Saints Row 2

When talking about Saints Row 2, it’s impossible not to immediately acknowledge the hulking beast that is GTA IV. The Saints Row series is forever doomed to live in the shadow of one of gaming’s hugest franchises, and has so far come up short in its attempts to overthrow the king. 

Saints Row 2 is not pretty, it is not refined, and it is not realistic. "We're going for a very over-the-top feel," commented James Tsai, the game's lead designer, as we chatted with him at THQ's yearly preview event.

The game is very over-the-top, both in gameplay and story, the latter of which has been criticized as an exercise in tired racial stereotypes and naive views of "street life." James disagrees. "It's about having fun. The

Saints Row 2 looks set to have the best character creation option we've ever seen. Find out just how deep it goes and get a fresh eyeful of GTA-alike screens here

 

The original Saints Row was perhaps the most successful Grand Theft Auto copycat to date, and its sequel is promising to up the ante with a series of tweaks to the winning crime sim formula. Unsurprisingly, gang warfare is still the order of the day as you guide your chosen gangbanger through an expanded version of Stillwater City. But while the games themes remain unchanged there is talk of a darker storyline that picks up some years on from the explosive final act of the first game -