Preview: Nine questions answered about the ‘Saints Row’ reboot

When Volition decided to reboot “Saints Row,” they wanted to do it from scratch. The developer had a blank slate with the only guiding light being that the project had to strike the right tone. It had to feel like a “Saints Row” game in word and deed.

The result of that freedom is a Santo Ileso, a city inspired by the Southwest. Creative director Biran Traficante mentioned cities such as Dallas; Sedona, Ariz.; and Reno, Nev. It’s evident from the buttes, casinos and Wild West motifs that this isn’t Stilwater anymore.

Somehow though, the developers seemed to have accomplished their goal of capturing that distinct “Saints Row” vibe. There’s plenty of action and absurdist humor. Here are some questions and answers about what I learned from a hands-off virtual demo of the upcoming open-world crime adventure.

Q How big is the new “Saints Row”?

A The new locale of Santo Ileso has nine districts to explore and each area has a unique feel. It appears that Volition used the setting to their advantage and players will see quite a bit of wilderness. Players will be able to use off-road vehicles to drive around the scrub and desert lands in some of the more remote areas.

Districts that were shown or mentioned include the following:
Old Town — It’s full of low-slung buildings and has a Wild West vibe to it.
El Dorado — This is filled with casinos that includes a Central American pyramid. Although some people will immediately think Las Vegas, the developers say it’s actually inspired by the Biggest Little City in the World.
Lakeshore — That sounds like the rich part of town. It’s upscale.
Other locales that appeared on the map were Sanatorum Flats, Marina Del Lago, Monte Vista, Rancho Providencia, Smelterville and Mercado.

All in all, the Jewel of Rio Salinas feels a bit like what would happen if Florida and Texas had a baby.

Q What about length? Obviously, this is referring to content.

A Traficante said the new “Saints Row” charts the gang’s rise to power. When the campaign starts, there isn’t even a Saints Row. The Boss is just living with roommates who all happen to be from different gangs and they do small crimes to pay rent.

This escalates into a full-blown criminal empire, in which players have to defeat three rival gangs that include Los Panteros and the Idols. Overall, there are 25 critical path missions and 10 side missions, according to Traficante.

Plus there are plenty of activities and side hustles. Players will see the return of insurance Fraud and Mayhem. Side hustles are repeatable activities on a map, and they also introduce players to new gameplay mechanics.

Q What is the gameplay like?
A The customization has a huge role in the game as The Boss – that’s what the protagonist is called – helps his crew and battles the different gangs. How players look has been emphasized before, but what’s more interesting is how they can customize the skills and perks.

Using the phone, they can respec before each mission and take skills into the fray that proves useful. That could be the Pineapple Express, a skill in which the Boss slips a grenade on an enemy throws him at a crowd. They could also bring in a fire resistance perk if enemies hurl Molotovs or use flamethrowers.

The skills are tied to the face buttons while perks fall under minor, major and elite. They’ll have to be unlocked using money. Players also have a finisher move when they’re in the middle of the fight. All of this creates a more complex combat system.

With weapons, players switch them out on the fly, and they’ll need to do that as Volitions crafted some cleverly designed missions that require different tactics. Players may need to use SMGs for Los Panteros thugs who rush them but later on switch to a sniper rifle to tag enemies down the cavernous rooms of a factory.

The whole process reminds me a little of “Agents of Mayhem,” but without the character switching. The development of the different skills and perks adds a strategical element to how players tackle missions.

Q What about getting to point A to point B? How do you do that?
A If players need a ride, the Boss just carjacks people. From other hints, players can expect to see boats and other modes of transportation. Each vehicle has a signature move such as sideswiping. Players can also tow things behind them and use the attached objects such as Port-A-Potty almost like vehicular flail.

Aside from that, players can also launch themselves from vehicles and glide through the air with a wingsuit. If players happen to be atop a building and they need a quick get-away, they can base jump off. A humorous touch is that players can regain height if they don’t want to touch the ground by jump atop of pedestrians. The Boss shoves them to the ground and uses that force to gain extra height like a sadistic Mario.

Q What do you know about the criminal factions?
A Two gangs showed up in the demo. The first was Los Panteros, which looks like a blue-collar street gang. They control the factories and gun running in Santo Ileso. When facing them in the mission, they tend to rush players with physical attacks. I saw two enemy types. One was the Gladiator and the other was the miniboss Gigantes.

Meanwhile, the Idols seem to be more colorful and dressed like they’re going to a punk concert or postapocalyptic party. The gang’s strategy is to overwhelm players with their numbers.

Players who have upgraded their weapons could have an ace up their sleeve. Do it enough times and players unlock a signature ability that gives the gun a special trait. A pistol could turn into a machine pistol. A shotgun can deal extra damage or knock enemies down.

Judiciously using skills and the right powered-up weapon will be the key to victory.

Q How does co-op work?

A Friends drop in and drop out. It’s untethered so a buddy can have unrestricted movement. That brings another element of chaos and a buddy is particularly helpful in activities such as Mayhem, where players are supposed to inflict millions of dollars in damage with rocket launchers. Having a buddy help out lets you reach the marks more easily. If players happen to have already played through a mission that a buddy needs help with, they can skip cut scenes.

In addition, co-op allows players to share what they’ve come up with via customization

Associate UX designer Kenzie Lindgren said all the cosmetics can be unlocked over time as players complete missions and discover parts of the world. Case in point, by finishing the Forge mission where players blow up Los Panteros’ factory, they earn the following rewards: Money, XP, a helipad for their headquarters and new combat abilities for their ally Neenah.

There’s plenty to collect with more than 100 unique collectible props that players can place around their base.

Q What are some new features?
A The biggest addition to “Saints Row” is the War Table, where players plan out their empire. Players can build criminal ventures that are seemingly legitimate businesses up front but are key pieces to taking districts over. Players will find 14 vacant lots and they’ll choose what kind of business they want to install.

What’s notable is that this is how players unlock some of the activities. For example, the Shady Oaks venture opens up the Insurance Fraud. The Big One is about arms trafficking and that will cause tension with Los Panteros, which controls that trade. It happens to unlock the Mayhem instance.

Q Where does the game sit tonally among the “Saints Row” franchise?
A Writer Jennifer Campbell said the reboot is more grounded and sits closer to “Saints Row: The Third”, which is my favorite game in the franchise, rather than “Saints Row 2.” It’s not as dark as the older sequel, she said.

If fans are curious about the difference, she said in “Saints Row 2” if a friend was wounded, you’d just shoot them in the head. In “Saints Row: The Third,” the protagonist would take them to the hospital.