Saints Row Could Give GTA "A Run For Its Money" If it Lost the Dildos, Says Bleszinski

136
Richard Walker

Ex-Epic Games man and Gears of War co-creator Cliff Bleszinski has been speaking out about two of open world gaming's big hitters on Twitter recently, stating that he thinks Volition's Saints Row series could "give GTA a run for their money," but only if the studio dispenses with long rubbery marital aids.

"Saints Row. Keep the crazy action and game mechanics. Lose the gimps and dildos and purple suits," Bleszinski's Twitter musings begin. "If your average guy is embarrassed to be playing a sequence in a game when his wife walks in that's a bad sign."

Bleszinski's tweets continue, noting that a more serious approach might benefit the Saints Row games: "The SR team is amazing. Dildo holds them back. It's immature. Make an open world game that's more Michael Mann/HEAT/Collateral/Training Day.

"The SR team is one of the few that could actually give GTA a run for their money. BF didn't go after COD by putting dicks on their guns. Yes, I think the dildo is hilarious. (I also had a big dildo as a prop in our wedding's photo booth.) It doesn't help industry perceptions."

The Gears man did go on to praise Saints Row's fundamentals however, noting: "Game mechanic wise I found SR3 to be more fun than many recent GTA games. Controls, pacing, etc... are all great."

That said, "once you put a dildo in your game it doesn't matter if your controls, pacing, graphics are all great. You're 'that game with the dildo.'"

Personally, we think it'd be a damn shame if Saints Row were to shed it's more ridiculous leanings. It is after all what sets it apart from Grand Theft Auto. We wouldn't change Saints Row one bit. Would you?

[DualShockers via OXM | Thanks, O0mix0O]

Comments
136
  • I think its the dildo that keeps me from buying any SR game.
  • I think I'll have to agree with Cliff. They overdid the over the top attitude and ended up spoiling it. Saints 2 combined silly and story whereas 3 was just silly.
  • I'm guessing I was one of the few who enjoyed beating people up with the dildo.
  • I just bought saint row the third because I heard it didn't take itself too seriously. GTA bores me. I loved 3 and Vice City but it seems to be the same too much of the same thing after that. I barely played SA or 4. Different is ok.
  • I agree with Cliff. While I love Saint's Row and how crazy it is, I think it is a bit immature. I remember a few years ago saying how Saint's Row 2 was way better than GTA, now I must say my mind has been changed again. Let's see what SR4 brings, if it sees the light of day, that is.
  • Sorry for the double post, but GTA, on the other hand takes itself too seriously. A game slap-bang in the middle would be perfect. The right amount of serious, story, and silliness.
  • I agree with him but that's the whole point of Saint's Row. It's supposed to be fun and goofy. It openly mocked GTAIV's 'playdates with friends' and bowling and such. It's not the game they want to produce. I like both and for very different reasons. I certainly prefer GTA over SR if I had to choose but both are a blast.
  • I personally think it needed more dildos. What makes this game great is being outside the box. They've done a damn fine job it's a great game all they need is the multiplayer from saints row one & it would be perfect.
  • GTA 5 is looking like perfection
  • The reason Saints Row is succesful now is because they are doing what GTA stopped doing: Being crazy and over-the-top. It's not a franchise ready to reboot itself yet, and if they go down the "serious" route, they'd be really being "GTA wannabes". And like it or not, more serious or not, the GTA are quality sandbox games. Period. It would be nice to have some sort of competition, but I don't think it'll come from Saints Row.
  • I love that the SR series is silly. GTA 4 was way trying way to hard to be realistic. I dont want to play a realistic game, i want to play a game thats fun, wacky, because i know its a game. Keep the dildos! Its that kind of entertainment that has kept me from playing GTA :)
  • Go play Saints Row and Saints Row 2. Notice how the story is a huge focus of the games progression. Now, go play Saints Row: The Third. Disappointed? It's okay, I was too. It is good to be different, but SR: The Third embarrassed Saints Row and Saints Row 2. SR2 could be described as perfect in many ways when it comes to the open-world environment, but whoever decided to turn 'The Third' into the joke it was, I hope you are happy with yourself. Go and tell me how it shipped over how many ever million copies. Shipping copies is one thing, selling them is something else. And before you try to tell me how much money it made, what happened to THQ this week? My pleasure.
  • GTA has it's own take on silly without being over the top. That being said, and as much as I think Cliff is right, no game should really try to be a GTA clone. R* will always do it best!
  • Said average guy whose embarrassed to be caught playing the game isn't the target audience though so what does it matter.
  • I've got to agree, Saints Row 1 and 2 were brilliant... 3 was still good but it went TOO over the top in my opinion. Some people liked the new direction such as GiantBomb but personally I think SR1 and 2 were far better than 3.
  • Yah but watching someone get beat to death by a giant purple wang is quite a sight. Aside from the obvious Lock Stock reference. But that one was black I think.
  • I think Cliff Bleszinski should take a long look at the Gears of War franchise before he starts criticizing other developer's games.
  • clearly this guy was too busy making gears of war games to have played either series. giant dildo's and gimp suits was a key part of San Andreas. you could race a dude in a chicken costume in a triathlon, and of course it was solely to set up a penis joke.
  • There was a double-ender in one of the san andreas police stations.
  • Fuck off with this gta san andreas sorry don't know if spelling is correct dyslexic and Google voice don't know game names they had a double dildo in it and there wasa cheat to have gimp outfit, sexy theme and women coming at you with dildo's and vibrators and I bet you all played that
  • No thanks. GTA 4 was a boring POS.
  • I know I'll probably get flamed here but Im sick of hearing about Cliffy Fukwit B. I'd pick Saints Row over Gears every day of the week, look at your own shit before slating other companies.....AGAIN
  • i dont want anyone to beat grand theft auto? he has some great points noticed this chris guy is constantly talking about other people games even though he has now left epic? seriously get a grip who cares saints row one i loved, but i didnt feel for the other 2. the first one was serious and i liked alot of certain things to GTA such as the gangs and the hq's with all your gang you could visit it jsut felt more like a social GTA in that respect, it doesnt need stupidity, it jsut needs effort on the winning parts of the game.
  • The best Saints Row game was the first one in my opinion. The whole gang war thing i like. That sort of dissapears when comicle things like this show up. Sure keep it for co-op where everything goes but for a stand alone story i do like a more mature game. Thats why i didnt get 3 or enjoy 2 as much.
  • GTA: San Andreas had a double ended dildo in the police station lol, but that game did alright didn't it..
  • Ummmmm.....HELLO?????? Does nobody remember GTA San Andreas???? Giant double-headed PURPLE dildo in the showers of the police station in downtown? If you knocked someone down, CJ would sit on their chest and slap their face with it. Sand Andreas was the best GTA...Cliff is an idiot!!!
  • I disagree with him completely. Saints Row was all about over the top. The tag line for this one was "strap it on" for god's sake. They knew they were making a ridiculous over the top game, and they embraced it. They were never trying to be GTA, and that's why it stood out among all the other GTA clones, that were just that - GTA clones. And if gamers are too embarrassed to pick it up because it features a dildo, well that's their loss then isn't it. But I do agree with those who are sick of hearing about Cliff B, and while we're on that topic - sick of hearing what Gabe Newell always has to say as well. Stick to what you know boys, if I want gaming opinions that sound like they've been spoken from a 12 year old - I'll youtube it.
  • I can't see the problem. If you want serious then play GTA. If you want over the top and silly then play SR. I found the 3rd game enjoyable due to the lack of seriousness. Isn't this why the cod franchise has gone down the toilet? The whole "copy and paste" games are boring because they are the same all the time. So SR is recognised as being "different". That's what makes it stand out. That's my opinion anyway.
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPFFzL2QWFY
  • Saints Row and GTA are two different degrees. GTA tends to be more serious (with funny moments of course) Saints Raw is just plain goofy and comical all around GTA is a classic when it comes to how it plays and Saints Row is just spin of what GTA would be like if it was flexible.
  • This coming from the man who praised the script of Bulletstorm. :/
  • GTA games take things too serious...that's why I prefer Saints Row! Much more fun imo
  • Personally, I would have loved to pawn enemies with the dickgun in BF3.
  • Speaking for myself, it's that kind of shit that keeps me from playing the Sr series. I'd definitely give SR4 a closer look if it were to shed all that immature shit. But, like I said; that's just me.
  • wow alot of hate for SR3 from people. and all because THQ got sold off. first off, a game sucking had nothing to do with the compant being sold off someone up above in the posting mentioned it. I have played all three. ( would like to say owned but I was recently robbed.) To be honest the first one, kinda felt like a GTA 3 ripoff.. SR two was defently an improvement. it didn't "Feel" like I was playing a GTA clone, and three by far. was well how to do I put. FUCKING EPIC. it was almost like watching a over the top action movie. ( its world style kinda reminded me of robocop) by far my most favorite part in that game is them singing "What I got" by sublime in the car. I can't tell you how many times I replayed that scene over and over. now as for Cliffy. if all you can remember is a Dildo bat... You need to replay the game dude, and if you are going to be embarrassed by said dildo bat while playing the game in front of your wife... Do yourself a favor and toss your man card into a fire. remember gamers.. " MURDER TIME FUN TIME!"
  • so if they made saints row more sensible and realistic... wouldnt it be GTA? fuck off cliff!
  • Cliffy is just upset there wasn't a big enough dildo to match his ego
  • Agreeing with Buzz here. But it wasn't the dildoes that held SR3 back (GTA: San Andreas had them too as everyone is pointing out), it was the fact that Steelport was one of the dullest open world environments in recent memory. All the gangs driving the same vehicles but with different paint jobs was a step back from SR2 as well.
  • I've always preferred GTA to Saints Row, just because GTAs humor was over the top. but cleverly done, where as Saints Row was pretty much built on over the top humor and gimmicks. It sounds kinda silly, but I think GTAs comedy is more mature and Saints Row (altho rated 18) aims for the adolescent
  • with the way that its looking so far, grand theft auto v looks to be one of the best games of all time.
  • Cliffy B really has become naive since his "retirement", Saints Row did try to give GTA a run for its money with the first game, i still remember all the hype around it being a GTA killer, however GTA is still king (and it's king for a reason). Saints Row then did the only thing it could, and that was to stop trying to clone GTA and go in a very different/outrageous/over the top direction. Im not bashing on SR, there great fun games.
  • Yeah, he seems hypocritical
  • I truly hope that don't change it at all. Keep the game different than GTA. I don't like battlefield anymore because they turned it into call of duty. Developers need to keep focusing on new and different ideas instead of just copying another popular game.
  • Well "A Run For Its Money"? It is like new Saints Row could rush and come out every 2 years so GTA can have lots of money then Rockstar Games will bring it every 4 to 6 years. This make me feel like. I hope new Saints Row game not turn out to be awful or medicore when new publisher announce SR on way. :P GTA is one of best open world, story, action and graphics for games SR is one of best co-op, crazy over the top game and gameplay for games :) Both franchises got their own fun for crime based. I like GTA more because GTA feel got more and more reality if you knew what I mean. Also biggest open world map plus more thing to do then SR had got.
  • I agree to a point, i dont think the dildo itself is a problem but some of the sequences with he gimps etc in the missions were bad... youtubers doing lets plays cut the series shot because of things like that and tats not good for them. i have always said though since the third was released tat it should have been set more like SR2 in almost every respect (keep the awesome button and upgraded graphics)
  • Saints Row 2 played things semi straight. It always kept its feet on the ground and didn't take risks with your suspension of disbelief. Saints Row 3 felt like the guy you know and wish you didn't who runs up and says "Purple yoghurt elephant trousers LOL! Please excuse me, I'm just so random XD" when all you're thinking is "This guy is trying way too hard..."
  • @9 While I skipped over GTA 4 and will most likely skip over GTA 5 I would still take this series over SR. However how can you say GTA 5 is looking like perfection? We've seen some screens and non-gameplay cinematics. I think you need to hold out on that statement a little longer. And agreed, dildos are pretty immature, this series is immature. I won't continue with this thought because, well all of the proponents of walking around with a dildo in the game will spew immature comments. I guess the game has done that well. Attracting half-wits and all.
  • Saints Row 2 rivals the entertainment of Grand Theft Auto IV, but the disappointment that was Saints Row: The Third makes me lose hope in the future Saints Row franchise.
  • As a massive original Gears fan I'm so disappointed by cliff recently, shunning the gears series and now taking a pop at what was a very very enjoyable game. I just hope he snaps out of it and starts making good games again.
  • Both GTA and SR are series that I like. GTAs have grown from aping everyone's favorite gangster movies to it's own narrative. They did lose some of the humor and side missions were not as fun. SR has given us a sandbox in which we get to run wild causing as much havoc as we wanted. The story was something to get us back on track when we wanted it. It's a shame that we may not get to see some of the good games that THQ had, any more.
  • This is what Cliffy B is doing now? Criticizing other game series and says how he'd make them better? First Resi and now Saints Row? Cliff - Sort out the products YOU made before slagging off anybody else's creations. I like all the zany antics in Saints. It's what actually makes it FUN, which sets it apart from GTA which has become more serious as of late. The most daring thing GTA has you do is kill hookers. Besides - Vice City had porn stars and a 'Dildo' of it's own!
  • The next saints row has to have online free roam like GTA does
  • Cliff is a big dummy who doesn't know what he is talking about. He needs to keep his ideas in his own games that nobody cares about.
  • When will this guy just DIE, GET A TERMINAL ILLNESS AND DIE CLIFFY B, YOU POMPOUS ARROGANT CUNT.
  • " BF didn't go after COD by putting dicks on their guns." hahaha! Saints Row DID give GTA a run for its money, the first one was good, the second was fantastic! They completely ruined it with the third one, I didn't enjoy it at all. I do know they plan to continue with the OTT, unrealistic, super human, "funny" direction so im sad to say om no longer interested in this franchise.
  • Saints Row 2 was perfect. It's gameplay was perfect, and it had a good mix of seriousness and.... dildos. Then they released Saints Row 3, the worst piece of crap ever -.- They removed every tiny bit of seriousness, and just filled it with the stupid stuff that, in decent amounts, made the series so great :(
  • San Andreas had the dildo first.
  • Every time I hear something from Cliffy B it just makes me hate him more. This guy has no idea what he is talking about 99% of the time and the GoW series is mediocre at best. Make a better game Cliff then you can talk.
  • I was a massive gta fan till i played the first saints row and it blew my mind sr3 is ok but disappointing lets hope this new company can change it around and beat gta
  • I think the SR devs need to look at the strange crime films of the Coen Brothers, like Raising Arizona, Fargo and The Big Lebowski. Not that they should make these films as games, mind you, just mirror the tone that straddles the serious and the funny.
  • I love Saints Row 3 i remember playing non stop for hours but SR2 was still much better.
  • Whatever people thought of 3, I just hope we see a forth
  • @47 the SR series isnt immature, just the third is
  • Saints Row will beat GTA once it gets better writers, scripts, characters, humour etc.. Until then it's just a fun little game to do crazy shit in.
  • Fuck that, GTA made it's mark for being just as stupid. I remember bombing around Libery City trying to collect every issue of some dude's Donkey Porn collection so he didn't get busted. Saint's Row has owned GTA this gen, and I'm a MASSIVE GTA fan, Vice City and the very first are two of my all time faves.
  • "We wouldn't change Saints Row one bit. Would you?" Without even a second thought. I'm all for 'less than serious', but SR:TT went miles too far and then kept on going. One of many flaws with what was at its core, a very good game.
  • Dont listen to Cliffy B! The game is amazing, keep the dildos and everything.
  • I have to say, I'll take GTA over SR any day of the week... but... Didn't San Andreas do the whole dildo thing first? Not to mention the gimp suit?
  • Could not agree with Cliff more. The gameplay and story are a ton of fun, but the over-the-topness of Saints Row 3 is what has convinced NOT to buy Saints Row 4.
  • Cliff, stop hating on all my series, dude. I love ya, but seriously. In all honesty, though, he's on the right track. I don't think SR should go back to the GTA-knock-off nitty-gritty shit from before 3, but I think reining in the didlo bats and gimps wouldn't be a terrible idea. Keep the lunacy. Keep the comic characters. Keep the awesomely ridiculous and fun fights (SR3 virtual boss >>> DMC's [several] virtual boss[es]). I like the idea of playing a game you wouldn't be ashamed if your parents or girlfriend walked in on you running; that's a good angle. You can pull some of the stupid shock value and sex from SR, but please, please, PLEASE don't make it another stupid action game. GTA dominates the serious open world market, now. The better idea is to hold the line by being different, not by trying to trump them at their own game.
  • A happy medium between GTA IV and SR3 would be lovely. TBOGT got a little bit closer, but it was still off even if only because it took place in the same Liberty City the rest of GTA IV did (disclaimer: I still really liked GTA IV, even the plotlines). SR3 was just too far the other way; too silly. The dildos, and the... sharkapults, or whatever, and the entire insane premise about the Saints being worshiped as pop culture icons. Just too far gone.
  • Maybe Saints wants to get away from the GTA-Clone label people gave it for years and create there own title. Cliff is becoming a really annoying arm chair developer. Get a job so you stop criticizing everyone elses works.
  • They need to do what they did with SR2 and improve on that. Just scrap SR3 story all together. Make it a dream he had from being in another coma.
  • So Cliffy is basically a retired old woman. All he does is sit back and just criticize other peoples work? As for SR and GTA as most people said, they're both great games. I really enjoy SR because it is silly, it's just a nice way to kill some time, and in my opinion anyone who gets antsy by seeing a purple dildo clearly has a lot of growing up to do and should be playing a M game in the first place
  • i did prefer the boys in the hood saints rows(1&2) but i also enjoyed saints 3 it felt like a cleaner game. saints row > gta whats up with cliffy giving input on every game like he is the Dalai Lama of gaming? i love gears and think he is a great dev but shut the fuck up till your not the chainsaw guy anymore mmmmKay!
  • GTA is like Heat. SR3 is like Crank. I love both games and movies. It's ok that they're different.
  • Why is this a news story?
  • The two best GTA's (Vice City and San Andreas) both had dildos and SA had a vibrator as well. I happen to be a fan of Cliffy B's, but he needs to brush up on gaming history!
  • this guy is an asshole and will always be one if every time he opens his mouth people think its news.
  • I wish they would tone the craziness back a bit. Saints Row 2 was the best in my opinion. A perfect combination of silly and serious. If they don't tone back the stupidity, can they at least bump up the seriousness enough to bring back the old story line. Saints Row 3's storyline felt like a poor fan-fiction.
  • I never did like Cliff because he never understood WHY Gears of War was so popular. Also he is an arrogant SOB but I guess that comes with the territory. However, he is partially correct. If Saint's Row is able to make a more serious tone for the sequel, it would make people sit up and be excited. But the reason why Saint's Row the Third did so well was because it made itself different from Grand Theft Auto. Saint's Row as a series had a more interesting story and cooler villains (mostly) but it was always called a GTA clone. How do you break away from that? Do what Bulletstorm did and add as much immature humor as possible. Sure it was stupid, but it was fun not only to play but to watch as well. If SR4 switched back to the original formula and had an excellent writing team that made you care about the characters then maybe it would work. Maybe.
  • isnt the whole idea behind saints row the slap stick humor it has? that's what makes it differnet and not another GTA clone.
  • Saints Row could never give gta a run for it's money. Let's be serious here.
  • Bleszinski uses a dildo on his own arse. He is such a fucking wanker. Saints Row Teh Third was awesome, dildo's and all.
  • San Andreas had dildos. I think of Saint's Row as the more arcadey open-world game, and GTA the more realistic one... that's what sets the two franchises apart.
  • @82 no quite frankly, SR has always been an over the top game of this style but all this stupidness was just added with 3 one and two were more psychotically funny on the gta clone thing... it will never escape that because people are stupid any game thats got an open world and follows the whole cop guns cars thing is a GTA clone in peoples minds no matter how different it is its a genera and GTA is a big part of that but its not the only one and wasent even the first, Hunter did the whole stealing cars, shooting people sand box 3d world thing long before GTA did
  • Kind surprised, I actually 100% agree with him..this post-Epic Cliff must be reading my mind.
  • Once again, this "dildo" opens his mouth when it should be keep shut.
  • I completely agree. Saints Row 3 was a great game, but it got too crazy. Saints Row 1 and 2 was amazing. SR1 was a little wacky, and SR2 got a little more crazy, but it still had a nice mix between realism and wackiness. It could still get emotional and the story actually meant something. But in SR3, none of that matters. It's just trying to be the crazy game. They kill off characters like it's nothing, just trying to be funny when the sillyness quickly wears off. Seriously, after using the pink dildo for the first 5 minutes, I put it away and never used it again. After hitting a friend with it a few times, it gets boring. And then the fart in a jar. Wow... Just let me keep the damn flashbangs instead. With that said, I'm not very excited for SR4. I'll probably buy it, but knowing that the dominatrix expansion was canceled so they can instead put it in SR4... yeah, I'm not very hyped. Just give me GTA5 and Watch Dogs.
  • I completely agree with Cliffy, they went OTT with Saints 3. I like humor and silliness but alot of the stuff in Saints 3 just felt forced childish stuff.
  • I don't want another GTA, I have GTA for that. What I do want however is a bonkers crazy sandbox with fantastically looney characters and a ridiculous plot, and Saints Row fills that hole perfectly. Don't change Saints Row, I love you just the way you are
  • No, it couldn't.
  • no way...the crazy over the top fun is what keeps Saints Row from being another wannabe GTA clone
  • I think Saints Row broke up the same ol same ol feeling I had with GTA. It seems a like a nice change of pace. Theyre both open world, shoot anything and everyone game but I had more way more fun with Saints Row 3.
  • To this day I find it hard to believe anyone can take anything that douchebag says seriously. This is just yet another example. He's using his personal opinion over something, his personal opinion reflecting his rich-boy class-fag lifestyle, in being upset by dildos, to fuel his own fire towards a truly great franchise. Saints Row was fantastic, and there wasn't any GTA games around at the time. Then Saint's Row 2 comes out at relatively the same time as GTA 4, and I couldn't help but feel that was the passing of the torch. GTA 4 was dull, boring, lifeless, tasteless, and bland. The spark of life that gave GTA it's charm was taken behind the woodshed and blasted with the proverbial shotgun that was GTA 4. While Saints 2 only improved on literally everything that Saints 1 did right. Enter Saints 3. While it may have been silly, ridiculous, and quirky to the max, it did it in an entertaining and fun way. If you can't enjoy Saint's Row 3 because dildos make you uncomfortable, that's not on the game, that's on you. It's not the game nor it's developers fault if you aren't mature enough to be comfortable around a sex toy. Saint's Row 3 actually had a decent story, literally the only problems with the game were that it didn't drag the story missions out long enough (I.E. plot hopping) and they killed off Johnny mother fucking Gats.
  • Saints Row is better I say GTA has like 10 games and Saints only has 3 like come on once saints hit that number Gta will be long forgotten
  • why do i get the feeling this is people that played saints row 2 against one s that didnt
  • There was a dildo in San Andreas, coupled with a funny suit. As long as the whole games is not based around that, it is fine.
  • The slapstick element of SR is what made the game and set it apart from GTA - Blesinski is the dildo - I think SR DOES give GTA a run for its money. After all the story is done what is there left to do but run around an open sandbox and have fun! I probably spent more time on SR after completing the story then i ever did on GTA loved makin the fattest character possible and doin handstands on a car a friend was drivin only to have him crash into something to send you flyin through the air :D or of course dressed as hotdogs have dildo fights lol im sure i would quickly lose interest if SR went serious
  • i think saints row has run its course. i'd rather see volition imitate just cause, mercenaries or even RDR rather than GTA. just give me a huge world with plenty of crap to destroy (carpet bombs!) and dozens of weapons and vehicles. oh, and i need a world with a purpose and a context. silliness is fine for five minutes, but quickly gets tiresome. mindless destruction is fun, but destruction with a context is far more satisfying.
  • The Over the top shit is one of the reasons I play SR. Take that out and I might as well go back to playing GTA
  • I hardly ever used the dildo bat anyways. I loved everything about the game though. I think it already gives GTA a run for its money in the end anyways. Almost everyone I know who played SR3 went back and played SR2 and swore they'd not play GTA5. I've yet to play SR2 but I want to...
  • We already have too many serious, gritty games. I like 'em, but let's do something else for a change. How is Cliff not getting this? I like Saints Row the way it is. Initially, it did turn me off, then I remembered it's a f*cking video game. People who take games seriously are the kind of dicks you meet on Xbox Live during a round of COD and say "Aw sh*t. It's one of you again." Just like I did with Postal 2 back in '97, I enjoy taking out my copy of Saints Row: The Third from it's porn stash-like hideaway and having some silly fun once in a while. Don't you play a childish game from your youth once in a while? After months of Skyrim, haven't you gone back and popped in a copy of Mario Kart 64? I'll end with one final point. Cliff said "Game mechanic wise I found SR3 to be more fun than many recent GTA games. Controls, pacing, etc... are all great." Well then, Cliff... isn't that all that matters? If games is well-designed, works properly and is a lot of fun, does it matter if it's childish or obscene? A game is still a game.
  • Cliff should've taken his own advice. Left the noob weapons/deus ex machina type endings out of GOW 3.
  • Dildo's and silliness is not it's problem, the problem is the god awful driving physics, and the last games severe lack of map design. Keep all the user friendly mechanics, and fun orientated gameplay. But polish core mechanics. It would also be nice if all the crazy shit wasnt forced upon you. It is not enjoyable hitting people with a dildo if you are meant to be doing it. We want a more realistic world but being able to be stupid within it, just like San Andreas did.
  • Gettin rid of the dildo wont make a difference ..... People says its too immature... thats what i like about it.. the fact that it is immature. GTA and Saints Row are both great games and i still play them both, GTA is a more serious game but i will happily keep the hilarity and immaturity of saints row IN Saints Row
  • IMO I thought SR3 was hilarious. I enjoyed the few,no, LOTS of laughs while i completed the story and the side missions. Am I ever going to get laughs like that while playing GTA? I don't think so, maybe once or twice, but not as much as I do with the saints row. But I do agree they could've done better with the story tho...
  • I disagree, the first saints row didn't have all the wacky crap and it felt like a generic GTA knock off, it was that crass wackyness that helped differentiate it from the competition, sure theyve gone a tad overboard of late, but removing it would not be a good solution.
  • Sounds to me like Cliffy B is moonlighting for a job...
  • Saints Row 2 is one of my favourite games this gen, but the 3rd was a bag of complete shite. The first few games where as amusing as you wanted them to be. But didn't force childish pathetic shit down your throat all the time. You could still play the game seriously if you wanted too, Or act like a prick which you do the whole time in the 3rd. All I would like is a bloody choice instead of being forced to play in a retarded manner. While your at it bring back all the cool things you removed from SR2 and bring back interesting enemy characters. The ones in the 3rd where utterly pathetic. I doubt they'll go back to their bread and butter now though, just chalk it up to another franchise getting raped by the industry and left whimpering in the gutter, a shadow of it's former self. I think i'll leave this series well alone from now on. R.I.P Saints Row (You were good for 2 games at least)
  • dont change a thing, Its antics are what made me buy it. I loved 3, because I love crazy fun. If they change how the game feels with its over the top crazy level of fun, I'm done with SR.
  • @103 he never said get rid of all of it just one of the completely stupid things dial it back a little and they should
  • GTA IV took itself too seriously, and Saint's Row III not seriously enough. What's wrong with having options, instead of two games that are exactly the same?
  • saints row was never exactly the same as GTA
  • @112 I didn't say that either. Dial it back? I was pretty chill. How about learning to type... you know... punctuation, capitalization?
  • GTA V is out within a year's time. A SR4 won't touch that.
  • Yeah, they can lose the dildos and gimp suits. So long as the sex appeal slider remains though.... heh, heh, heh.
  • I wish they'd just continued with the story from Saints row 2. I felt that saints row the third just didn't follow on very well from the rest of the series and the plot was just thrown together. I don't know if its been mentioned but didn't san andreas have a dildo in it?
  • @115 your obviously wrong to result to something like that... but you did your entire argument resided in it changing to gritty and serious all he said was get rid of some of the overblown immature things SR3 did, there is a big difference between becoming gritty and serious and just ditching a few of the things that became too stupid in the last game
  • You can't please everyone. That's all this comes down to. Yes, they may be losing fans and sales because of how over-the-top The Third was, but on the flipside, it's possible that they could be losing even more fans if they decided to take the serious path. Personally, I loved SR:TT, not so much for the story, but for the general feel of the game and the fact that the progression of everything (story, activities, challenges) kept my interest long enough so that I didn't feel like I was forcing myself to complete certain objectives or activities within the game. With SR:2, there were too many instances of most activities so it came down to grinding. I never played the first but I believe that it's the same there. There are enough games that involve an annoying amount of grinding, so I'm glad that The Third steered clear of that. So yes, while they may be losing fans due to the silly nature of the game (which is sad, you're missing out on a fun game that's well-worth the 30 hours of gameplay required for the Third and 30 achievement, especially if you purchase the ((rather inexpensive in comparison to most)) DLCs), the franchise still hasn't screwed itself yet. I'll play an SR4 if one ever exists.
  • I disagree with him. GTA 4 it self was way too fucking serious. They took everything out that made GTA:SA and Vice City amazing games. Honestly I thought GTA 4 was just extremely boring. They should keep Saints Row the way it is, that's what sets it from GTA. Also, why the hell does Cliff keep talking? It's not like you made Gears of War any better. Gears of War 2 and 3 pretty much took everything away that made Gears 1 one of the best shooters ever.
  • But there was a dildo in san Andreas in the police station..
  • How is this news? How does this have anything to do with anything that this site stands for? "An ex-developer of a shooter makes a comment about a sandbox RPG series." I come here for information on actual games, not personal opinions. If this article was about Cliffy B. joining Volition and trying to make the Saints Row franchise more mature in an effort to truly rival GTA, then it would make sense. But all these opinion pieces lately just make me less and less likely to come to this site for news.
  • GTA > saints row. plus you do get dildos in san andreas.
  • Next up.... Cliff Bleszinski will say Crackdown would have been better without the super jumping abilities... also, what a prude he must be married to... my girlfriend loves the stupid dildo violence over the boring taxi ride simulation that is GTA IV.
  • This guy is completely stupid. I would say 99% of the people who play saints row are not married, because they are 1. too young to even get married or 2. single because they play dildo games ! Saints row should not compare with GTA, id say there are similar but I prefer to look at it as the cartooney crazier version of GTA, which is sometimes more fun ... but sometimes you want to drive around seriously and run old people over and have a decent cop chase ... they both work as independent games but work even better together. I don't mean that they should design a game that is half GTA and half saints row, I just mean that if you have both games in your collection you have the opportunity to play both styles of game, and between them both they should completely satisfy your need to either go crazy, or experience a little more realism ... leave them as they are !!!
  • Saints row should not compare with GTA, id say there are similar but I prefer to look at it as the cartooney crazier version of GTA, which is sometimes more fun ... but sometimes you want to drive around seriously and run old people over and have a decent cop chase ... they both work as independent games but work even better together. I don't mean that they should design a game that is half GTA and half saints row, I just mean that if you have both games in your collection you have the opportunity to play both styles of game, and between them both they should completely satisfy your need to either go crazy, or experience a little more realism ... leave them as they are !!!
  • @54 i totally agree i dont get why people think cliffy b is so great in reality he's the biggest self centered tool in the gaming industy
  • Guy needs to shut up and get a fucking job, then go make some decent games before he can start talking.
  • Saint's Row meant to be silly and make a mockery of the sandbox genre. I haven't laughed as hard playing a game in recent memory as when I played SR3. More gimp suit drive bys to whoever picks up the franchise. When this Cliff guy says less marital aids and more "realistic grit" this gif sums up my opinion. http://militarytimes.com/blogs/battle-rattle/2012/09/25/the-gunny-behind-the-gif/
  • @126 I totally played co-op with my GF off and on for a week on Saints Row: The Third.
  • are all of you forgetting the big purple double sided dildo in gta san andreas. the gta series is way to serious every game is the same thing with a different story saints row immature crazyness is what makes the game so great and fun to play if you dont like saints row stfu and go play grand theft auto but if your a fan of the crazyness which the saints row series has a lot of then play that there both different games 1 serious the other is just a crazy good time i hope saints row 4 is as just as crazy as the third and i think millions of other gamers around the world would agree
  • Ahhh it's all good their both great franchises and I hope GTA V and SR4 do well ill check them out ....when I ever get fuckin time to play the fuckin games
  • I have always hated the GTA series as it is just way too boring where as I didn't even try saints row until the third one and now I have to say that in my opinion saints row is a million times better than GTA in every way
  • I think fun is the object of playing a video game. The lack of fun is why I haven't played a GTA game since San Andreas, and I only finished SA because I forced myself to sit down with it. Who knows? Maybe GTA IV was worth my time. Maybe GTA V will be. But, I doubt it. I'd rather not be forced to hunt down my fun when I could be enjoying something that simply IS fun. I guess I'm the madman.
  • Wait, what, being able to kill someone with a dildo makes you not want to play the game, or makes a game lesser? That's fucking stupid, I should be able to kill people with whatever I want, including tea cups. If you won't buy/play a game simply because it has a didlo weapon (that you don't even have to use or buy), then you're a fucking moron. I HATE GTA, abstoluely hate it, SR3 was my introduction to SR series, and it's why I'm buying the whole set of them and all the DLC.
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