It has been nearly 7 years since Saints Row IV first release on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. In the time since, the game has been re-released on PS4 and Xbox One and a standalone expansion, Saints Row: Gat Out Of Hell, has been released. Both games have been bundled together for a few years now as part of the Saints Row IV: Re-Elected bundle. And now, this insane bundle is finally available on the Nintendo Switch! Now I have to admit I was concerned about this port when I first started it up as Saints Row: The Third was one of the worst performing titles on the system. But what we got this time around is a solid port that does the system proud!
Story
The Saints have just saved the world from a Nuclear holocaust! Now The Boss has been elected President and the Saints run the whole country. Everything seems to be going the Saint’s way that is until aliens invade.
Gameplay
The Switch version of Saints Row IV includes the base game and all previously released DLC content. Gameplay and story content is identical to the original 2013 release. The Saints Row series started off life as a sort of Grand Theft Auto clone but over the years the series has really evolved into its own irreverent open-world romp. Saints Row IV really takes things to the next level by introducing a number of hilarious parodies of popular media from the time of original release. The introduction of superpowers and aliens also works far better than you would expect. Game mechanics for Saints Row IV also felt a step above the previous entries when I first played it back in 2013. The easy access to abilities and smooth aiming were highlights in my memory.
After completing the game’s introduction you get to customize your character’s appearance with a pretty in-depth editor. You can choose between male or female characters but options for both can be selected regardless of gender so you can make some interesting combinations if so chosen. I still get a chuckle out of the voice selection screen as there are a few different options to pick from and then there is Nolan North! I have to admit the writing in these games has never been my favorite but the voice acting is done well. I am also happy to hear Keith David in any iteration so there is that. Anyways, once you finish your character the real journey begins.
Now again I was worried about Saints Row IV’s transition to Switch when I first loaded it up. The introductory moments ran very smoothly but they didn’t run in the games traditional open world. Arriving in the spoofy 1950’s Steelport began to ease my mind about the game’s performance. Soon enough I was super jumping around the alien simulation of Steelport without any hitches I would consider deal breaking. Honestly, there were few noticeable problems to my eyes as I was going through my journey to rescue my crew from their Matrixesque prisons. Some slight screen tearing would probably be the worst offender in my book. About the only time I could feel the game slow was if I set up a huge series of explosions. During normal play though everything felt solid which is a huge contrast to the Switch port of Saints Row: The Third.
It doesn’t take long to gain access to your superpowers and they are what make the game in my mind. Your first abilities are the ability to sprint faster than a car and jump extremely high. The sprint is exceptionally hilarious as you can just blow other cars out of your way as you run down the road. Continuing to progress will unlock some really insane weapons and new elemental powers. As you fight off the alien Zin, you will earn points you can use to upgrade powers and stats. Points also work like cash and can be spent buying new outfits to customize your character. Various Zin control points can be found around the simulated city and taking them out is particularly fun for me. There are a number of other missions to accomplish making Saints Row IV a longer game to complete. The inclusion of all previous DLC helps add to the length of the overall package as well.
Controls for the game retain the good setup that I remember from the original release. Aiming isn’t the best on my Switch Lite by default so I had to go in and fine-tune it to my liking. Motion aiming is an option for those who want it but during my time with the title, it didn’t seem to work right. I could use the motion controls ok for Right and Left functions but Up and Down would move by 45-degree increments making it completely unusable. Since I am not a fan of motion aiming in the first place I was ok with just turning it off but it is something to be aware of for those of you out there that are.
Visuals
Coming from the Xbox 360 version of Saints Row IV the Switch version looks like a pretty good upgrade. For anyone who has previously played the game on PS4 or Xbox One, however, should probably expect a slight downgrade to account for the Switches lower-end hardware. Still, the game runs well and looks great in both handheld and docked modes making it a great open-world experience for the platform.
Audio
When a game comes to Switch there is always the risk of audio getting compressed to make the game fit on a lower capacity Switch cart. I didn’t notice any at play here on Saints Row IV which makes me very happy. Audio, guns, music all sound great through a pair of headphones!
Replayability
There is a ton to do in Saints Row IV. This collection does bundle in previously released DLC to further expand upon this with a number of added storylines. This is a game you will easily be able to sink tons of hours into. If you need more, you can always make a new ridiculous character and do it all again!
What It Could Have Done Better
For this port of Saints Row IV, I have very little to criticize. About the only thing that doesn’t work as intended is the motion controls. Turning them off entirely is a suitable fix in the meantime until they can be patched.
Verdict
If you own a Switch and are a fan of open-world GTAesque style games The Saints Row franchise is a great way to experience it on Nintendo’s system. While Saints Row: The Third delivered a sub-par experience, Saints Row IV - Re-Elected shines in comparison making it the best option for this style of game. The fact that we aren’t being charged the full $60 price for this re-release also makes me happy. I honestly see no reason not to recommend this game to those who would want it!
