Saints Row: The Third

 PlayStation 3
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 460 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 324 out of 460
  2. Mixed: 93 out of 460
  3. Negative: 43 out of 460
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  1. mrflip
    Nov 23, 2011
    7
    Not a bad game and truly caters to the Saints Row fanbase. I can see how the game can get repetitive fast but if you're looking for a dumb beat 'em up type of game and don't mind the stupidity, then definitely pick this game up. I can say that it is a satisfying filler for the upcoming GTA V.
  2. BillySpandex
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    It certainly does not take itself seriously, and just when you least expect it, it throws Burt Reynolds at your face. It's safe to say that Volition are now the kings of sandbox games, a title I'm sure Rockstar is hoping to reclaim. An incredibly fun game, that'll have you laughing till the end.
  3. kornabakk7
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    The game doesn't get boring at all. Tons of fun to play. Reminds me of back when the GTA series weren't so serious. The character customization is cool. It could have a few more voice choices, but you could easily spend hours just customizing cars or doing side missions for respect or cash.
  4. deadacezero
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Saints Row The Third has to be the most fun I've had playing a game all year (except maybe Portal 2). I have played (and finished) just about every blockbuster this year and this game wins out on the fun factor. From zombies to having shootouts while skydiving I was never bored. The story is a bit of an after thought, however, your character is pretty hilarious, especially when dealing with other main characters. The graphics are improved over the last outing, but still have a long way to go before they are considered "top tier" like Uncharted 3. When it comes to pure gameplay on the other hand this game shines. The variety, the gunplay, the brawling, the insanity, it never really gets old. I urge everyone to try this game and if possible with online co-op, it makes it so much better.… Expand
  5. NazTfox
    Nov 21, 2011
    7
    Best of the Saints series so far. It's got a lot packed into it and its all filthy humor but it still lacks something which keeps it from going big. Worth your money if you buy it, but you might be tempted to just rent it instead.
  6. while07
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    I have been waiting for this game a long time and finally here it is. It runs on a different engine to the previous two and is mostly an improvement over the previous instalment. However there are some things which are absent that really annoy me. For a start, crib customisation has been removed completely and that is a shame as I liked customising it to make it look how I wanted. Also,I have been waiting for this game a long time and finally here it is. It runs on a different engine to the previous two and is mostly an improvement over the previous instalment. However there are some things which are absent that really annoy me. For a start, crib customisation has been removed completely and that is a shame as I liked customising it to make it look how I wanted. Also, the icon for gang notoriety is the same for all gangs now; it was different in Saints Row 2. You can no longer phone random numbers, such as the police taxis and fire service. There are also numerous glitches and bugs, none of which have been patched as of yet. These include getting in cars and sinking through the floor resulting in your death and textures on the characters clothing merging with his skin. Apart from these bad things, the game is great fun. It is a lot more fun than the last game, with mad weapons such as Fart in a Jar, a type of stun grenade and the Octopus Cannon, which turns the enemy onto your side. The control scheme is different and better in my opinion. The driving physics are improved and you can now drift around corner a lot easier. Sprinting towards a vehicle and pressing triangle to get in now makes you jump through the window, kicking the occupant out, and there are also many sprint+combat moves. You no longer need respect to play missions as well, which is a big improvement as it could take quite a while to get enough respect in the previous two games. You can now upgrade weapons, for example I have just got incendiary ammo for my dual pistols. You can level up yourself in the phone(which has also undergone a big change) giving you perks such as faster reloading. You get cash from owning businesses which you collect hourly via your phone.Here comes the worst bit about the game: The missions. There are hardly any of them. The game can be completed in less than four hours probably, and most of the missions do not have cutscenes. Some missions aren't even missions at all, just introductions to certain activities. Also, as a previous reviewer has already said, DLC is already available for purchase, showing Volition Inc. to be one of the bad developers or THQ as a bad publisher who deliberately hold back content from the game to sell for more money. There is also a subscription programme, which allows you to buy all of the future DLC now to save money and download it when it releases. They are even selling the cheat codes! There is also an online pass, another of the evils of the gaming world. Overall, the game is really fun but is spoiled by it's occasional glitches, short length and online pass. 8/10 for the game, 3/10 for the developer/publishers attitude towards fans.… Expand
  7. Game_Enthusiast
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    I hadn't been getting into BF3 and needed a break from the serious shooters, and decided to get this game over skyrim. This game has given me the best experience i have experienced in a LONG time. It was such a great relief to stop playing games where I had to take everything serious for a bit and play a game with mindless fun. Laughs are surprisingly abundant in this game as well. I don'tI hadn't been getting into BF3 and needed a break from the serious shooters, and decided to get this game over skyrim. This game has given me the best experience i have experienced in a LONG time. It was such a great relief to stop playing games where I had to take everything serious for a bit and play a game with mindless fun. Laughs are surprisingly abundant in this game as well. I don't know how many times I couldn't stop laughing. the gameplay feels good, the sound is not important, visuals are very decent. there have been a few glitches here and there, but nothing game breaking. I would highly recommend this game to anyone wanting to escape the monotony of this shooter season.… Expand
  8. TheGingerGuy
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    This game is serious F.U.N! If it's the mascot-killing mayhem of the Super Ethical Reality Climax to the zany situation of Tiger Escort. Even after completing the missions, it leaves you wanting more and they deliver with more activities to keep you hooked.
  9. chipe
    Nov 20, 2011
    0
    Holy Cod this is a horrible game. GTA with training wheels. No challenge or suspense whatsoever. Just a goofy and carelessly programmed sandbox game. However, there is one caveat: if you have the brain of a 6 year old, this game will provide almost limitless entertainment. Lots of colors and wacky stuff and "humor" geared towards hateful/depressed people and bigots in general.
  10. MoneyShot53
    Nov 20, 2011
    8
    Firstly what ill say is i really enjoyed this game. Its no work of art but if you like goofy fun and bizarre characters in a loopy storey this may appeal to you. The main storey itself is decently lengthed, but completing all the activities and extras in Steelport will take some time. The graphics in it are average but i did like the colourful designs of menu's, vehicles and gear for yourFirstly what ill say is i really enjoyed this game. Its no work of art but if you like goofy fun and bizarre characters in a loopy storey this may appeal to you. The main storey itself is decently lengthed, but completing all the activities and extras in Steelport will take some time. The graphics in it are average but i did like the colourful designs of menu's, vehicles and gear for your character. Lots of customisation and dumb fun to be had here.… Expand
  11. Jomas
    Nov 20, 2011
    10
    Just a pure fun game, I wish games focused on more fun based activities then cinematic's and such because I play for the fun.
    I know some of it may be immature and offensive but If you don't like that then avoid the game, for the more open minded I know you will love it.
  12. mattybay
    Nov 20, 2011
    10
    Fun Fun Fun, made even better with the absence of any other games in the same genre recently. I highly recommend it if you want a fun game to play, other releases recently have been a bit serious. This is a bit more chilled out. shooting hookers in the head ftw
  13. G_Mackzy
    Nov 20, 2011
    7
    This game does a lot to make sure you have fun, and honestly it's a blast. No mission or side challenge feels tedious. Think GTA on crack and you're pretty much on the money.
  14. UCIAMYY4U
    Nov 20, 2011
    10
    Best open world game to DATE!!!! Its stupid, funny, over the top fun. Great game and would recommend to anyone with a love for the open world action genre.
  15. chickwaltitude
    Nov 19, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First of all let me say that it really annoys me that there are intentionally misleading reviews on this site. This game is not "really short" or even moderately short for that matter. My girlfriend has about 30 hours into this game so far an is about 50 percent complete, I am at about 15 hours and I haven't even gotten to the third mission, out of 40, because I've been playing in the sandbox. The claim that there is "day one DLC" is also and out and out lie. THQ is simply allowing fans of the game to save ten dollars by prepurchasing all the DLC now, as opposed to paying ten dollars each time new DLC is released next year. THQ is simply giving gamers the option to purchase up front at a discount. You are perfectly welcome to purchase the DLC al la carte as it is released in the future.

    As far as the game itself, it is very engaging and fun to play. There is absolutely no level of realism involved with this title, it is 100 percent over the top 100 percent of the time. From the mollusk launcher to the women in fishnet and g-strings constantly wandering the streets SR3 revels in its absurdity. The game is about being able to do things that we are prevented from in the real world thanks to the laws of physics, the state, and our consciences.

    I do have a few problems with the game, I'm not a fan of the new vehicle theft side missions. In previous Saints games you were able to access wish lists at various chop shops located throughout the world. The wish list would give you hints where the vehicles could be found, but you were free to randomly jack a car at any point in the game and deliver it to the chop shop for fun and profit. In SR3 vehicle theft is set up more like the hitman missions in the previous games, where the player is more locked into the side quest.

    The final problem I have with SR3 is the character development. I am not happy at all that Gat is dead. I would think that kicking you out of your hometown and stealing all your assets would provide enough impetus to seek revenge on the Morningstar without killing your best friend and second in command. In addition to that what the hell did Volition do to Shaundi? She went from being the adorable, yet promiscuous stoner chick with dreads to some uber bimbo with giant bouncy hair and breast implants. Not cool Volition, not cool at all.

    At the end of the day SR3 is well worth playing, despite that they either killed or ruined my two favorite characters. It's fun, engrossing and over the top just like I suspected.    … Expand
  16. FizzyWM
    Nov 19, 2011
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Let me start off this review by stating that I am a MASSIVE fan of Saints Row 1 & 2. They're two of my all time favourite games. I love the characters, the over-the-top explosive action, the hilarious interactions and the world in general. That being said, I'll get on with my review of Saints Row: The Third.

    Saints Row: the Third starts off the game by killing off everyones favourite character, you characters best friend, Johnny Gat. Everybody I know that's played a Saints game said that Johnny Gat is, hands down, one the best thing about the game. To kill him off so early, AND off screen I might add, is a slap in the face. Why kill him off? I honestly don't understand why the developers thought it would be a good idea.

    The gameplay is still the great gameplay that was present in the previous two games, but with some nifty new updates and upgrades, as you would expect. However, it feels as if there are hardly any weapons in the game. Ones that you'd use, at any rate. (Well, unless you want to pay for some day one DLC to get some extra ridiculous weapons that aren't particularly useful, of course.) You can upgrade the small amount of weapons that you do have, however, and that does add a little bit of an extra something to keep the weapons feeling slightly fresh as you progress.

    Throughout the games development we were given a lot of videos detailing the enemies of the game. Then they throw all that out of the window early on by killing off who we were lead to believe was the main villain and throwing the player into a situation where they think "Well... who am I actually fighting then? What the hell is actually going on?" The storyline feels so fragmented and unstructured that it's very hard to follow. Whereas the first two games had you procedurally eliminating the three rival gangs and building up to a climatic fight with the gangs boss, Saints Row: the Third has you doing everything in a pretty much set order (You can choose which missions you do from your phone, however it's sometimes impossible to tell who you'll be going up against in the mission as there is no indication whatsoever).

    The game feels incredibly short compared to the previous two, as well. You seemingly destroy the enemy gangs within just a couple of missions against each. I hardly had any time to get to know the gangs, so it felt as if I was just shooting cardboard cut-outs the whole game. Throughout the game, the STAG refers to something called the Daedalus, which is a flying airbase (not that you'd know that if you had just played the games; the only reason I know is because it was featured in some videos that were released before the game) however it never actually shows up during the course of the game. Was it cut out to be released as DLC? Or was it my in game choices that caused it to never appear? Another thing that truly gets on my nerves is the day one DLC for this game. What was it, three-four piece of DLC?

    When all's said and done, this game was a huge disappointment for me. I had no doubts in my mind that this game would blow me away, and be one best games I've ever bought. I can't honestly say that's true, and that is a real shame.    … Expand
  17. TooGoods
    Nov 19, 2011
    0
    The game is far too short and the DLC pack is a rip off for $20, it's worth is at least $5. It's best to buy this game when the price gets low to avoid disappointment. Would make a good bargain game for later instead of wasting your money now. Get Skyrim instead if money is tight, HOURS OF FUN!.
  18. jayofuf24
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    Worthy upgrade frm sr2. Its only gta fanboys who are going to dislike this game. It the best open world experience for me at the moment. Gonna have loads of fun towards 100% completion.
  19. earlkran
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    awesome game. better than san andreas. wy do the critics score this so low? not as good as skyrim but way more fun than mw3. mw3 is garbage and it gets critical acclaim. hurrah fanboys yoru driving good developers into unprofitability because youd rather fork over the cash to a company who cares only abotu seliing you the same crap year after year cough infinity ward activision cough cough
  20. Mad_gamer
    Nov 18, 2011
    9
    Fun, entertaining, addictive and hilarious. Haven't had so much fun with a game in so long. I got the Pre Order Professor Genki with the Manapult and still laugh hard every time I fire pedestrians/gang memebers/cops across the city. Love the diversity in the game. I have been looking forward to this game for months and was not disappointed. The cars handle way better than SR2 and theFun, entertaining, addictive and hilarious. Haven't had so much fun with a game in so long. I got the Pre Order Professor Genki with the Manapult and still laugh hard every time I fire pedestrians/gang memebers/cops across the city. Love the diversity in the game. I have been looking forward to this game for months and was not disappointed. The cars handle way better than SR2 and the weapons and upgrades are awesome. Love the way the respect system works and the amount of upgrades you can do to both yourself and the gang. Another thing that has impressed me is that the profanity seems to have been cut down a bit from SR2 and that's great as it did get a bit much for me in SR2. Cannot wait to see what DLC's they bring out for this game either. Has a good size map for you to run around and cause mayhem and loving the activities. Ok so some of the missions are tedious and boring but on the whole once you get past that small handful of missions it is a lot of fun to play and can be at times quite challenging. It's a lot of fun to just sit there running around doing all the different moves bashing the pedestrians. It can be a bit frustrating at time like when you call homies or ask for vehicle delivery and they don't turn up or some of the recovery times from the moves you pull. Overall tho I fully enjoyed this game and hope that if you are a fan of GTA that you will pick this game up and give it a go! So worth it.… Expand
  21. Imran
    Nov 17, 2011
    9
    Mind blowing game with amazing fun.Thats my first saints game and i am really loving it.At least the game is better than GTA 4 in terms of fun.I bought saints 3 & assassins creed revelations together which is my most favorite game i tried first saints 3 to check out the game play and really the game is not allowing my single minute to chk out assassins creed.I will finish it first and thenMind blowing game with amazing fun.Thats my first saints game and i am really loving it.At least the game is better than GTA 4 in terms of fun.I bought saints 3 & assassins creed revelations together which is my most favorite game i tried first saints 3 to check out the game play and really the game is not allowing my single minute to chk out assassins creed.I will finish it first and then i l play Assassins creed.… Expand
  22. jnl7409
    Nov 16, 2011
    10
    Saints row is amazing. The customization is top notch. This is the best SR yet. The fourth will even better. This is a must buy for hours of fun. The game has 47 story based missions plus another 40+ side missions. The dlc is extra fun for a low price. $20 for three mission pack and nyte blade inspired car motorcycle and outfits. The nyte blade pack comes as soon as you purchase the dlc.Saints row is amazing. The customization is top notch. This is the best SR yet. The fourth will even better. This is a must buy for hours of fun. The game has 47 story based missions plus another 40+ side missions. The dlc is extra fun for a low price. $20 for three mission pack and nyte blade inspired car motorcycle and outfits. The nyte blade pack comes as soon as you purchase the dlc. The others come during the 2012 year. You also save over 15% percent buying the season pass. 9/10 at least reviewers and gamers giving any less are mistaken.… Expand
  23. ImpureClient
    Nov 16, 2011
    10
    They've added a lot more and taken some of the good out but it rounds out to be a awesome game. I had Saints Row 2 in my console like 50% of the time. You can always get into this game and do something crazy and stupid that it boggles the mind. Even after beating SR2 I spent hundreds of hours just zooming and running around town and misbehaving. The day one DLC is disheartening andThey've added a lot more and taken some of the good out but it rounds out to be a awesome game. I had Saints Row 2 in my console like 50% of the time. You can always get into this game and do something crazy and stupid that it boggles the mind. Even after beating SR2 I spent hundreds of hours just zooming and running around town and misbehaving. The day one DLC is disheartening and honestly that should be the preorder bonus. I will eventually get the DLC of course but it isn't nice when these game companies try every effort to drain our wallets because they understand our addiction. My excitement for this new installation washes out the disappointment in the DLC issue though. Take the good with the bad. ....and it's very good.… Expand
  24. theimmortalmoo
    Nov 16, 2011
    10
    Crazy fun game, offers an experience I haven't had for a while with a GTA style Sandbox game......FUN!
    Mature topics, adult theme, crazy fun. I appreciate the wide variety of character customization, it's discouraging to see day 1 DLC.
  25. TiKaBo
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    This game is simply AWESOME!! First and foremost it's exactly what a game should be: FUN!!! Everything about this game is so over-the-top inappropriate that you just can't help but laugh, even if you are the most up tight f*&#er ever! The gameplay mechanics are rock solid and GTA is nothing more than a faint memory from a past life. GOTY for me personally! MUST BUY!
  26. gamernation_1
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    The controls are much tighter/better now. Not only is it an outrageous and humorous game, now it is spot on with much better controls! Loving it and will keep me busy over the next few months at a minimum. Will be entertaining to see friends reactions when they come over and check it out....it may alone get them to buy a PS3/Xbox.
  27. swinkstocks
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    Game of the Year, GTA on steroids. This game is explosive, fun, and takes gaming to a level we have never seen before. This game is the bad boy of the gaming industry.
  28. hii
    Nov 15, 2011
    9
    This game is a major stress buster really enjoyable :)
  29. nathrakh
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    It's been a long time since i have had so much fun. Saint row the third is the sandbox game i was waiting for since GTA san Andreas, all the fun is back !
  30. scottysauce
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    This game is mind blowing! I was on the fence for a very long time with this game but I gave I and now I'm so hooked and living it. I can honestly I haven't had such a fun time in a very long time. This one can't be missed!
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Awards & Rankings

41
#41 Best PS3 Game of 2011
20
#20 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2011
63
#63 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 50 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 50
  3. Negative: 0 out of 50
  1. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Mar 6, 2012
    90
    So over the top it makes Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay look restrained. This is an absolute laugh riot throughout. [Dec 2011, p66]
  2. Worth Playing
    Jan 18, 2012
    90
    Saints Row: The Third is a video game, and it revels in that fact. Along with providing one of the best story modes of this hardware generation (complete with co-op), it comes with near-limitless ways for players to make their own fun when that story is exhausted, or when they want a break from the rollercoaster. These days, most video games do not live up to their original asking price. Saints Row: The Third does, and then some.
    Read full review
  3. Gamer.nl
    Jan 10, 2012
    80
    Saints Row is a playground for adults, a not so subtle satire of modern culture and entertainment. It's also the opposite of Grand Theft Auto. It's very rough around the edges, unfortunately, and isn't that much different from its predecessor. Still, it's proper fun.
    Read full review
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