Saints Row 2

I got the game for free. ... And it was on my hard drive for about 6 minutes. Because the game is almost unplayable with keyboard and mouse. It looks like it's made for hardware controllers. Apparently keyboard and mouse support was the last thing they implemented - by the trainee I guess... Well... the least talented trainee... The character movement is unbearable. Sorry. I am not interested in this sort of self-torture. I was delighted to get it for free. That was the best thing that I can say about Saint Row 2.

I don't usually go in for this sort of thing, but the fact that the game doesn't take itself seriously won me over. The world is vast and well fleshed-out, with a lot of variety and plenty of things to do. The writing is surprisingly good (though literally buried beneath f-bombs) and the game buzzes with that "someone had a blast putting this together" vibe. Having had played SR3, I actually like 2 better. 3 has better graphics and the style is more refined, but if you like engaging gameplay, 2's the way to go. Oh: and I don't know what all the other reviewers are complaining about. My system is by no means great, but the game runs smooth. Steady framerate, no control issues, a crash every now and again to keep me honest.

One of the best gang and open world games I've played so far. I can't complain about the good story, but what I like the most are the many fun side activities that are random and silly, and add a ton of personality to the world. That, and the silly physics that send people flying when you don't expect them to overreact to collision. What I don't like is that the PC version is messy and could use mods to stabilise the experience more.

Great story. Funny dialogue. Lots of diversity and it's done right (i.e., not forcing the message). Countless optional minigames to choose from; some you will love and some you won't. Great cutscenes. Extreme chaos. Will make you miss older games in light of the state of modern games. Wonky vehicle controls that add to the chaos. Can't save during missions. Lots of freeze crashes. The chaos can sometimes be frustrating. Not recommended for people who can't tolerate vehicular manslaughter. This game is not a GTA clone. There is nothing like it. I have never laughed as often as I have in this game. Despite this, the game feels immersive and life-like. Wow.

I played this game on console many times and I just love it. When I noticed that SR2 was in GOG, I just cannot resist to get it one more time to play again and preserve this master piece. Recomended.