The 3rd Street Saints controlled the city of Stilwater at the end of Saints Row. However, the main character was also blown up on Mayor Alderman’s yacht, placing him in a coma. So things progressed from there.
After five years, the main protagonist awakens to find themselves in prison, and the city of Stilwater is dominated by multiple warring gangs, with Johnny Gat set to be executed by an electric chair. With the assistance of Carlos, a fellow inmate, the protagonist escapes, rescues Johnny Gat, and begins to reform the gang, propelling the 3rd Street Saints back to number one.
Before entering the city’s open and non-linear setting, the player must establish who the primary protagonist is by using an elaborate character maker that lets the player change everything from gender to the size of the character’s ears and voice acting. But customization doesn’t stop there in Saints Row 2. In shops throughout the city, players can purchase additional apparel ranging from underwear to hats to alter their and the gang’s image. These clothing are then available in up to six cribs that the player can unlock and purchase during the game. Aside from customizing their appearance, the player can also store weapons and cash, withdraw daily earnings, review cutscenes, and do other things. They can also change the general style of the crib by purchasing new items, such as a television set, which gets them additional style points.
Aside from money, the most significant currencies in the city are style and respect. While respect is utilized to unlock tasks and progress through the plot, the player’s style influences the overall regard modifier, which increases the amount of care earned. As previously indicated, style points are obtained by upgrading the character’s appearance, home, or car. Respect points are instead gained through the city’s numerous activities and diversions.
Activities are mini-games that begin at one of two points in the game world and span six difficulty levels. After completing three levels, the player is rewarded with unlockables, such as a 5% discount on clothing. Saints Row 2 introduces six new activities, including “Crowd Control,” in which the player must protect a VIP from intruding fans, and “FUZZ,” a parody of COPS in which a camera crew follows the player and must deal with criminals in a very creative manner to gain points. Diversions, however, include driving on the other side of the road, performing stunts, playing poker in a casino, kidnapping a car with multiple people inside and holding the passenger hostage, and performing job side-missions such as driving the tow truck or playing taxi.
The game also includes many multiplayer modes, ranging from a two-person coop mode to a twelve-player deathmatch (“Gangsta Brawl”) and team deathmatch (“Team Gangsta Brawl”), as well as a variant dubbed “Strong Arm” in which the team that earns $100,000 first wins. This is obtained through winning single-player events, such as racing. Each task has a time limit, and the winner receives $10,000.
