With the inexorable hype train that is Grand Theft Auto IV, many people are forgetting the fact that later this year, possibly in the fall, Saints Row 2 will be released. What people also forget is that the original Saints Row was innovative in its own right, allowing the player to create his or her own character and introducing a steady multiplayer mode.
This is why Greg Donovan, the Producer of Saints Row 2, believes that despite heavy attention on Rockstar’s upcoming crime romp, Saints Row 2 will still prove itself a worthy contender in the face of GTA IV, and indeed any future instalments in the series.
”The only thing I know about GTA is what I’ve read. From what I’ve read it seems like they’re going in a more realistic direction,” said Donovan.
“For us it’s more about almost a hyper-realistic quality, over-the-top, all about these memorable moments, very compelling gameplay and frankly we wouldn’t be releasing this year if we didn’t think it would be competitive.”
"I think co-op is a huge distinguishing factor. Unless they are really holding something, I don’t think they are. I think that’s a big step, a plus for us. We also remember that Saints Row 1 was the first one to do competitive multi play – we’re going to continue to blow that out as well."
Saints Row 2 will be released later this year, while Grand Theft Auto IV is scheduled to appear next month. Whether this will affect the impact of Saints Row 2 remains to be seen.