Saints Row: The Third - Familiar Faces, New Directions

On this week's episode of Under10Hours, we take a look at the third release in the Saints Row series, Saints Row: The Third. This game drastically shifted away from the balance of humor and serious tones and went all in on the wacky, emphasizing fun over everything else. In exchange, however, it lost a big part of what made the series so good.
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[@krieg4699]

Sr2 is actually one of the best games ever made

[@truelies9187]

It was

[@ukjamaican4488]

Factual statement 💯

[@ggMwaniki]

I agree, Saints Row 2 was a more complete game but Saints Row 3 was more fun for me. I was deeply disappointed that they didn't keep up with the serious elements of the previous games, but the gameplay was sooooo fun. I had way too much fun with Genki especially. Then they did it too much in SR4 so I didn't even bother playing it.

[@mandrews6282]

I wasn’f into Saint’s Row 4 at all when I started it, but by the end I absolutely loved it. It had quite a few laugh out loud moments as well which is rare. If you just lean into the weirdnes the writing, overt and obscure parody references, and bombastic nature of it all is so well done. I had so many moments of ‘how does anyone even write something like this?’ as I got further and further into it. I initially hated the superpower aspect of things as well, but once you get some upgrades and get used to flinging yourself around the world it felt weird to just get in a car and have to drive in any other Saint’s game. Gat Out of Hell was a bit more underwhelming, but the addictive mechanics are still there and I had a blast with that one as well. Anyone looking for more SR2 will be disappointed, yes, but if taken for what they are 3 and 4 are really well written and surprisingly fun games.

[@aairbear7179]

I gotta say, while I will always prefer Saints Row 2's tone and story, the fact it's still one of my most played games on Steam really says a lot about just how much the core gameplay of SR3 really holds it up. I don't think any other co-op game has given me nearly as many good memories just fucking around with friends at 1 am slapping each other with melee weapons as this game has. It might be my least favorite Saints Row but it still holds a special place in my heart.

[@langand87]

While I understand people’s frustration about the tonal shift the series took, I think it’s worth evaluating this and eventually four as like almost a different series. While by no means are they flawless games and Under10Hours brings up some very valid and accurate criticisms in this video, I think 3 is fundamentally a simple, well made, and most importantly mostly fun to play game.

[@blakesby]

It is part of a series though, and as a sequel, it's a step down. As it's own game, it's fine.

[@NineOneTwenty]

I’m not gonna lie, I enjoyed my time with Saints Row The Third, but I didn’t enjoy how the tone was all over the place, Saints Row 2 had the perfect blend of seriousness and silliness. Also, I don’t like how by the fourth mission, we already get a penthouse mega apartment, I think we could have worked up to that a bit more…

[@Under10Hours]

I agree. There was opportunity to make so much money in that game and absolutely nothing to spend it on.

[@blakesby]

Events in that game went too quick. I recall (as mentioned in the video) the character introduced at the start as the main antagonist, is taken care of barely far into the game, and that just felt really jarring. Like, surely killing that guy was the main drive of the story, the momentum just felt like it took a massive drop.

[@NineOneTwenty]

@@blakesby Yeah, they axe off Phillipe at the end of the first act and he gets replaced by Killbane (and kinda Cyrus) But I liked Killbane, so I wasn’t that upset…

[@DustyVita]

There's definitely a lot of fan service for a wrestling mark like me

[@Under10Hours]

This might be a hot take but I think every video game should let you do a hurracanrana tbh

[@DustyVita]

@@Under10Hours at the very least

[@cavalierliberty6838]

I mean, I didn't see any sock puppet brutality so I am kinda sad.

[@mazda9624]

I personally think that Saints Row 2 is the objectively best game in the entire series, but Saints Row The Third is easily my favorite game in the series.

[@conradojavier7547]

Killbane's Unmasked Face look like Bob Holly.

[@GamerGuysReviews]

My introduction to Saints Row was through 3 and 4. While Saints Row 3 lacks in the story department, it's an incredibly satisfying power fantasy. Where else can you play a game where you fly around in VTOLs and smack people senseless with a dildo bat?

[@conradojavier7547]

With a WWE, & ECW Legend as a Part of the Cast, they decided to make the Story Wresrling Oriented.

[@redfred004]

Saints Row 2 had zombies in it, a secret mode on the TV

[@Psztyk236]

One of my favourite games of 7th generation. I plat'd it on PS3 with much pleasure

[@Under10Hours]

It’s a whole lot of fun!

[@DADON99]

I ain’t gon lie…I had fun playing SR3…but I would drop it for the elements of SR 1 & 2 back

[@snkrhead]

Would there be a chance of you reviewing Corporate Warfare and Ultor Exposed for Saints Row 2?

[@tosakugod8333]

Honestly I prefer 4 over three any day.

[@TyrellGordon]

SR3 was my first game in the series and I loved it, but when I looked in the case and found a free download code for SR2 it was indeed better to me as a complete game.

[@ItsRawdraft2]

I can't decide between 3 and 2 as my favourite game tbh

[@pghchaos]

Sr3 is still one of my all time favorite games. Just customizing, gameplay and over the top story and music is just amazing. I wasn't looking for a serious game when I first played and wasn't disappointed. I played Sr2 after and think it's amazing but 3 is still my favorite.

[@GruffGames]

Loved 2 on PS3. 3 is my favourite overall. I think 2 would stand up better if the PC port wasn't trash. The perfect Saints game is a mixture of 2 and 3, the reboot doesn't resemble or touch either.

[@pistnbroke74]

Don’t get me wrong this is a good game but dam this not what saints row 3 should have been it I feel like if they kept the gang style of sr2 maybe even have you go after dex in steelport who could have been in stag or running a gang make dex to this game like Julius was to sr2

[@deitygaming4766]

I'm glad so many people enjoyed the game, but this is where it started to get ugly. I was in middle school when I pre ordered this game, I even bought the guide book with it and after flipping through the book and seeing the weapons and vehicles I lost a lot of my excitement. I'd say the rest of my excitement was gone within 15 minutes of playing the game. There were definitely some fun moments, but you could just feel how the game now had a different target audience.

[@blakesby]

100% I reckon it was one of the last games I pre-ordered and wasted my money on one of the special editions filled with tacky crap I never needed.

[@blakesby]

Maybe it's just me, but I'm surprised you didn't mention how underwhelming it is that the main antagonist introduced at the start dies really early in the game (the who gets the ball dropped on his tower). I remember feeling like this was a really weird choice for the narrative. We've only just been introduced to the big bad guy, and now he's already dead? So now we're supposed to just shift caring about a new villain? Didn't flow well. SR2 is the peak.

[@savajames3774]

I think SR2 is the better overall game. But SR3's has a charm to it via gameplay and how ridiculous it is that makes it perhaps more playable?

[@metalvideos1961]

i just finished this game again well 100% completed it

[@aranerem5569]

I really like Saints Row The Third

[@pushon10]

do you like alligator dogs?

[@TheDOMKENATION]

Saints Row 2 is the best game in the series hands down

[@jordancorley828]

Great video

[@Post_Leako]

This game always struck me as too over the top from the little I played. I was honestly kinda overwhelmed, granted I literally only played for like an hour. Even just looking at gameplay of it tho, I'm like "what."

[@CJ-wh7ik]

For me it was evolution of the game. I think it really set it apart from the competition. SR established it's own niche of funny, ridiculous sandbox games with over the top characters. In SR4 they took it one step further and I loved it. I'd like to see SR5 with time travel and historical characters with new gen graphics and engine but yeah, won't happen i guess

[@BaldingSince1999]

Sr 3 was peak and it went downhill from there with the stupid aliens and superhero powers. They went from gangster celebrities to superhero gods. It's stupid

[@ryszakowy]

saunts row thew thidr doesn't have "the serious" it only has "comedy, whacky and less whacky comedy" nowhere in the game is there a place for gat getting stabbed or carlos getting mercy killed and if you chose to let shaundi die there's a cutscene that basically goes "well shaundi and gat are dead AND THEN SHIT EXPLODES"

[@jessehenderson2967]

I swear, I'm must be just the OG cynical asshole, cause I hated this game. Sr1 & 2 were some of my favorite games. Sr3 just wasn't it.

[@Under10Hours]

Not every game is for everyone. And plenty of fans hate 3 and 4 too for understandable reasons. That doesn't';t make you cynical, you just don't like it. It's cool haha

[@AidenRKrone]

Am I the only person who hates the Genki-related stuff? It's my second most hated activity in the game.

[@jacklindsey8400]

Personally, I prefer 3, not played 2, but from what I've watched of the story it goes a bit too nasty for my tastes and I don't play GTA for a reason. I like the fun, I like the wackiness, I like that I can actually cheer on the Boss this time. Though will say I despise the genki missions where you're trying to fall through the air and get points, just couldn't figure out how to do those...

[@pistnbroke74]

Don’t get me wrong this is a good game but dam this not what saints row 3 should have been it I feel like if they kept the gang style of sr2 maybe even have you go after dex in steelport who could have been in stag or running a gang make dex to this game like Julius was to sr2