Saints Row Re-Elected Nintendo Switch Review

Available: March 27th 2020

Version tested: Nintendo Switch

The original Saints Row IV was released back in 2013 and we finally have the Re-elected version with all it’s extra content in handheld form ported over to the Nintendo Switch. There is little doubt that the Switch is up to the task performance wise but how well has the game itself stood against the test of time……

Saints Row has always been the less serious and over the top mad version of Grand Theft Auto, with it’s wacky guns and characters showing it isn’t trying to take itself too seriously.

Porting over to the switch is fantastic for the series as it finally gives fans the chance to play the game on the go as well as on the big screen when docked all without losing any performance playing either way.

Does Saints Row change and go for realism?

At the start things seem pretty normal, no super powers or over the top action so you would be forgiven for thinking they have decided to maybe step towards realism over madness?

Within minutes your character will be jumping onto a rocket pulling sheets of metal off it, ripping out wires to bring it down, this is all just after getting stabbed so I would say probably not!

Saints Row IV offers plenty in the way of character creation

This video is pretty rude so make sure the audience around you is ok to be there before playing the clip!

Character creation gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect in the game with some of the taunts, these are funny enough and more than rude enough as the video above shows.

There is plenty of options when it comes to customising your character including even being able to adjust the size of your characters manhood if you choose to go as male.

Saints Row never tries to be realistic and is just out and out fun!

Once you get started and past the little tutorial type bit you will take over as your created character who is also the president of the United States in the game.

It isn’t long before you are given strange choices of punching someone in the face or down low or leaving someone hanging for a high five!

After a short cut-scene things take a turn for the worse and you are left being invaded by an alien army taking all the finest specimens they can get their hands on, you are then thrown into a simulation that you are left to explore.

Pretty soon after being thrown into the simulation your character will get the chance to drive vehicles, the handling is actually pretty good and has a feel of GTA to it, power slides and boosting will aid travelling around the simulated city.

The huge selection of cars and other vehicles is impressive with plenty of variation and the same wackiness as the weaponry! Hover bikes, cars as well as a huge monster truck are to name just a few that you can try out explore the huge map with.

Getting vehicles isn’t limited to just what you have, anything on the road can be “acquired” and used by either stealing a parked car or a bit of GTA.

Stealing cars from people is a little more fluid than GTA with the fact you can just jump through window screens and kick the driver out rather than slowly opening the door and pulling them out in a struggle.

Damage to the cars isn’t over the top, panels will come off cars and if you hit someone head on you are likely to see them come flying out of the front window screen which can be amusing.

Police and aliens will make life difficult if you upset the law!

There are police chases and while you have a fair bit of power and HP sometimes with enough heat things can get pretty difficult as the police pile up on your location!

They can be escaped but much like on GTA but as the heat level increases the chances of you being able to also decrease significantly! There are red bars indicating the wanted level you are at and the enemies strength progresses as these go in, hover bikes and spaceships will bear down on you as get the wanted level high enough.

Upgrades help when it comes to surviving, health and combat are just a couple of character upgrades that can be brought and applied.

The map in Saints Row IV is more than big enough with plenty to see and do, as the picture shows there are numerous places to find and explore which lead to more things being unlocked as you progress through the story.

Clothing, weaponry and car shops can be found dotted around the map, hidden with question marks until you visit them. Once visited these shops contribute to your character unlocking different outfits, guns and upgrades as well as a car shop in which you will be able to retrieve saved and unlocked cars you have acquired while playing.

Not happy with your custom character? Not a problem as a surgeon is on hand to adjust whatever you need!

We all do it, sometimes we play safe and make the character look all boring and normal and wish we hadn’t but in Saints Row luckily you are not stuck with that character all the way through, everything can be changed just by visiting a surgeon which is a nice touch for anyone who gets bored with their created character quickly.

Talking about getting bored quickly, you would imagine that exploring the same space to complete missions might get boring and repetitive fast, luckily in Saints Row you aren’t just normal and while the driving is ok it won’t compare to the super powers you get! Super fast running as well as being able to jump and jump up walls are just a couple of extra powers you will gain fairly early on in the game.

The story is a bit wacky and something you would totally expect from a Saints Row game! It isn’t long before you are taking on aliens totally naked thankfully the bits are blurred out though! Like I say it is a bit wacky but is certainly more than good enough to keep you playing all the way to the end and the way it’s told is great with some good voice acting throughout.

The music has some well recognised songs in it and all very appropriate for the action onscreen. Sound effects from the gun sound effects are also great with loads of variation to keep any from sounding the same as well as decent sound effects for your characters super powers.

Visuals are starting to show their age a bit but the art style was never meant to come across realistic, performance which to me is important being on the Switch was actually great docked and in handheld mode, it was sometimes a little hard to see on the Switches small screen but if you are used to it you will most likely be fine with it.

Verdict:

Although Saint’s Row IV Re-Elected is getting on a bit now it’s still a fun game to sit down and put hours into, the superpowers give your character a god-like feeling and the sheer amount of things to do and unlock will keep players entertained for hours! The performance on the Switch both docked and undocked was great with no noticeable slowdown and really was a great game to play on the go if you are used to the small screen and the joy-cons! Great story, music, voice acting and sound effects make the game an all round really good experience and one new and old players alike should definitely play-through.

Score:

8 / 10

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