As a franchise,Saints Rowhas always been compared toGrand Theft Auto,and it’s easy to see where the comparisons come from. The firstSaints Rowgame, released all the way back in 2006, bore a striking resemblance totheGrand Theft Autos of the time, choosing to be a grounded, realistic crime game. With the release ofSaints Row 2, the series started to carve out its own identity, choosing to focus more on tongue-in-cheek humor and satire, while also throwing in some emotional beats to keep the narrative engaging. By the timeSaints Row 3and4rolled around, the franchise had fully embraced its new identity, being an absurdist take on the crime genre.
WhileSaints Row 4was met with pretty favorable reviews, there was no denying that the formula had gotten a little stale, and the series would need to undergo a slight change to make it relevant once again. In a few months time, Deep Silver and Volition will be doing just that, rebooting the entire franchise. The newSaints Rowwill put players up against some brand-new gangs as they attempt to take over the new American Southwest-inspired location, Santo Ileso. As they attempt to wrestle power away from rival gangs, players will come into contact with a variety of new faces, the most important of which are the three core members of the new Saints gang.
RELATED:Saints Row Should Bring Back Some of Its Zaniest Weapons
The Boss
The most important character inSaints Rowis, of course, the playable character. In pastSaints Rowtitles, players have always taken on the role of the Saints' leader, from the very first game where they rise up from obscurity to notoriety, to the fourth game, where they play asthe President of the United States, who then gets kidnapped by aliens.
In the newSaints Row, players will once again play as the leader of the Saints, and much like the first game, they’ll have to start from the bottom and work their way up, conquering the other rival gangs of the city. The player-character will once again be known simply as “The Boss,” and whiletheSaints Rowprotagonist’s appearancewill be completely customizable from the get-go, their backstory is already set in stone.
The game will start with The Boss being a low-ranking member of Marshall Defense Industries, before they decide to leave the company, and set up their own criminal empire. The Boss takes a few of their friends with them for the ride, all three of which are fellow disgruntled workers, each coming from various gangs around Santo Ileso.
The Saints
The Saints, not to be confused with the past games' Third Street Saints, area brand new gang in Santo Ileso. At the start of the game, The Saints has just four members: The Boss, Eli, Neenah, and Kevin. When the four up-and-comers realize there’s more glory and power to be gained from starting their own criminal empire, they do just that, starting The Saints' operations from an abandoned church in the Mercado district.
WithThe Boss at the top, the other three take on the role of lieutenants, each with their own unique set of skills that determine their role in the gang. Eli is the entrepreneur of the group, seeking to make as much money as humanly possible, and by any means necessary. His moral compass is definitely on the gray side.
Neenah used to work forLos Panteros, a rival gang, but decided to join The Saints as a getaway driver. After graduating from art school, Neenah found it difficult to find a job in the industry, so set her eyes on a life of crime instead. The last of the lieutenants, Kevin is one of the most popular DJs in Santo Ileso, and used to work in the Idols' nightclubs. A child of foster care, Kevin is still looking for a family he can call his own, and he hopes The Saints will be just that.
Saints Rowreleases on August 23 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:5 Things We’ve Learned About Saints Row Gameplay and Combat
