The Saints Row franchise may have begun as a satirical copycat to a well-known series, but it quickly took on a life of its own, with each game in the series offering something different. Letting players rise to prominence as the head of a street gang, the franchise has continued to go in stranger and more unexpected directions, all while managing to retain its signature sense of humor. Whether being launched hundreds of feet in the air during an insurance fraud mini-game, dropkicking through the windshield of a moving car, or becoming President of the United States, each entry has offered something unique.
First launching in 2006, Saints Row was considered a direct competitor for the well-established Grand Theft Auto series. Offering more arcade-like antics and a less-serious tone, Saints Row set itself up to be just different enough to grab the eye of GTA fans who wanted something a bit more relaxed than the more somber narrative they were accustomed to. As Saints Row grew, the franchise took more and more liberties with substance in favor of comical fun and mayhem over telling a grounded story.
The main cast of Saints Row has remained relatively unchanged across the franchise, with each one offering a distinct and enjoyable personality. Their banter and individual traits make for a well-rounded team of supporting characters with the player at the center. Each game has its own merits for what makes it enjoyable, but some entries are simply better than others.
Honorable Mention: Agents of Mayhem
While not officially included as it doesn't have Saints Row in the title, Agents of Mayhem needs to be mentioned as one of the worst entries. It had potential as a fresh new direction for Saints Row, picking up as an alternate timeline from the events of Saints Row: Gat out of Hell, and running like a Saturday morning cartoon. Players put together a rag-tag team of heroes with different powers to travel a sprawling city and fight the bad guys. Team members could synergize their abilities for cool effects and often had unique banter. The problem was that it lacked most of the key things it needed: The environment was almost completely devoid of NPCs, missions were repetitive, and it was missing so much of that Saints Row charm. Oleg, Kinzie, Pierce, and Johnny Gat all appear, but it wasn't enough to make it the success it could have been.
#5. Saints Row IV - President Of Destruction
Saints Row IV is where the series jumped the shark. The Saints had been called in to help Mi6 foil an international terrorist plot. The Boss scales a nuke mid-flight in an attempt to disable it with Aerosmith's "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" heroically playing as the characters say goodbye. The Boss survives and is elected President of the United States, and shortly after a press conference, the world is invaded by an alien race called the Zin. These are just the opening story beats of the game, however, as Saints Row IV takes place after Earth has been destroyed, with humans continuing to live inside a simulation of Steelport. This allows the player to have Matrix-like abilities loaded into their virtual self to give them superpowers. While it's a neat concept and it's executed well, it remains so distant from what the Saints Row series had been prior that it loses the series' usual, more grounded grounded charm.
#4. Saints Row: Gat Out Of Hell - Featuring Everyone's Favorite Psychopath
Johnny Gat has been a key character and the player's right-hand man through the franchise. Voiced by Daniel Dae Kim, Gat's character is best explored during the events of Saints Row 2, and quickly became a fan favorite. As a stand-alone expansion to Saints Row IV, Gat out of Hell begins with Kinzie's birthday. Using a magic Ouiji board, the Boss is ripped into hell to marry Satan's daughter, Jezebel, but Gat and Kinzie volunteer to go rescue them. It is an unexpected and comical experience meeting historical figures like Blackbeard and Vlad the Impaler while tearing up Hell, however, the concept could not have worked had the series not been continuously ramping up its eccentricities. It's a beautiful game full of Saints Row's classic carnage, but is also perhaps a bit too far removed from the series proper.
#3. Saints Row - Introducing The Saints
The original Saints Row was a fresh IP looking to make a name for itself. Featuring similar mechanics to Grand Theft Auto such as an open world, stealing cars, and gang activities, Saints Row had quite the hill to climb. Joining the 3rd Street Saints, the player helped them defeat three rival gangs in the fictional city of Stillwater. Players must then go head to head with the corrupt chief of police and attempt to save the kidnapped leader of the 3rd Street gang. Volition and THQ hired notable actors for key roles including Michael Clarke Duncan, Michael Rappaport, Keith David, Tia Carrere, and Daniel Dae Kim (among others) to round out the cast. Saints Row was a grounded and compelling entry for the franchise to kick off, but was otherwise dwarfed by its competition.
#2. Saints Row: The Third - The Natural Conclusion
If all good things come as a trilogy, Saints Row: The Third was the perfect ending. Picking up with the successful takeover of the Ultor corporation, the 3rd Street Saints have hit the high life and become incredibly successful. Now more focused on sponsorships and million-dollar deals than criminal activity, the Saints agree to rob a bank with an actor looking to prepare for an upcoming role. The job is met with heavy resistance and the gang is arrested, discovering the bank belonged to a powerful group known as the Syndicate.
Dropped into Steelport with Johnny Gat missing, the Boss and Shaundi find themselves in hostile territory with their bank accounts drained. Saints Row: The Third gives players an effective reset to rebuild their empire in a new town with new gameplay features. It introduces a host of new mechanics while still retaining the charm of its predecessor. The voice cast includes pro-wrestling legends Hulk Hogan and Rob Van Dam, voice actress Tasia Valenzia, and Burt Reynolds as himself. Saints Row: The Third paid tribute to the previous games while offering a new experience and a satisfying conclusion.
#1. Saints Row 2 - The Trend Setter
Saints Row 2 was the perfect balance that made the franchise so much fun to play. The 3rd Street Saints had been all but abandoned, new gangs rose to power, and it was up to the player to get the Saints back on top. Saints Row 2 showed that this was no longer just a Grand Theft Auto knock-off. The city of Stillwater felt lively, and there was always something going on. Saints Row 2 was also the first introduction of Shaundi and Pierce who, among other characters, would become central draws forthe franchise. Who can forget Carlos, who got stabbed so he could talk to the player? Or the tragedy that befalls Aisha? Saints Row 2 was still full of mayhem, but it offered humanity, pathos, and characters the player could connect with. It also had the impressive voice cast including Eliza Dushku, Mila Kunis, Michael Dorn, Jaime Pressly, Brian Tee, Phil LaMarr, Jay Mohr, and even Neil Patrick Harris. Saints Row 2 forged its own identity while keeping itself grounded, offering pure chaotic fun without compromising its narrative strength. As Saints Row continued it leaned more into the chaos, but at the expense of its heart, which was at its best in Saints Row 2.