Reviews// Saints Row 2

You'll be expecting a technically polished production from a second generation PS3 and Xbox 360 game, using all sorts of complicated sounding technical jargon. On at least one level, you get it from Saints Row 2. Specifically the level of detail given to characters. Compare, for example, a lady dancing in a gentlemen's entertainment establishment. In GTA4 your were delivered a rather hideous mush of thighs kinking and merging into hips. Here instead, the anatomy works much more like it ought.

However, throughout the game the visuals and physics are fraught with problems. As mentioned, the collision detection is iffy, with curbs having the unusual ability to throw a car end-over-end into the air. The lighting seems to either be overly bright or too flat. The texturing is often uninteresting and bland or, for characters, appear to be waxy mannequins.

Scenery and texture pop-up is startlingly evident, and, even on consoles as powerful as the 360 and PS3, we're still blighted by phantom vehicles that appear from nowhere and, if you glance away for a moment, disappear again - just like in GTA3.

Multi-player can be access through a specific mode or you can join (or be joined) for co-operative play for missions through out the game. Some missions are adjusted to give each co-op player their own role in the objective, such a driver and gunner. Like co-op in many games, it is incredibly good fun. But here it's let down a little by the frustrating pop-up notification that, for example, the other play has paused the game.

The Strong Arm multi-player mode aims to pull together all of the typical multi-player modes and glom them into one, with two teams fighting for turf by racing, tagging, trashing property and ramming other cars. It's a blend that should work brilliantly, but I found that the biggest problem was actually joining a game. Sitting around for a minute while a list of players appears, clears, refreshes, clears again isn't a good start. As a result, I can't really comment on the multi-play because I haven't managed to put the time in.

[b][i]CONCLUSION
Saints Rows 2's strength is in its gun fights and on-foot segments. While driving can be fun, there are too many quirks that stop it from being a real blast. Missions are solid but there's nothing truly new going on, which, with the flaky plot and the need to regularly divert your attention to earning respect, is a poke in the eye for game.[/i]

SPOnG Score 70%[/b]