Next year, it’s time to paint the town purple as Saints Row is back in action. The big difference this time though? After becoming the top gang in Stillwater, winning the elections to become the commander-in-chief of the US, and saving the entire galaxy, the Saints are going back to their roots in a total reboot of the franchise. Developer Volition is headed to square one to tell a new story, one where players will once again work their way towards becoming the apex predators in the vicious gangster circle of life. Fresh off of its Gamescom reveal, here are a few more details on next year’s Saints Row reboot.
You can still create a custom character
It wouldn’t be Saints Row if you couldn’t tear around town dressed as an escaped lunatic, and Saints Row will once again feature plenty of customisation for you to fiddle around with. Maybe you want to look like Giga-Chad in the digital flesh, maybe you want to sport a sense of fashion that circus clowns would find over the top. The choice is yours, as Volition says that Saints will feature the most extensive character customization suite ever seen in the series.
It’s all about the birth of the Saints
During a press event, Volition explained that Saints Row will focus on a reboot story that’s entirely divorced from what came before it. There’ll be a new cast of characters, scenery, and an action blockbuster original story full of criminality. So new that you shouldn’t expect familiar faces like Johnny Gat to stroll into town when this new chapter in the Saints Row saga begins. Still, it’s about taking over the city block by block, waging war against enemy factions and tightening your grip on the streets with criminal ventures.
Like insurance scams, of course.
Say goodbye to Stillwater and hello to Santo Ileso
Previous Saints Row games mostly took place in the backwater den of depravity known as Stillwater, but this new chapter is set in the biggest Saints Row playground that Volition has ever crafted. Nine unique districts form the open-world of Santo Ileso, which has a distinctly Southwestern desert feel to its design.
Guns, lots and lots of guns
Shoot revolvers from the hip, fire and forget with a rocket launcher, or obliterate up close using melee heavyweights, complete with brutal takedowns. Volition says that there’ll be a vast variety of familiar and exotic weapons, and they’re all customisable.
Cause mayhem with friends
Experience everything on offer with a friend at any time, via fully untethered drop-in/drop out co-op, skipping the need to take either of you out of the outlandish action. Play nice together, or play all new pranks on your teammate. After all, who’s the Boss now?
When is Saints Row out?
For now, Saints Row is scheduled to launch on February 25, 2022, for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games store.