KEY POINTS

  • Fans criticized the new "Saints Row's" graphical style and overarching tone
  • They compared the game to "Agents of Mayhem," another game produced by Volition
  • The new "Saints Row" will feature the largest sandbox playground in the franchise 

The rumored “Saints Row” reboot has been officially announced at Gamescom, but many of the franchise’s fans were disappointed with what they saw.

A cinematic trailer showcasing the new setting and characters of the “Saints Row” reboot has left a bitter taste in the mouths of fans. Some likened its graphical style to “Fortnite” while others wrote off the new teenaged cast of 3rd Street Saints as unworthy successors to the previous games’ Gat, Shaundi and Pierce.

Fans in the comments section of the YouTube-released copy of the trailer complained at how gentrified the new Saints appeared when compared to their original counterparts. The rough and cynical personalities of the original Saints were replaced with characters who are less mean and more approachable. Other fans said that the reboot felt more like “Agents of Mayhem,” the spiritual successor to the “Saints Row” series that was released before the franchise went on an eight-year hiatus.

Not all fans reacted negatively to the trailer, however. Some said that they are excited to see more of the silly and chaotic gameplay that “Saints Row” is known for while others remain cautiously optimistic, hoping that the actual gameplay is better than what’s shown in the trailer.

The “Saints Row” reboot will be set in Santo Ileso, a completely new region based on the American Southwest that’s filled with new characters, factions, locations, weapons and more. The developers describe Santo Ileso as “the biggest and best ‘Saints Row’ playground ever created,” with numerous side activities and main missions for the players to participate in.

Saints Row is getting rebooted as a fresh new that intends to carry on the legacy of the original series
Saints Row is getting rebooted as a fresh new that intends to carry on the legacy of the original series Deep Silver Volition

Considering that this is a reboot of the franchise, the main story will once again have players grow the Saints from a lowly street gang to a criminal empire. Players can run illegitimate business activities like drug dealing or gunrunning to help make a name for their crew. The game is inspired by wild west themes, but it still has the same over-the-top action sequences that the previous games were known for.

Details are still relatively scarce regarding the new “Saints Row’s” actual gameplay and mechanics. Fan reactions aside, the game is setting itself up to be the biggest entry in the franchise so far.

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