What Made Saints Row 2 One Hell of A Game?

Back during the decade of 2000s, the subgenre often referred to at the time as "Grand Theft Auto clone" was among the most popular subgenres on the market. Following the incredible success of GTA 3 in 2001 and its subsequent sequels in the next few years, it felt like everyone wanted a piece of that pie, which meant we were seeing a large number of crime-based open world action-adventure games with plenty of focus of driving and shooting.
Of course, more than a few of these were good enough to genuinely capture people's attention- but in that group, the one name that perhaps made a stronger mark than any other was Saints Row.

[@CinefreekProductions]

I don't understand why out of all of the Saints Row games, this is the one game that never got a remaster and in my opinion, it's the best one.

[@tonware]

Even though SR2 is the best, The Third is the best selling game in the franchise, so from a business perspective it makes sense to push out SR3 again.

[@radek4634]

@@tonware Yes, but why? People bought the SR3 because the SR2 was awesome. I pre-purchased the SR3 in the Collector's Edition because I loved SR2! And I was totally disappointed. The SR3 was only a success because of the SR2. Unfortunately, developers still cannot understand this.

[@King-Beezy]

@@radek4634 yea this is a fact good point we only played sr 3 bcuz of sr2 success

[@angelganon8213]

When they did the poll apparently SR3 got the most votes

[@angelganon8213]

Saints row 1 never got a remaster either

[@Anonymous-Wolf]

SR2 may looks Rough around the edges but The Game is so Detailed.

[@elderhorcrux169]

I personally loved Saints Row 2. It had the perfect mix of comedy and heart. Red Asphalt still pulls at my heartstrings. RIP Carlos and Aisha.

[@TheTopStarz]

Honestly didn't realise this video was needed until i read the title, for the majority of players this is undoubtedly the best Saints Row Edited: this video barely mentions how good the story and gameplay was when it came to creating your gang, recruiting and taking over territories while improving your homebase/mansion

[@Vexed711]

I’m playing it again. The customization was so ahead of its time. I can literally dress my player in clothes we wear today. The home base customization was a nice touch as well you can put your personality into your home. An area GTA was always lacking

[@0fficialdregs]

1. way funnier than the GTA games around that time, except for San Andreas. 2. Great meta voice acting segments at times. 3. Slightly over the top, but the characters you come to love actually have depth and a realistic backstory. 4. Unique background and the fact the game take place in a modern Stilwater similar to the original is fun. the SA and GTA V route. 5. Customizable. 6. Gang warfare is actually fun to do, something post SA GTA games lack.

[@highoctanesynx7950]

Gang warfare was in vice city stories too....arguably the best ever was in gta Just wanted to point that outside

[@0fficialdregs]

@@highoctanesynx7950 that's cool. never played any of the handheld games, only the console games

[@highoctanesynx7950]

@@0fficialdregs its actually a ps2 game came after liberty city stories (both came out after SA) Vice city stories is extremely underrated and i highly advice you give it a try

[@0fficialdregs]

@@highoctanesynx7950 nahhh i'm good. thank you though

[@ashleylee364]

I actually had more fun with this game than San Andreas.

[@4horsemenoftheapocalypse58]

SR1&2: The real Saints Row games.

[@AdarrionDixon]

You ain't lying

[@0fficialdregs]

yeahhh buddy, when I built my first PC in 2015 i bought all the possible SR games on humble Bundle for $27 and I always love those games. One is still the best, while 2, 3, and 4 are in the order I enjoy the games. I hate 4.

[@Rebellion2xxxx]

True

[@AliBazz]

One hunnid doe

[@kingturk339]

exactly

[@ayayronburgundy608]

I was 18 in 2008 this game was incredible and I think it still holds up today I’m playing it right now and I’m honestly blown away by the customization of the player too start the game you can be a male or female and a million small details everything that you wanted to be able to do in GTA you can do in this game it added some great stuff like robbing stores for alot of cash making them open the safe and a big gang hideout can customize what type of gang they are the outfits and even the cars they drive when they roll up to help out it’s close to being the perfect GTA style game for me and the radio has some great tunes big nostalgia hit for me!

[@Mammutidae]

I don't trust people who prefer SR3 over SR2.

[@theuchihakidd]

Sr3 is better

[@agrey832]

I don't trust people that can't let go of outdated games 🤨

[@AliBazz]

Keep in mind dose people started wit sr tt, and dey was kids, das why dey cant differentiate between nostalgia and facts

[@YZY_Fox21]

@@agrey832 i dont trust people pretend like srtt with boring city and said"guys hear me out.. srtt better than sr1,2" 😌😌

[@kedricmanson9873]

@@theuchihakidd Why do you think SR3 is better?

[@ACMANISH]

Saints Row 2 Remaster > Saints Row (2022)

[@kedricmanson9873]

💯

[@the757general2]

That's not saying much. Many open world crime games are better than that garbage.

[@supremecanis6411]

I think saints row 2 is the best game ever just because theres so many small things you can do like if you steal a tow truck you can do a towing activity and tow people's cars and when you reach max level you get a special tow truck and you could also do it with police cars and you would be a cop and you could become a taxi driver and the combat was sick cause you could just pick stuff up off the ground and throw It at people not to mention this game has an entire shopping mall full of life

[@Vexed711]

Damn I forgot about the mall. My favorite part of the game is coming out of a store and watching gangs and cops/pimps fight each other. That city really felt alive

[@DailyMotivationsTiktok]

This is they type of detail I was kinda hoping for in the new saints row. U can tell the passion the devs had when they were making SR2

[@adpbobcat]

Just played it for the first time a month ago. I had a grand time! The balance between the goofiness and series tone was done well

[@BMW_329]

Boy were you wrong about the reboot. I think everyone knew it wasn't going to hold up to the original 2 just from the first trailer.

[@kingturk339]

This is a real Saints Row game not that reboot crap

[@GameMasterpg]

Saints Row 2 needs a remake

[@kedricmanson9873]

Remaster*

[@GameMasterpg]

@@kedricmanson9873 Remake*

[@kedricmanson9873]

@@GameMasterpg No. remakes don’t always turn out well. Remaking a game with this much detail is difficult. A simple graphics remaster is all it needs

[@GameMasterpg]

@@kedricmanson9873 A simple graphics remaster is all it needs, U Just describe Last of Us Part 1 Remake

[@kedricmanson9873]

@@GameMasterpg I mean I’m sure remastering it (they found the source code a while back) would be easier than remaking the entire game from the ground up.

[@megabigdump]

SR2 is the best SR

[@HexAddams]

Smoking blunts and sippin 40s. That’s what made it a hell of a game

[@elvisnunez9226]

You know what, this would fit perfect on the Switch

[@DJPurpleOne17]

It's been 14 years since Saints Row 2 came out in 2008... And I myself was 14 in 2008 and Saints Row 2 is still my favorite Saints Row game I am also very excited for this new one... tbh... I'm burnt out by playing the original games for so many years that I am more than ready to jump into Saint Ileso

[@GoldenJoe9176]

I hope it’s got a good story, it won’t be as good as 2 I don’t think but as long as it’s better than 4 😂

[@DJPurpleOne17]

@@GoldenJoe9176 I actually enjoyed Saints Row IV 😂 In fact, I enjoyed all 4 Saints Row games within the original timeline but ... I did not like the Gat Out of Hell DLC Standalone or Agents of Mayhem I loved the Saints Row IV expansion though

[@GoldenJoe9176]

@@DJPurpleOne17 I mean Saints Row 4 was alright, but I think it was a little to Ridiculous

[@cheetohands9]

Ayy I was 14 too when this came out and I enjoyed every second I played of this game

[@BeunSoldaat]

i loved this game so much, customization, story, having your own hideouts, side quests, the underground mall, just everything and i want that again

[@abellewis3062]

The soundtrack of Saints Row 2 is my favorite. Specifically, "Me and You" by Cassie is my favorite song.

[@blueminitour541]

In my opinion saints row 2 is better then 3

[@YZY_Fox21]

1:NPcs lively 2:Have pronouns so when you put female voice on male they call you a girl 3:Save slot with female affect the npcs reaction like they call you with female pronounce in male character,You doing mission with brotherhood but its kinda weird npcs said you just kill jessica.. 4:Improvised weapons 5:No stupid zoomed camera like SRTT and IV when Hijack the car 6:fighting styles 7:NPCs have Variant Voiceline even enemies and police and ultor(++ When taking them as hostage they have unique voiceline) 8:great face design 9:Facial expression 10:More accesible buiding 11:Dark story,It makes you like Villain when dump jessica into her own trunk 12:You are psycho saints leader that makes one of leader gangs enemies that makes them afraid to take you alone 13:great radio 14:Great song for ending credits"This is our city we do the f*** we want" 15:Story maybe not as great like 1.. but somewho it fix what sr1 cant have

[@AliBazz]

💯

[@Vexed711]

The dialogue and comedy is underrated I walked into a store in the rich part of town and the clerk says “ oh no a poor”

[@YZY_Fox21]

@@Vexed711 and saying"Missy"dude i'm a man not a girl the same files with female gender mess up the Save slot 😒

[@CrashingSpyro93]

The best game in the franchise imo

[@hccodveteran]

Saints row 2 all the way...saints row the third was good but it fell a bit short of the second game.i am looking forward to the saints row reboot and looks like to go back to what saint's row a good series especially with saints row 2.

[@Misttrd]

This video almost feels as if it’s blaming saints row 2 for the decline in the series when In fact it was the peak. Violation couldn’t make anything close to this game again. The humour, over the top game play, sound track basically the soul of this game was utterly perfect down to its rough edges and mini bugs it just made the game feel so good. You can really see saints row 2 was a project of passion by the devs of saints row. After this game it went down hill they clearly couldn’t put as much time and effort in anymore and was just pushed to make a game to sell. That is why saints row 2 will for ever be the best and for most of us the last game to tell the true saints row story. FYI saints row can only be in stilwater… it’s literally a street from SR1 🤣

[@tanork47]

You know, I really despise the "GTA clone" mentally that gets thrown around back in the early to late 2000s. It really killed any competition GTA had from any company like True Crime and Saints Row. Journalist put Rockstar on a pedestal and gatekept and still is to this day, the criminal open world modern game experience. Sleeping Dogs was the last modern crime drama in recent memory in 2012, but was still shot down and beat down as a lesser being to the might of GTA. Saints Row 2 was taking pot shots at 4 on release and by all means did pretty well even though knowing you can't topple that behemoth. Its when yet again games reviews and journalists harpooned it that was when Volition had a identity crisis which stopped them from listening to fan feedback at all. Fast forward to today and we see now the horror that is this reboot. Its NOT Saints Row . Hell its not even a decent open world game like I hoped at least that would redeem it. If Volition stuck to their guns and created a rather solid 3rd game that followed the strengths of 2 then I would see the series survive. Now its just a husk and its another victim to modern gaming criteria.

[@SuperLayin]

“Some could argue it comes second fiddle to saints row the third” YOUR JOKING ☠️

[@crystianbebergoede3409]

Good and old times!!! Tanks for this video!!!

[@Gen.X.Gamer74D]

Saints row is not a GTA clone but a similar game like GTA ! i like both games

[@TransportSimulatorNationTSN]

The craziest feature my that I love is the cruise control🤣. I always wanted that in GTA games especially in GTA V. Hope they bring back that feature

[@Mammutidae]

It's a very smart system especially when you can use it to manage the driving while you're doing the shooting

[@ifaq871]

Its just everything about some games. The lighting, environment, npc and world behaviour, option, etc. Its just a vibe.

[@giiotm8272]

They need to remake this game.. asap.

[@tiadove]

It's crazy how games like saints row and GTA can upgrade their graphics but downgrade their open world quality. Especially when they know they got the money for it.

[@Char-112R]

Best SR ever!!

[@cruelwraith2games926]

I still play Saints Row 1 and 2 till this day

[@ebesonen]

Saint's Row 2 was one of the most fun games I ever played back then, to me it was way better than Grand Theft Auto could ever be, they need to bring Saints Row back like it used to be and I would be happy to play it again ✊

[@9Riorichi9]

Saints Row 2 can be remastered tomorrow and it would be the best open world gangster game

[@quinnmiller9718]

I am playing this for the first time and am loving it. Just stuck now on Picking a Fight.

[@eatpancakes4486]

Saints Row 2 is the greatest sr game. Sorry sr 3 fans

[@marcanderson-jones3518]

Great game. I love the series, I even really enjoyed Agents of Mayhem but I'm super pumped for August!!

[@elvisnunez9226]

I just wished that they made a remastered version of SR2 and improved the graphics which threw me off but besides that, the game was and is a blast to play. Daytime looked atrocious and looked washed out. PLEASE REMASTER THIS GAME!

[@Vexed711]

The one thing holding it back

[@rajinimohan1054]

Go & Sign the Saints Row 2 Remastered Petition guys 🙏

[@annihilationgamingTM]

Now the "things" I like best about SR2, because it was the first time, we got to play "Septic Avenger" 😆 need I say more. It was definitely my favorite activity in the game. And let's not forget about, The Mall and Let's Pretend. My favorite place to shop, in the game 😋. So get this, in the Saints Row Reboot, thankfully there is Let's Pretend. But, you literally have to "build' it 🙄 As one of your "fronts" for whatever illegal, criminal activity. You wish to perpetrate. As an example, you can build a front, and use it to dump, Hazardous waste.

[@ChrisSealy1997]

This game was the Destroy All Humans 2 of the franchise it was that good of a sequel

[@TheDonPalumbo]

I loved this game

[@JaydonTanner]

The new one looks to be going back in this direction. Looks fantastic.

[@jayops]

Boy were you wrong 🤣

[@oopus4]

Jokes aged badly? The jokes were and still great, simple as.

[@BorderlandsBoy0]

It was a good & funny game. Games of today seem forced while trying not to offend anyone. It’s dull

[@akshatbisenbisen7292]

XBOX after reading this: Lets release it as XBOX live Gold title once more Best game of its generation

[@theuchihakidd]

PlayStation had it on their console way before Xbox 🤡

[@user-ko3gd9ou6c]

@@theuchihakidd who cares

[@CameronBaileyQuote]

Y'all remember True Crime???

[@trane3827]

Fire game

[@5fingerdpunchfan]

It’s was just the right amount of stupid and satire while having customization options for players and vehicles that gta didn’t have at the time. It was self aware and goofy. And the best part is you could play the whole game (story and diversions) in coop. Best game in the series by far

[@NOWAYMAN91]

I Got three words for you why, PIMP CANE SHOTGUN !!!

[@FSUfan1991]

This was the last good Saints Row game. I hate what it has turned into smh

[@XxHessxX7]

I wish they would have remastered this one😔

[@Game0nMan]

Playing mayhem with an Assault weapon lol

[@rainynight3722]

Best SR until today. Besides the funny activities, you had a ton of customization options and a lot of minigames. You could even smoke or get drunk while waiting for your coop buddy. And the stories of the different gangs were great. Only think about the scene in which Aisha lost her head just shown by flowers that lost their heads too. It felt a little bit like a Tarantino movie to me. SR3 had the new more comical graphic and the story was boring and so short, that they even implemented the first level of each activity as a story mission. The ideas can't be compared with SR2, in my opinion.

[@Sammy_the_best_there_ever_was]

I can't believe somehow the second game in the franchise is still the best still has more features and most of all had a better map more Interiors from 2008 it's sad to think the reboot is nothing compared to Saints Row 2

[@music8419]

Yeah the beginning shoot septic tank car to building is shockingly new like no othrrs

[@beegchunguz7425]

just got it in a bundle of 16 games for $25 :)

[@WideOldDan]

On the subject of 'GTA clones' i think it should be mentioned that Getaway 2 came before GTA 3 so with this logic we can also call GTA a clone.

[@DaylightZS]

Saints row 1 and 2 are the best ones, sr3 onwards was not as good seeing as they were way to wacky

[@icallum17x7]

How can you make a Saints Row 2 video not mention the killer soundtrack.

[@dantelaws]

I remember I cried because i didn’t get this game on Christmas day😂

[@raphithewizard]

“Im crying on the inside”

[@IFAMILYIH]

SAINTS ROW 2 WAS GOOD BECAUSE OF THE HIDEOUT CUSTOMISATIONS, CAR CUSTOMISATION AND TATTOO CUSTOMISATION. THE MUSIC OF THE GAME WAS AWESOME TOO WITH CASSIE ME AND YOU AND 50 CENT HANDS UP AND NEYO SO SICK AND NAS NY STATE OF MIND. ALSO THE HOMIES WOULD STEAL CARS AND FOLLOW YOU IF YOU LEFT THEM BEHIND AND YOU CAN CALL A BOAT IF YOU ARE IN THE WATER SWIMMING. VEHICLE DELIVERY IN ALL IT WAS JUST AN AWESOME GAME

[@blkmist2124]

Chaos in saints row was awesome

[@dreadheadjoker2842]

Just got this for free on Xbox, one of the best Saints Row games made

[@Rebellion2xxxx]

saints row 1 and 2 are best the other ones fucked the series up

[@agrey832]

Actually, fans fucked it up by calling it a GTA clone

[@AliBazz]

@@agrey832 "fans" called it dat?

[@stoptiktok1691]

@@agrey832 who were these "fans"

[@TheLuiscelaya]

This one is my favorite out of all the Saints Row games. This one hits all the rights notes in terms of gameplay, an enjoyable open world, and a great story and knew when to funny and serious. 3 had an identity crisis not knowing if wanted to be a GTA clone or a zany goofy game; plus the gameplay ended up getting super repetitive especially towards the later half of the game. 4 is good for what it is going completely over the top, but it’s not my cup of tea personally. 2 is one of my favorite games of the late 2000’s and I really wished the source code was readily available for a proper remaster. Also 2’s soundtrack is the best just edging 3 and 4’s being mostly awful

[@CameronBaileyQuote]

I would play SR2 but on PS+ Premium, you have to stream it. Lol.

[@zephyrpinklemonade9558]

Sr2 best for dlc, map looked the best. Cars had the best noise. Overall soundtrack was great best SR game

[@12uniflew]

I'd rather this be remastered than the sewage their pumping out now, they are not the same devs as the old SR1 & SR2 days..

[@Adam-M-]

I really like the look of the reboot. The emphasis is back on the grounded-but-silly gang warfare that made those earlier games so great. I liked Saints Row 4 and Gat out of Hell as games, but I did feel like they went a bit too far away from what I liked about the franchise initially.

[@AliBazz]

Now we talkin, doe sr 1 has da humor in 2, just like all open world games, and i feel like you aint played past da first coupla missions Whoever favors later games; started after 2 New saints row doe is an asset flip of sr tt and nothin like saints row (1&2)

[@Willmon456]

Stop saints two is the best in every way and the third slot a lot of the charm and bad ass nature of it and went too goofy with it

[@treysooreal9313]

I Miss This Saints Row The Best One…They Lost Me With All The Futuristic wackiness in 3,4,5😐🚮

[@m4ngo156]

what puts me off a bit is the horrible PC port. barely gets above 60 fps on a fairly strong system. Other than that this game has some of the best side activities ive ever seen in a game..

[@natejoe9924]

I like Saints Row 3 I just didn't like the ending of it this is why I did not buy the remaster after Saints Row 3 Saints Row just started getting really dumb one and two is my favorite this reimagining of Saints Row that's coming out it reminds me of Saints Row 2 I'm thinking about getting it

[@Psmgamer]

Saints Row 2 was good though the controls really need a remake badly.

[@AliBazz]

You can change dem controls for drivin in da settings

[@Psmgamer]

@@AliBazz The shooting controls too?

[@AliBazz]

@@Psmgamer ion know, in da settings you can change da controls between i think three different pre sets

[@alexarmour7883]

hey

[@teai92]

I for one hate the new reboot. I really loved Saints row 2 and I spent probably thousands of hours playing the game in the past. But this reboot and the story is just painfully bad. A bunch of students becoming criminals because they couldn't pay off their student debt. Really? Playing a bunch of students also looks and feels so stupid. I really loved the humour of Saints Row 2 but also the seriousness of it. The story and the characters were rememberable and you actually cared for them. This reboot however is just a toned down Saints row IV, where super powers are still present in the reboot. It's just disappointing to be honest. The director even said that the reboot is for the new and younger audience and not for the fans of Saints Row 2. Just look his twitter up and you'll see.

[@PumpinggainzNartistic]

It's free on xbox one get it????

[@alexarmour7883]

hello

[@belkacemseffari7404]

Every thing

[@MaxximumRage]

Spoiler alert: the new Saints Row is not good at all...

[@buttonsthewolf]

Only thing wrong is they took protect the pimp off

[@stoptiktok1691]

And bling out ride! Imagine a helicopter/plane version

[@natejoe9924]

I didn't like at all the over the top goofiness it needed balance like Saints Row 2 had Saints Row 3 had kind of a balance but it just got really dumb at the end to the point where it was cringe she sitting there screaming no I was going to buy the remaster until I remember the ending

[@ot9523]

Games with gold soon

[@hezhez97]

Saints row 2 was the best of the series by far saints row 3 was good but it felt like a massive downgrade then saints row 4 ruined the series

[@you-5-iver804]

7:10 Liar, many are on the negative

[@Bukejuice22]

I was super into Saints Row 2 until I realized I wasn't getting trophies and then just lost interest. Idk why cus it was really good.

[@Adam-M-]

You might be putting too much emphasis on trophies.

[@Bukejuice22]

@@Adam-M- your right. This was like 15 years ago though.

[@VasquezPlayZ2006]

On Xbox they just made it free

[@GameMasterpg]

Sony will own 2 GTA like games if they buy Square Enix, Microsoft doesn't have any GTA like games yet

[@theuchihakidd]

Good keep it that way

[@GameMasterpg]

@@theuchihakidd I wouldn't say that, Microsoft quarter earnings dropped again. That mean's Microsoft can buy a third Big Studio.

[@TheLuckyShepherd]

😡 Saints Row 3 was done so lazy that it's Main Missions were literally side missions from Saints Row 2.

[@--Traveler--]

oh boy that ending aged POORLY. kinda sad. but as they say 'go woke go broke'

[@alexarmour7883]

wyd

[@gtamike_TSGK]

Nah cars disappeared when you looked away from them which ruins the experience

[@chiapets2594]

The best out the series the game was butchered murdered after this one

[@Blingchachink]

Real nigga shit

[@agrey832]

I still find it hilarious that everyone wants Saints Row to go "back to their roots" but when SR1&SR2 came out everybody complained it was a GTA clone 😭😭😭😭 For those that don't understand (clearly there are quite a few) Grand Theft Auto was a game in a particular genre, not a genre unto itself smmfh That being said, any game in that genre isn't necessarily a "clone" it's just a game. So, Saints Row "going off the rails" is the fans doing.....You made your bed, now you gotta sleep in it 😴😴

[@AliBazz]

Not everybody, plus sr tt is objectively worse dan 2 so stop actin brand new

[@0fficialdregs]

when SR 1 and 2 release, there was little news about the games and they were picking up steam to be a good franchise. So no one is whining as you're alluding too.

[@0fficialdregs]

We, the fans, didn't do anything but support the franchise because many people, like myself, grew tired of GTA getting very realistic and bland. you sound bitter.

[@chiapets2594]

No

[@stoptiktok1691]

Who the hell is "everybody"? There was a LARGE amount of people who loved Saints Row 2... 1 was underrated tho