Recently, I recieved a holiday present from Mouse, in the form of Saint's Row 2. In order for me to give an adequate review on this game, a little bit of background is needed on the game that precedes it.

In days of old, Grand Theft Auto 3 was released, and the gods of gaming saw that it was good. Taking the capabilities of a Sandbox-Styled game to new heights, GTA3 all but defined a genre; to say that GTA3 was ground-breaking is an understatement of the worst sort. This was back when Rockstar was at its peak, and even with random bits of stupid, GTA3 was king of the Sandbox for a good goddamned long time. It only secured its dominance further with the equally-acclaimed GTA: Vice City, and GTA: San Andreas. Both introduced new mechanics, a new location to explore, and new things to enjoy, and naturally, both scored huge profits.

Naturally, with such critically-acclaimed success, the door was opened for a slew of posers to give it a whirl. Much as Sonic the Hedgehog inspired Awesome Possum and the success of KOF, SF, and MK kicked off the fighting game genre here in the US, dozens of wannabes rushed into the fray - all chomping at the bit for the possibility of cutting into the new pie Rockstar had baked with GTA3.

Most of these were god-awful. From shit games like Driv3r to the absolutely atrocious True Crime, the genre was quickly swamped by utter crap. A few newcomers changed things up with a new take on things (like Pandemic Studios' completely awesome Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction), but by and large, the pond had only one big fish: GTA.

When the 360 hit, there was a brief, short period wherein some company could release a Sandbox-style game and not have it eclipsed by GTA. With San Andreas and Vice City stuck on PS2, Volition, the company behind Red Faction, released Saint's Row, a GTA-styled sandbox game that was, to put it bluntly, a return to GTA's roots, and was a great stand-in for those who wanted a damn solid Sandbox game that could prodiuce an intriguing GTA-like experience with tons of customization.

In GTA4, which came out this year, a lot was pushed towards realism. The cars handle realistically, the physics are realistic, and many of GTA's more retarded mechanics are completely intact. Though an excellent game, GTA 4 can be extremely tedious, and a lot about the game has seen the fun of GTA cut down.In a race to make the game "realistic," GTA 4 neglected several of the GTA fundamentals that made it such a blast; it's simply not as fun as the original games because you have less freedom to do what you want. Every GTA player ever knows exactly what I mean: Hardcapped notoriety early on, ball-and-chained to one area in the beginning, and funds so tight you'll never afford anything. And the friendship system. Sweet Jesus, the friendship system. Look, I am unlike 99% of the gamer populace in that I found Roman absolutely hilarious, but raising everyone's relation level to full and then keeping them that way is an enfuriating task, especially since if you ever turn them down, it's "lulz, relation loss."

Which isn't to say it's all bad. Niko is an awesome character and the plot of GTA 4 is nothing shy of fantastic - but the failings of GTA 4 are obvious - it's simply not as fun as it otherwise could have been. Enter Saint's Row 2.

Taking place 3 years after the original Saint's Row, SR2 chronicles the various shenanigans of your protagonist - who is fully customizable in everything from gender, to appearance, to race. You can be young or old, male or female, fat or thin. The game has no shortage of customization options, and as you progress, you can even choose your fighting style when unarmed, and your taunts. And that's just in the first few minutes.

Anyway, the plot. Your character has seen better days - sent on a mission in which he/she was betrayed, they awaken from a lengthy coma to find that the gang they used to run with has been effectively disbanded, left as remnants and generally a non-issue. With several gangs now holding Stilwater and a massive corporation attempting to use the gangs to maintain its power structure, it falls upon you to escape from prison, find your lieutenants, and rebuild your gang from the ground up, kick out the other gangs, and take back what's yours.

The first thing that will strike players of SR2 - especially GTA veterans - is how much freedom the game gives you. From the very start, you can go wherever you want in Stilwater, no problems. Similarly, right off the bat, you can get your notoriety to max if you simply want to fight local law enforcement. It's almost intimidating how much the game drops in the player's hands - If you want to explore, no one stopping you, and similarly, there's no shortage of things to see and do. It's here that SR2's customization further shines - you can outfit your character by customizing their clothes, living spaces, and - this is neat on a dozen or more levels - the vehicles. Just about every car/truck/motorcycle is customizable, and by taking it to a mechanic, you can alter everything from the paintjob to the car's profile, tires, and even add things like hydraulics, nitrous, and kneecappers if the desire hits you. When you're done, you can store the car at your hideout - and get it back whenever you want. What's that you say? You lost your vehicle and can't find it? The garage recalls it for you. You accidentally blew it up? Not a problem, the garage can repair and retrieve it for an infintessimally small fee. The game encourages you to be bold, and to be proud of the cars you put effort into snagging and then upgrading.  And they handle appropriately - none of the "so-called" realistic handling that more adequately can be called "Learn to drift hard on tight turns or die" that was popular in GTA 4. Rather, the cars (and trucks, motorcycles, planes, and helicopters) drive exactly as they should given the game environment. It's refreshing. And your garage? It has basically unlimited space. Enjoy! 

Notoriety works differently than in GTA - there are multiple faction-based notoriety units, and in addition to the police, you can gain notoriety with any of the three gangs (represented by a gang symbol instead of a star). This, similar to the police version, determines how much the gang in question wants you dead, and what kind of forces they'll send after you to deal with the situation. It is worth noting that unlike in GTA, where 5 stars often means you're cut to ribbons the second you step out in the open, your SR character is considerably more durable (and automatically regenerates health), so holding your own against the police or gangs is not entirely unheard of. If your health falls too low and you can't wait for the regen to kick in, you can scarf a piece of food (bought at local restaurants) to recover your health more directly. Additionally, you can smoke blunts or guzzle 40s to reduce the damage you take, though this has the side effect of blurring your screen.

If things get too hot, you can pull into a local Forgive and Forget, and have all of your notoriety cleared for a small fee. Yes, even if the FBI is after you. With APCs.

The game has 8 classes of weapon with multiple examples of each - meaning there is over 40 different weapons for your character to pick up and use. If regular weapons aren't doing it, you can also pick up and swing (Or throw) weapons directly off the street, such as parking meters, cinderblocks, and stop signs, or simply use your fists and feet. And for those of you who used to get pissed about how you could lose over a million bucks in weapons in the GTA series just because of some bad luck or a bust, worry not - your weapons are never confiscated in SR2, and it is virtually impossible for cops to bust you in the game (indeed, 99.9% of the time, they simply try killing you if pissed off).

When I said that SR2 brought the fun back to the genre, I meant that. SR2 is a game wherein you can fart around for hours, accomplishing absolutely nothing, and having a complete blast while doing it. The game encourages you to try the absurd (Let's see if we can drive a hum-vee on the siderails of that bridge - you earn respect for it!), and does a damn good job of striking a delicate balance between believability and hilarity.

There's none of the artificial roadblocks GTA throws your way - the map is accessible from the start, Money is never too hard to get, and the only 2 real speedbumps the game has - Respect (basically an experience system - it determines what missions you can get) and obtained 'hoods (which determine how much money you can get, per day, for doing nothing) - are so smooth as to be a non-issue.

For those who love GTA for its scathing sociopolitical commentary or soundtrack, prepare to be dazzled. SR2 has a dizzying analysis of corporate influence in our lives, of subtle (and not subtle) commentary towards our political system, and a soundtrack that, against all odds, is infinitely superior to every GTA game (Yes, even GTA 4. I am sorry, Radio Vladivostok, but even your 100% Win and godliness are not enough to deny SR2 an area it has won by right). You like 80s music? There's a station for you. Metal your thing? There's one for that. Want classical? One for that, too. Reggae? Fuck yes. Hip-Hop? Definitely. Alternative? You betcha. You like worldly folk music? We have that covered, too. Don't like any of the stations? MAKE YOUR OWN. SR2 lets you do that. Buy CDs in the game and mix your own station!

Graphically, SR2 is not as advanced as GTA 4, but it makes up for this by being better in just about every other area. The character models are kind of rough, but considering the customization options, this isn't a huge surprise. The graphics on vehicles and the city are spectacular, with reflections being cast in glossy paintjobs and glass storefronts. Whilst less visually-impressive than the graphical wonderment of GTA 4, SR2 is no slouch either.

The characterization is brilliant, and the cast running the gamut from hilarious to touching. From the wide variety of antagonists your gang faces, you'll see a lot of both good and bad from every character in it - though the steps several take towards vengeance and self-gratification are pretty stunning. This is a tale of revenge at its core, and one in which the cast is quite well-suited in spite of it all. All of the main antagonists of the game invariably bring their fates upon themselves, often in subtle ways. The game thus works out in an unusually brilliant fashion. It is, however, violent and somewhat disturbing.

Oh, and the best part? It's multiplayer. Co-op in this game is brilliant.

Overall, it's one of the best and most addicting 360 games I've played, and is well-worth checking out.

OVERALL SCORE:
Graphics: B.
The game's character models are kind of rough, and some of the customization options are limited.
Sound: A.
Some weak gunfire effects are the only black mark on this otherwise-stellar score. Those who like games that make good use of actual artists' work will love this game's work in this score, whether you're a fan of Paramore or Ludwig Von Beethoven.
Control: A.
Controls are solid and all make sense. A less-than-responsive method for using health items is the only mark against this score.
Fun Factor: A+
I've yet played a game I've enjoyed a Sandbox game  this much since Mercenaries. This game gets Jaimas sign of approval.
Final Word: PLAY. THIS. GAME.
Even if you don't like the gangsta undertones (which are relatively light) or the criminal enterprises perspective, this game is brilliant.