Saints Row is a very beloved franchise for many, many reasons, all of which stem from its pure, unbridled commitment to fun above all else. The franchise has seen the main character go from low level street thug to kingpin to POTUS, all accompanied by wacky story twists, wildly fun minigames, and a consistent drive to always do what makes for the most fun, rather than the most sense. That's why the prospect of Saints Row 4 getting a Switch port is so intriguing, and what makes the game's launch ahead of its expected release date so exciting.
This version of Saints Row comes with all the DLC that added story expansions, weapons, and side content into the base game, and maintains a Saints Row staple: co-op. With online, LAN, and local options, the best way to play Saints Row 4 is still available even on the Nintendo Switch.
Graphics
While the Saints Row 3 Switch port was plagued by technical issues and slowdowns, Saints Row 4 runs a lot better on the platform. However, the game looks a bit haggard. The developers had to cut down on draw distance, texture resolution, and effects in order to keep the frame rate stable during demanding action, but it's a worthwhile sacrifice because the all-important gameplay stays great.
That being said, the visual style of Saints Row still holds up well enough, even with downgraded graphics. These games have always had a pleasant, colorful, cartoony look that accentuates the over-the-top turns of the story. Just cartoonish enough to be fun, and just stylish enough to be cool, the overall look of Saints Row 4 for the Switch survives on its art style and extensive customization more so than its graphical prowess.
Gameplay
The gameplay feels much the same as it did on consoles when the game first launched. Aiming and shooting on the joy-cons can be a pain for those who are used to full-size controllers, but that is to be expected on the Switch. Other than that, Saints Row gameplay is like nothing else. To those unaware, it might just seem like a GTA clone, but Saints Row is so much more than that. Massive action set-pieces, a mind-boggling array of minigames, and constant variability in gameplay are what make any Saints Row game great.
Saints Row 4 is unique because it introduces superpowers to the gameplay as well. There is no other game in which the player goes from raiding a compound as a special agent, to riding a nuclear missile into the sky in an attempt to disarm it, to crash-landing in the oval office and somehow becoming the President, to fighting off an alien invasion, to being tormented in a twisted version of the Matrix, all within the first half-hour of gameplay. The superpowers, minigames, and real story twists haven't even begun by that point, and Saints Row 4 has already packed more character and jokes in than most games ever manage to do in their entire playtime. Every little touch seems like the developers asked: "what would be most fun here?" And then did it.
Portability
Porting a game to the Nintendo Switch doesn't just depend on how good the game is, but how good it is for the Switch. If someone could get Saints Row 4 on any console, why would they choose the Switch? In this case, Saints Row works perfectly on the portable console. There are so many minigames and so much side content to explore in Saints Row 4 that it works whether two players are trying to play through the main story or one player wants to finish a couple of quick diversions on the go. Once superpowers are introduced, there is rarely any need to drive, so taking a few minutes to zip across the skyline and grab collectibles is well suited to the Switch's portable functionality.
Co-op is a fantastic way to experience Saints Row, and luckily the co-op on Switch is just as robust. It is quite easy to do side content alone, and then join a friend to complete other things together. Overall, Saints Row 4 loses out on very little in its Switch port, and comes in an attractive bundle with every DLC unlocked and the ability to take one of the most beloved GTA-like games on the go.
Saints Row 4 Re-Elected Edition is out now for the Nintendo Switch. The Best War Games was provided a code for this review
Saints Row 4
- Released
- August 20, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
The Boss of the Saints has been elected to the Presidency of the United States but the Saints are just getting started.
After a catastrophic alien invasion of Earth, the Saints have been transported to a bizarro-Steelport simulation. With homies new and old, and an arsenal of superpowers and strange weapons, they must fight to free humanity from alien overlord Zinyak and his alien empire, saving the world in the wildest open world game ever.
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Open-World