Saints Row (Xbox 360 Classics)

Under threat from rival gangs and corrupt officials, the 3rd Street Saints must conquer the city or face destruction. But this is no ordinary city. Gateway to the Rust Belt, Southern Cross is a living-breathing environment where enemies may strike back at any time and send you reeling for support. An evolution in open world gaming, Saint's Row provides an unprecedented amount of freedom to experience the game as the player sees fit. The game, based in the fictional urban surroundings of Still Water, is action adventure with its core as a third-person shooter.

• Evolution in Open-World Gaming: Next-Gen Technology means no load times, a fully dynamically lit world, normal and reflection mapping, dynamic and ragdoll physics. Freeform gameplay means that you can be who you want to be, go anywhere in the city at any time and choose to earn respect and money through any of 13 activities.
• High-Adrenaline Action Online: For the first time ever in an open world action//driving game, challenge players online in games such as 'Big Ass Chains', 'Blinged Out Ride' or 'Protect tha Pimp'. Form gangs, recruit gang members and compete for virtual cash and respect in a variety of online multiplayer modes including co-op.
• Huge Variety of Customisation Options: With thousands of character customisations to choose from you can customise your look, your body and your clothes as well as customise your ride with the extensive car modification system.
• Pumping Music Wherever you Go: Twelve radio stations play over 130 tracks (including several exclusive tracks) and range from the hottest hip-hop and rock stations to classical music and humour-laced talk shows. If you are paying attention you'll also hear gameplay clues on air.
   

In a nutshell:
There’s no new Grand Theft Auto game scheduled until late next year, but in the meantime 360 owners have got the next best thing, as you and your fellow gang members try to take control of a whole city to turn into your personal playground.

The lowdown:
It is pretty hard to describe this game without mentioning Grand Theft Auto, since the gameplay and even mission structure is based very closely on Rockstar’s classic. Of course being on the Xbox 360 the graphics are better than they ever were before, with a huge draw distance and streets that are very much fuller of vehicles and people than the real Grand Theft Auto. In fact the only thing that’s missing is Rockstar’s trademark black humour, replaced here with constant references to pimps and “hos”. There are though over 80 different vehicles to commandeer, all of which can be customised however you want.

Most exciting moment:
Although the city in which you battle is already bigger than Vice City the most impressive thing about the game’s graphics is the enormous amount of damage you can cause to vehicles and buildings. The game even remembers individual bullet holes on your prized car.

Since you ask:
The characters in Saint’s Row come in all shapes and sizes – not just the physically perfect mannequins of most other games. You can completely customise your own character, making them as fat, thin or buff looking as you wish.

The bottom line:
Grand Theft Auto 3.5 in all but name, that should make the wait till next October all the easier.
HARRISON DENT