super-heated plasma
Member
Sounds good. Commence reading.
If the Grand Theft Auto series lit a fire under the ass of the action genre, then Saint's Row burns down the whole damned house. Here's how Saint's Row, in just one afternoon, became one of the most addictive games we've ever laid our hands on.
If you really paid attention amidst the hype and chaos of E3, one game stood out: Saint's Row. When we first saw the game presented behind closed doors by THQ, we kknew we were seeing something special. Even in a primitive statte, it looked like a GTA fan's wildest dreams come true. Online play? Unprecedented customization options? Eye-popping graphics? Check, check, check. Even the frazzled online journalists in the room let out little coos of admiration, and man, those guys are jaded. We walked away from the Saint's Row demo confident that we had just witnessed one of the top XBox 360 titles in development. The problem was, hardly anyone knew! Most industry folks hadn't seen the mind-blowing demo and were confusing Saint's Row with the countless other gangsta games at the show. Despite it's low-key showing, Saint's Row still scooped up an impressive array of industry accolades. We, of course, quietly made plans to cover the crap out of the game. Roughly 1,000 phone calls later, destiny ultimately led us to the charming college town of Champaign, Illinois and the lush offices of Volition, developers of the Red Faction games, the Summoner series, last year's Punisher...and Saint's Row. Our objective was simple: We weren't leaving without hands-on playtime. And we're happy to report that what we experienced was downright awesome!
Upon reviewing the game's status and development cycle, we were reminded that a key part of the Saint's Row experience revolves around the player's ability to customize nearly every aspect of the game. The character-creation syste, for instance, lets you choose from ethnic types and body builds ranging from whipcord lean to roly-poly. From there, you can control minutes facial details, such as the prominence or position of your ears, lips, eyebrows, and cheekbones. If that's not enough, you can visit a plastic surgeon at any time during gameplay to tweak those physical details even more. The clothing-customization options are just as extensive. Not only can you dress in everything from a basketball jersey to a three-piece suit, but you can also wear garments in multiple configurations: jackets can be zipped or unzipped; jean legs can be rolled up or left down. Then there are the accessories like watches, necklaces, piercings, tattoos, shoes, and hats.
Automobiles represent another core part of the Saint's Row experience, so it's only fitting that players should be able to customize them extensively, too. You can add frills like hydraulic lifts and convertible tops to nearly any vehicle in the entire game. You also have the power to add vanity fenders, decals, windshields, window tinting, and rims; for more dangerous missions, you might want to add body armor or nitro kits. But what is extra cool is that this elaborate process also works in reverse, so you can strip a taxi down to almost the bare frame, then rebuild it panel by panel to create a totally unique, almost unrecognizable ride. Not bad, huh? And don't worry, if you wreck your pride and joy, you can buy an exact duplicate at the local car lot. Naturally, the game will feature a full array of outlandish vehicles: exotic sports cars, backhoes, tractor trailers with detachable rigs, you name it. Sadly, you won't fly helicopters or jets this time around. Saint's Row 2? You never know.
When we settled down to play, it was instantly apparent that Saint's Row is a showcase visual title for the XBox 360. Much to the delight of HDTV owners, 720p will be the game's native resolution (duh). In the version we played, the environments looked razor sharp and sported draw distances that seemed to stretch on into infinity. The special effects looked downright dazzling as the explosions blasted streamers of sparks and soot into the sky. Models and textures were adorned with realistic-ooking normal mapping, and the gorgeous lighting system made shadows project realistically onto any surface. You could even watch shadows creep across the ground as daylight slowly turned to twilight.
The attention to detail extends to the sound design, too. As you prowl the city streets, you'll hear snatches of music drift in and out. Volition isn't ready to annoucne any licensed artists or tracks just yet, but we do know that you'll be able to buy your favorite tracks at the local music shop in order to cobble together custom playlists. The radio dishes out tunes ranging from 1980s rock to classic hip-hop, but unlike GTA games, it actually has an impace on gameplay. If you keep you ears open, you'll hear advertisements for local clothing stores, can dealerships, and jewelry shops; if you catch wind of a sale, you can actually receive the advertised discount. The radio is also home to the local newscasters, who will break in from time to time to give updates on your latest illicit activities. These little details all add up to one amazingly vivid, immersive, reactive game world.
Although we played an early build of the game, the controls felt surprisingly tight and polished. The raidal weapon-selection menu was particularly welcome and gave you the ability to swap between weapons almost instantly. Saint's Row's 360 degree aiming system left GTA's crappy auto aiming in the dust; it even enabled you to fire in any direction while driving. Many of the weapons sported secondary firing modes, and you could smash foes with brutal melee attacks.
As we took the fight to the crowded city streets, we noticed that the game's advanced physics system had an enormous impact on gameplay. When we rolled grenades underneath cars, the resulting explosions shot crowd-clearing shrapnel in all directions. We also tried out the rocket launcher, which left the street littered with flaming debris. Yeah, this games definitely kicks some major ass.
While playing through several single-player missions, we observed that the enemy AI seemed energetic but not obnoxious or superhuman. We played in one indoor shhootout that was reminiscent of the famous lobby scene from The Matrix; as lead and debris swarmed through the air, enemy gang members nimbly darted behind columns, ornaments, and around corners.
We also treid out several other missions. In Escort, your duty is to dodge news vans and paparazzi long enough for you celebrity client and his stripper date to finish.....uh, you know. The final version of the game will include a whole array of mission types, including pimping, drug transporting, street racing, and assassinating, among scores of other unwholesome activities. You'll even be able to replay your favorite missions at any time by visitng the local theatre-definitely a nice touch.
The multiplayer component is still under relatively tight wraps, but we were able to wring a few key details out of the Volition guys. From what we hear, Protect the Pimp will be one of the standout modes. In that game type, one team charged with assassination a pimp, while the other team must escort said pimp to safety. But in a hilarious twist, the player-controlled pimp can pull off a devastating "pimp slap" attack, which can eliminate enemies instantly. Another online mode is called Blinged Out Ride, and it combines elements from the TV show Junkyard Wars with standard team deathmatch. Both teams start with lowly rust buckets, and the goal is to be the first to cobble together the most kick-ass car. But it definitely pays to stay on your toes as your opponents can launch a preemptive assault to wipe out your car...and your lead. Volition is shooting to support 8 to 12 XBox Live players in the final version. The game's elaborate physics model is a steep technological hurdle, but the team is hopeful that they'll overcome the challenge.
The programmers were hard at work compiling a half-completed beta version of Saint's Row, and though that version was a major work in progress, it gave us an opportunity to look deeper into the heart of the game. The surroundings were different than what we saw in the preview build: The scene was a dense, trash-strewn ghetto surrounded by gleaming skyscrapers. An enormous mechanized drawbridge loomed over this part of the city, and we also caought our fist peak of the elevated train, a transportation system that will let players hop quickly to key points in the city....and yes, you can derail the train. The designers were also working hard to implement advanced weather effects. The plan is to include several degrees of rain-ranging from light showers to full-on torential downpours-as well as lightning storms that will occasionally zap unprotected pedestrians. We caught wind that the programmers hope to implement a morphing cloud system that would actually depict thunder clouds moving in on the city as a storm front builds. Needless to say, we were so impressed, we felt like buying an umbrella on the spot.
We know it's too early to make sweeping statments, but we can't resist making one bold prediction; if you love the GTA games, playing Saint's Row for the first time will be an almost orgasmic experience. If you think we're exaggerating, just wait 'til you get a chance to play the game yourself. The only downside is the fact that the release date still hasn't been announced, so THQ and Volition are shooting for the "launch window" of the XBox 360's debut. We'll reserve final judgement for now, but barring some catastrophic last minute failure-like the final game shipping on a blank disc-it's hard to imagine what could go wrong with this formula. Trust us on this one: Saint's Row is the XBox 360 action game to beat.
*thanks to porshawpr on IGN boards.
If the Grand Theft Auto series lit a fire under the ass of the action genre, then Saint's Row burns down the whole damned house. Here's how Saint's Row, in just one afternoon, became one of the most addictive games we've ever laid our hands on.
If you really paid attention amidst the hype and chaos of E3, one game stood out: Saint's Row. When we first saw the game presented behind closed doors by THQ, we kknew we were seeing something special. Even in a primitive statte, it looked like a GTA fan's wildest dreams come true. Online play? Unprecedented customization options? Eye-popping graphics? Check, check, check. Even the frazzled online journalists in the room let out little coos of admiration, and man, those guys are jaded. We walked away from the Saint's Row demo confident that we had just witnessed one of the top XBox 360 titles in development. The problem was, hardly anyone knew! Most industry folks hadn't seen the mind-blowing demo and were confusing Saint's Row with the countless other gangsta games at the show. Despite it's low-key showing, Saint's Row still scooped up an impressive array of industry accolades. We, of course, quietly made plans to cover the crap out of the game. Roughly 1,000 phone calls later, destiny ultimately led us to the charming college town of Champaign, Illinois and the lush offices of Volition, developers of the Red Faction games, the Summoner series, last year's Punisher...and Saint's Row. Our objective was simple: We weren't leaving without hands-on playtime. And we're happy to report that what we experienced was downright awesome!
Upon reviewing the game's status and development cycle, we were reminded that a key part of the Saint's Row experience revolves around the player's ability to customize nearly every aspect of the game. The character-creation syste, for instance, lets you choose from ethnic types and body builds ranging from whipcord lean to roly-poly. From there, you can control minutes facial details, such as the prominence or position of your ears, lips, eyebrows, and cheekbones. If that's not enough, you can visit a plastic surgeon at any time during gameplay to tweak those physical details even more. The clothing-customization options are just as extensive. Not only can you dress in everything from a basketball jersey to a three-piece suit, but you can also wear garments in multiple configurations: jackets can be zipped or unzipped; jean legs can be rolled up or left down. Then there are the accessories like watches, necklaces, piercings, tattoos, shoes, and hats.
Automobiles represent another core part of the Saint's Row experience, so it's only fitting that players should be able to customize them extensively, too. You can add frills like hydraulic lifts and convertible tops to nearly any vehicle in the entire game. You also have the power to add vanity fenders, decals, windshields, window tinting, and rims; for more dangerous missions, you might want to add body armor or nitro kits. But what is extra cool is that this elaborate process also works in reverse, so you can strip a taxi down to almost the bare frame, then rebuild it panel by panel to create a totally unique, almost unrecognizable ride. Not bad, huh? And don't worry, if you wreck your pride and joy, you can buy an exact duplicate at the local car lot. Naturally, the game will feature a full array of outlandish vehicles: exotic sports cars, backhoes, tractor trailers with detachable rigs, you name it. Sadly, you won't fly helicopters or jets this time around. Saint's Row 2? You never know.
When we settled down to play, it was instantly apparent that Saint's Row is a showcase visual title for the XBox 360. Much to the delight of HDTV owners, 720p will be the game's native resolution (duh). In the version we played, the environments looked razor sharp and sported draw distances that seemed to stretch on into infinity. The special effects looked downright dazzling as the explosions blasted streamers of sparks and soot into the sky. Models and textures were adorned with realistic-ooking normal mapping, and the gorgeous lighting system made shadows project realistically onto any surface. You could even watch shadows creep across the ground as daylight slowly turned to twilight.
The attention to detail extends to the sound design, too. As you prowl the city streets, you'll hear snatches of music drift in and out. Volition isn't ready to annoucne any licensed artists or tracks just yet, but we do know that you'll be able to buy your favorite tracks at the local music shop in order to cobble together custom playlists. The radio dishes out tunes ranging from 1980s rock to classic hip-hop, but unlike GTA games, it actually has an impace on gameplay. If you keep you ears open, you'll hear advertisements for local clothing stores, can dealerships, and jewelry shops; if you catch wind of a sale, you can actually receive the advertised discount. The radio is also home to the local newscasters, who will break in from time to time to give updates on your latest illicit activities. These little details all add up to one amazingly vivid, immersive, reactive game world.
Although we played an early build of the game, the controls felt surprisingly tight and polished. The raidal weapon-selection menu was particularly welcome and gave you the ability to swap between weapons almost instantly. Saint's Row's 360 degree aiming system left GTA's crappy auto aiming in the dust; it even enabled you to fire in any direction while driving. Many of the weapons sported secondary firing modes, and you could smash foes with brutal melee attacks.
As we took the fight to the crowded city streets, we noticed that the game's advanced physics system had an enormous impact on gameplay. When we rolled grenades underneath cars, the resulting explosions shot crowd-clearing shrapnel in all directions. We also tried out the rocket launcher, which left the street littered with flaming debris. Yeah, this games definitely kicks some major ass.
While playing through several single-player missions, we observed that the enemy AI seemed energetic but not obnoxious or superhuman. We played in one indoor shhootout that was reminiscent of the famous lobby scene from The Matrix; as lead and debris swarmed through the air, enemy gang members nimbly darted behind columns, ornaments, and around corners.
We also treid out several other missions. In Escort, your duty is to dodge news vans and paparazzi long enough for you celebrity client and his stripper date to finish.....uh, you know. The final version of the game will include a whole array of mission types, including pimping, drug transporting, street racing, and assassinating, among scores of other unwholesome activities. You'll even be able to replay your favorite missions at any time by visitng the local theatre-definitely a nice touch.
The multiplayer component is still under relatively tight wraps, but we were able to wring a few key details out of the Volition guys. From what we hear, Protect the Pimp will be one of the standout modes. In that game type, one team charged with assassination a pimp, while the other team must escort said pimp to safety. But in a hilarious twist, the player-controlled pimp can pull off a devastating "pimp slap" attack, which can eliminate enemies instantly. Another online mode is called Blinged Out Ride, and it combines elements from the TV show Junkyard Wars with standard team deathmatch. Both teams start with lowly rust buckets, and the goal is to be the first to cobble together the most kick-ass car. But it definitely pays to stay on your toes as your opponents can launch a preemptive assault to wipe out your car...and your lead. Volition is shooting to support 8 to 12 XBox Live players in the final version. The game's elaborate physics model is a steep technological hurdle, but the team is hopeful that they'll overcome the challenge.
The programmers were hard at work compiling a half-completed beta version of Saint's Row, and though that version was a major work in progress, it gave us an opportunity to look deeper into the heart of the game. The surroundings were different than what we saw in the preview build: The scene was a dense, trash-strewn ghetto surrounded by gleaming skyscrapers. An enormous mechanized drawbridge loomed over this part of the city, and we also caought our fist peak of the elevated train, a transportation system that will let players hop quickly to key points in the city....and yes, you can derail the train. The designers were also working hard to implement advanced weather effects. The plan is to include several degrees of rain-ranging from light showers to full-on torential downpours-as well as lightning storms that will occasionally zap unprotected pedestrians. We caught wind that the programmers hope to implement a morphing cloud system that would actually depict thunder clouds moving in on the city as a storm front builds. Needless to say, we were so impressed, we felt like buying an umbrella on the spot.
We know it's too early to make sweeping statments, but we can't resist making one bold prediction; if you love the GTA games, playing Saint's Row for the first time will be an almost orgasmic experience. If you think we're exaggerating, just wait 'til you get a chance to play the game yourself. The only downside is the fact that the release date still hasn't been announced, so THQ and Volition are shooting for the "launch window" of the XBox 360's debut. We'll reserve final judgement for now, but barring some catastrophic last minute failure-like the final game shipping on a blank disc-it's hard to imagine what could go wrong with this formula. Trust us on this one: Saint's Row is the XBox 360 action game to beat.
*thanks to porshawpr on IGN boards.
PEACE.
