Row is a video game franchise created by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ. Typically, gameplay is presented in open world format. Because of the mixture of nonlinear gameplay with action-adventure and racing sequences, the series is referred to as being sandbox style.After completing Red...
series and is succeeded by Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2 is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 systems. It is the second title in the Saints Row series, after the release of Saints Row in 2006. It is succeeded by Saints Row: The...
. A PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The 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. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
port was cancelled after protracted development time. The game was released to commercial and critical success, selling over 2 million copies, and prompting for development of its sequel.
Set in Stilwater, a fictional city based heavily on the likes of Detroit and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, the game begins with the unnamed protagonist being caught up in a war between three rival gang
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
s. He is rescued by Julius Little and Troy Bradshaw, who lead the 3rd Street Saints, a street gang tasked with bringing an end to the ongoing gang war that has crippled the streets of Stilwater. When he is offered a position in the gang, the protagonist gladly accepts and the storyline follows the protagonist's journey as he aids the Saints in bringing down the other gangs and giving the Saints full control over the city.
Saints Row is composed of elements from driving games and third-person shooter
Third-person shooter
Third-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 features open world
Open world
An open world is a type of video game level design where a player can roam freely through a virtual world and is given considerable freedom in choosing how to approach objectives...
gameplay that gives players control over their playing experience. An array of land-based weapons and vehicles are included in the game and an in-depth customization system allows the player to modify the protagonist's appearance and clothes, as well as vehicles. Saints Row also features competitive multiplayer modes and an online gang system.
Gameplay
Saints Row consists of elements of a third-person shooterThird-person shooter
Third-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 a driving game, affording the player a large open environment in which to move around. On foot, the player's character is capable of walking, running, swimming, climbing and jumping, as well as utilizing weapons and basic hand-to-hand combat. Players can also drive a variety of land-based vehicles like automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s, truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s and van
Van
A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people.In British English usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon or sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs...
s.
The open, non-linear environment allows players to explore and choose how they wish to play the game. After a short cinematic-based prologue, the entire environment can be fully explored. Although storyline missions are necessary as they are part of in-game progress, players can complete them at their own leisure and after filling up a bar of 'respect', which is in-game currency used to unlock missions. As missions are separated into three linear mission arcs with different storylines, each mission can be completed at the player's leisure or played through in respective order. In addition, the player can replay any mission or cutscene through use of an in-game movie theater. Should the player ever fail a mission in Saints Row, the option of instantly retrying the mission is given to the player, instead of having to drive back to the point in the city where the mission originated from. The goal of the game is to wipe out other rival gangs.
When not taking on a storyline mission, players can free-roam and explore the environment, spend money on various shops and participate in eleven mini-games called activities which in turn earn the player money and respect. However, creating havoc can attract unwanted and potentially fatal attention from the authorities and rival gangs.
Combat and response
Combat in Saints Row allows the player to engage in basic hand-to-hand combat and utilize a variety of weapons. A 360-degree free aiming reticule appears when a weapon is equipped, allowing for fast and responsive aiming. The player can still move around freely with a gun equipped and still has the ability to run while firing as the game does not feature a fine-aim zoom mode, except on sniper rifles. Weapons are selectable from a one-touch inventory system, rather than toggling through each weapon. The player can also perform a melee attack with a gun equipped through use of the alternate-fire trigger on the Xbox 360 controller. The player's health will slowly regenerate over time, however food items can be bought to help regenerate health more quickly and efficiently.The game incorporates the use of a vast array of weaponry. The player is capable of firing over twenty different weapons, including melee weapons, pistols, submachine guns, shotguns, rifles, an RPG and thrown weapons. Many weapons can be bought from weapon stores across the city however some need to be unlocked throughout the game. The player can tap into their own private stash of weaponry through in-game progress, available at their crib for use at any time.
The game uses a "wanted level" system and a bar is gradually filled up when authorities and rival gangs are provoked. Each bar filled is represented by the provoked enemy's logo, be it a star to represent the police or a "gang sign" to represent an enemy gang. One bar of notoriety will result in non-lethal retalliation however two, three, four or five bars of notoriety will result in a gradually increased lethal response. Notoriety will go down over time, but the enemy will continue to be aggressive towards the player until all the bars are fully depleted. When arrested by the police, the player will reappear outside a police station with a small bounty collected from their earnings, but will not have any items revoked. The player can recruit members of the 3rd Street Saints as "homies" who will follow the player around and respond to any attacks made on the player, serving as personal bodyguards.
Customization
The game allows the player to create a customized male character using a number of different features, including facial and body makeup. Furthermore, the player can dress their character in numerous styles of clothes available from shops around Stilwater. The choice of color and style of the clothes can affect the game, as by dressing in the Saints' colors (purple) the player will earn more respect for completing missions. The player can further customize their character through facial hair, jewelry and tattoos. Additionally, the player can perform custom body work and paint jobs on their cars, and purchase new in-game music through the city's stores.Communication and navigation
The use of an in-game mobile phoneMobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
is featured in Saints Row. The phone can be accessed from the in-game menu. The phone allows the player to call different services around the city, including emergency service
Emergency service
Emergency services are organizations which ensure public safety and health by addressing different emergencies. Some agencies exist solely for addressing certain types of emergencies whilst others deal with ad hoc emergencies as part of their normal responsibilities...
s. In addition, the phone can be used to input a variety of cheat codes which can then be activated through the "cheats" menu, but will subsequently disable Achievements. The phone can also be used to call up special "homies" which are unlocked through in-game progress and depending on the player's location, the "homie" will arrive in his/her vehicle within seconds.
The game makes use of a large pause-menu map— and also an in'game minimap; which allows the player to view a graphical representation of the streetscape and view each district with its subsequent neighborhoods, shown in different colors indicating which gang controls that territory. The map also filters numerous icons used to represent unique points on the map such as shops, activities, missions and cribs. Saints Row is the first game of its kind to adopt an in-game GPS navigation device
GPS navigation device
A GPS navigation device is any device that receives Global Positioning System signals for the purpose of determining the device's current location on Earth...
. Through the use of this, the player can set a waypoint anywhere in the city and a directional line will indicate the quickest route to the marked destination.
Downloadable content
During the X06 Convention in BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, in September 2006, the "Funky Fresh Pack" was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content...
as the game's first downloadable content. The item, which costs 100 Microsoft Points, added 23 different clothing and tattoo items for use in both the single and multiplayer modes. In December 2006, the "Ho Ho Ho Pack" was released, adding Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
themed clothing items. The pack is free to download. In January 2007, another free downloadable pack was released. The UnKut pack installs clothes designed by UnKut and features shirts, jackets, overshirts, pants and hats.
Plot
Saints Row begins with the player (an unnamed character) in the fictional metropolitan city of Stilwater, based on cities such as DetroitDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and Chicago, in the middle of a gang war between several gang factions. Though he attempts to maintain distance, he witnesses a fight between the 3 major gangs. Members from one gang attempt to gun him down; however, the 3rd Street Saints, led by Julius Little, step in and save him. Julius informs the player that he formed the Saints to bring down the other three gangs with the goal of returning peace to the streets. After proving himself to the Saints, he's initiated into the gang and then asked to assist them in taking over the city from three gangs in the city: Los Carnales, the Westside Rollerz and the Vice Kings. The player, over the course of the game, assists in several missions and stronghold takeovers against each rival gang, slowly bringing the entire city under control by the Saints.
Because of the three different gangs, there are three linear plots that deal with the conquest of each gang, though events in one plot do not affect any of the other plots. In the end, the player is able to defeat the boss and several of the lieutenants of each rival gang and brings all of Stilwater under the Saints' control. The game apparently ends when the player receives a call from Julius, who tells the player that he is the new "right hand man". However, he implies that he is about to be arrested by corrupt cops, who were waiting for the gang wars to end before they made their move against the Saints. At this point, other members of the Saints ask the player for their orders.
After a shortened version of the credits, featuring only the voice actors in the game, and the game appears to be completed, the player is allowed to engage in three "epilogue" missions, resulting in attacks on the mayor and the corrupt police chief in order to try to free Julius from prison. Once the mayor is dead, the player is invited to the private yacht of Alderman Richard Hughes, the only other candidate for mayor in the upcoming election. Hughes thanks the player for eradicating his political rival for him, planning to use his mayoral power to destroy the Saints. Before the player can respond to Hughes' ultimatum, a bomb can be heard beeping and the yacht explodes, leaving the player's character's fate in question as the game ends.
3rd Street Saints
The gang that the main character will join after the leader Julius saves him after a gang fight, wear purple colors and is made up of all races. The gang specializes in gang warfare in an attempt to take back the city from the other gangs and restore peace. The Saints are led by Julius Little (Keith DavidKeith David
Keith David Williams , better known as Keith David, is an American film, television, voice actor, and singer. 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...
), with lieutenants Johnny Gat (Daniel Dae Kim), Dex Jackson (JAQ
JAQ
Jeffery Allen Qaiyum redirects here. For the name Jeffery Allen Qaiyum see Jacques.Jeffery Allen Qaiyum is an American professional b-boy, writer and MC. He has a brother, GQ, who is also a B-Boy professional.-Biography:...
), and Troy Bradshaw (Michael Rapaport
Michael Rapaport
Michael David Rapaport is an American, actor, director and a comedian. He has acted in more than forty films since the early 1990s...
) backing him up. Lin (Tia Carrere
Tia Carrere
Tia Carrere is an American actress, model, voice artist, and singer, perhaps most widely known for her role as Cassandra Wong in the feature films Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2, Queen Tyr'ahnee in Duck Dodgers, and as Sydney Fox in the TV series Relic Hunter.-Early life:Carrere was born in...
) works as a spy to infiltrate the Rollerz and Aisha (Sy Smith
Sy Smith
Sy Olivia Smith is an American Emmy nominated singer-songwriter. Born in New York, New York, Smith rose to fame in the late 1990s when she signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records. Smith released her first studio album Psykosoul in 2000, which spawned the singles "Gladly" and "Good N...
) is a singer from Saints Row that signed on with the Vice Kings' record label, Kingdom Come Records, and is also the girlfriend of Johnny Gat. The Saints start their operations from a derelict church in a run-down residential area on the east side of Stilwater. The Saints wear purple and their symbol is a gold Fleur-de-lis
Fleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
. There are 9 missions for the 3rd Street Saints.
Los Carnales
Primarily made up of hispanicHispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
s, mostly Colombians and Dominicans, and a small group of Caucasians
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
, and sporting red colors, Los Carnales specialize in arms and Drugs
Arms industry
The arms industry is a global industry and business which manufactures and sells weapons and military technology and equipment. It comprises government and commercial industry involved in research, development, production, and service of military material, equipment and facilities...
. Hector Lopez (Joaquim de Almeida
Joaquim de Almeida
Joaquim António Portugal Baptista de Almeida is a Portuguese-born American actor. He began his acting doing some theater. During the 1980s, he started his film career appearing on the 1982 action film The Soldier, and later achieved recognition for playing Andrea Bonanno in the 1987 Italian film...
) leads the gang while his brother Angelo Lopez (Freddy Rodríguez
Freddy Rodriguez
Freddy Rodriguez is an American actor known for playing the characters Hector Federico "Rico" Diaz on HBO's Six Feet Under and El Wray in Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror...
) is his right-hand man. He is dating Luz Avalos (Andrea Zafra) at the game's onset. Victor Rodriguez (Philip Anthony Rodriguez) is their enforcer, and Manuel Orejuela (Carlos Ferro
Carlos Ferro
Carlos Ferro is an American actor, writer, director, and producer.-Early life:Carlos’ first career in the entertainment industry was as a DJ. Spinning records in San Francisco’s nightclubs, he quickly became one of the city’s prominent DJs, befriending musical acts such as Grace Jones and the...
) is a liaison from the cartel that supplies them with cocaine. The Carnales operate primarily out of the region around the airport and the run-down industrial areas of Stilwater. It is revealed in the church in Saints Row 2 that the Lopez Brothers' father was named Alejandro Lopez. The gang is probably based on the Texas Syndicate or Barrio Azteca
Barrio Azteca
The Barrio Azteca, or Los Aztecas, is a Mexican Prison gang originally based in El Paso, Texas. The group worked as a paramilitary armed wing for the Juárez Cartel in 1997 and it is currently operating as a branch of the powerful La Línea , and has relocated to Guadalajara city.Eduardo Ravelo...
s. It is also a running gag that some members of the Saints incorrectly refer to Los Carnales as The Los Carnales ("Los" is Spanish for "the".). Los Carnales' symbol is a cross. There are 10 missions for Los Carnales.
Vice Kings
The Vice Kings were formed by Benjamin King (Michael Clarke DuncanMichael Clarke Duncan
Michael Clarke Duncan is an American actor, best known for his breakout role as John Coffey in The Green Mile, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.- Early life :...
) in Sunnyvale Gardens and one of the sections of the Projects district in Stilwater to counterbalance the might of Los Carnales. Warren Williams (Ogie Banks
Ogie Banks
Ogie H. Banks III is an American voice actor.-Animated roles:* All Grown Up! - Additional Voices* Bratz - Dylan, Cruise* Butt-Ugly Martians - Cedric* Class of 3000 - Additional Voices...
) and Anthony "Tony" Green (Terrence "T.C." Carson) are lieutenants, with Tony's girlfriend Tanya Winters (Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis
Milena "Mila" Kunis is an American actress. Her work includes the role of Jackie Burkhart on the TV series That '70s Show and the voice of Meg Griffin on the animated series Family Guy...
) running the gang's brothels. In present-day Stilwater, the Vice Kings serve as little more than the private security force that serves to safeguard King's personal dynasty, which includes illegal gambling, prostitution and, the crown jewel of the Vice King empire, Kingdom Come Records, a semi-legitimate record company. The Vice Kings refuse to sell drugs, as Benjamin King does not want to lose his political connections with law enforcement and City Hall. The Vice Kings is loosely based on the Chicago-based gangs the Vice Lords
Vice Lords
The Almighty Vice Lord Nation is the second largest and one of the oldest street gangs in Chicago. Their total membership is estimated to be as many as 30,000...
and Latin Kings
Latin Kings
The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation is said to be the largest and most organized Hispanic street gang in the United States of America, which has its roots dating back to the 1940s in Chicago, Illinois.-History:...
, and their gang color is yellow. The Vice Kings symbol is a Golden Crown. There are 11 missions for the Vice Kings.
Westside Rollerz
Specializing in racingStreet racing
Street racing is a form of unsanctioned and illegal motor racing which takes place on public roads. Street racing can either be spontaneous or well-planned and coordinated. Well coordinated races are planned in advance and often have people communicating via 2-way radio/citizens' band radio and...
and automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s, the Westside Rollerz are composed of Asian-Americans
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
and caucasians
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
, and dress in blue. The gang is run by Joseph Price (Greg Sims
Greg Sims
Gregory Emmett Sims is a retired American professional baseball player. During his nine-season playing career, he spent part of one season, , as a member of the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball...
) and financed by William Sharp (David Carradine
David Carradine
David Carradine was an American actor and martial artist, best known for his role as a warrior monk, Kwai Chang Caine, in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu, which later had a 1990s sequel series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues...
), Price's uncle. Donnie (Andrew Kishino
Andrew Kishino
Andrew Kishino is a Japanese-Canadian voice actor in video games, animation and voice-over narration.-Animation:*The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy - Additional Voices...
) is Price's best friend, another lieutenant, and also their expert mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
. The Rollerz operate from the northwest area of Stilwater, encompassing expensive suburban housing as well the area around the Stilwater stadium. The Westside Rollerz is used to parody the street racing characters from popular films. The Westside Rollerz symbol is a Chrome Wheel. There are 9 missions for the Westside Rollerz.
Reception
Prior to the retail version of Saints Row being released, the demo set an Xbox Live MarketplaceXbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content...
then-record for being downloaded more than 350,000 times in the first week of its release.
The game has received generally positive ratings. Although most critics have noted the striking similarities in gameplay that Saints Row shares with releases from the Grand Theft Auto series, they have also praised the game for the inclusion of new features and its improvement of existing ones from GTA. Saints Row has received ratings of 95/100 from GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
, 8.75/10 from Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
, 80/100 from Official Xbox Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine is a monthly video game magazine which started in November 2001 around the launch of the original Xbox. A preview issue was released for E3 2001, with another preview issue for November 2001. The magazine is bundled with a disc that includes game demos, preview videos and...
, 8.5/10 from IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, 8.4/10 from GamerNode, and 8.3/10 from GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 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...
. GamePro called it "the best reason to own an Xbox 360 this side of Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a single-player action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks and the Take-Two Interactive subsidiary 2K Games...
", while IGN noted, "Hate it if you want to, snicker at its obvious me-too qualities, but don't forget to recognize impressive, kick-ass gameplay as you walk out the door." Saints Row has received an average critic score of 82% on Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
and 81% on Metacritic. It was the Australian video game talk show,Good Game
Good Game
Good Game is an Australian video gaming talk show television programme created by Janet Carr and Jeremy Ray currently on ABC2. It premiered on ABC on 19 September 2006...
s, first ever review, with the two reviewers giving the game a 7/10 and 8/10.
Most critics have praised the "Activities" and the online multiplayer, as well as the free-form control scheme. Common complaints about the game are over issues with glitches, unsatisfactory car physics, cartoonish graphics and forced, hit-or-miss humor. While the robust character creation mode was praised, several gaming publications also complained about the main character's lack of dialogue.
Although welcomed by critics and fans alike, the online multiplayer suffered from significant lag
Lag
Lag is a common word meaning to fail to keep up or to fall behind. In real-time applications, the term is used when the application fails to respond in a timely fashion to inputs...
upon the game's debut, making it difficult to play. This issue was mostly fixed by a patch that took 2 months to develop.
As of November 2006, Saints Row had sold more than 1 million copies.
Saints Row received awards from GameSpot for "Most Surprisingly Good Game of 2006", as well as Gaming Target
Gaming Target
Gaming Target is a website covering video games and gaming culture that was founded on February 17, 1999 by Matt Swider.-History:When it launched in 1999, Gaming Target focused solely on the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color...
for one of 52 Games We will Still Be Playing From 2006 selection.
Saints Row has since joined the Xbox 360 lineup of "Platinum Hits
Platinum Hits
Platinum Hits is a term used to refer to a line of select Xbox games that were considered by Microsoft to have sold considerable 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...
" games, being rebranded and sold for US$19.99.
Film adaptation
Rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
has expressed interest in developing a screenplay for a Saints Row film in collaboration with THQ.