SPOILERS I want everyones honest opinion

[TheBlueGuys]

But when you look at a lot of initial reaction videos and comments, people clearly refer to AOM as "the new Saints Row game" or "Saints Row 5", despite Volition's very clear message that it's not Saints Row...

Because that's what the fans expected anyway, so they just ignored Volition's quite obvious attempt to expand their universe and create a new title.

Heck, there are people still calling this Saints Row "Saints Row 5" even though the title is just Saints Row, it's not a continuation, it's a reboot... A fresh start... SAINTS ROW... That's it, no number.

Oh dear God...

So they went:

Them: "Yay! It's a new Saints Row game!"
Volition: "A-Actually, no. It's not Saints Row. At all."
*game comes out*
Them: "Boo! Game sucks! Not Saints Row!!"
Volition: *drinking Saints Flow, tears down their face*
Pierce Washington: "Sucks when no one listens to you, don't it?"

 

[Beyonce]

Oh dear God...

So they went:

Them: "Yay! It's a new Saints Row game!"
Volition: "A-Actually, no. It's not Saints Row. At all."
*game comes out*
Them: "Boo! Game sucks! Not Saints Row!!"
Volition: *drinking Saints Flow, tears down their face*
Pierce Washington: "Sucks when no one listens to you, don't it?"

I really didn't mind when they advertised Saints Row on it because I thought it was obvious that they were trying to create a multiverse with the SR name, but even after the marking spur, they still tried to correct it and people just.... didn't listen.

It sucks because people are saying they should've made a new IP and when they did, few people brought it and it was actually a pretty decent game, it was rough around the edges, but the cast made up for it. On top of that, till this day people will say they should do a new IP and still not tear down AOM in the same sentence.

 

[3rdStreetSaint 212]

I really didn't mind when they advertised Saints Row on it because I thought it was obvious that they were trying to create a multiverse with the SR name, but even after the marking spur, they still tried to correct it and people just.... didn't listen.

It sucks because people are saying they should've made a new IP and when they did, few people brought it and it was actually a pretty decent game, it was rough around the edges, but the cast made up for it. On top of that, till this day people will say they should do a new IP and still not tear down AOM in the same sentence.

Imagine being a fly on the wall for the "Agent names" meeting.

Boss: So, we've got "Hollywood", "Fortune"...

Saints Enthusiast: Let's bring a few of the Saints back too.

Boss: Ok, but we need to give them code names.

Saints Enthusiast: So for Pierce, I was thinking... Kingpin.

British Memer: Noice.

Boss: Kinzie?

Kinkster: It's gotta be "Safeword".

Boss: How about Gat?

Outside Box Thinker: Gat.

Boss: Yes, a codename for Gat.

Outside Box Thinker: Yeah, "Gat".

Boss: Why do you keep asking that, I already said it's for Gat.

Deus Ex Machina: No, I think he's saying "Gat" should be his codename.

Boss: But that's just his name... (long pause) I love it.

 

[L'Andromada]

You guys can't seriously put 100% of the blame on fans... Yeah, all the people saying that this was SR5, either for likes and views, or because they wanted to believe it, didn't help, but this problem was created by the bad marketing.
This game was marketed as a spin-off SR game, there are expectations behind things like the Fleur de Lys and Johnny Gat, you can't just wave them around to attract SR fans and then give them something that is fundamentally different from SR in both substance and form.

the devs made it clear this wasn't a new Saint Row game.

despite Volition's very clear message that it's not Saints Row...

even after the marking spur, they still tried to correct it and people just.... didn't listen.

That "that isn't Saints Row" moment in the launch trailer was just too little, too late.

Having an extended universe isn't inherently a bad thing, but marketing a new game with elements of your previous ones, when said new game is a complete departure from the previous ones, is misleading.
They wanted people to treat this game as something different while also relying heavily on their past success during the marketing campaign, you can't have your cake and eat it, that's not how life works.
The Saints Row references should have been minimal to nonexistent for this game to have a fair chance. Also I can understand bringing back fan-favorite characters, but the Fleur de Lys was completely unnecessary, it brings nothing to the game except more confusion.

It sucks because people are saying they should've made a new IP and when they did, few people brought it and it was actually a pretty decent game, it was rough around the edges, but the cast made up for it.

I personally keep saying that because Saints Row games have an amazing gameplay loop, but Volition keeps putting sci-fi stuff where they don't belong, so I think they should just make a full sci-fi game that plays like Saints Row.
I (and I think most Volition fans) don't wanna play a hero shooter, at least not one that has a bland open world, only a single enemy faction, and virtually no customization options.

 

[Beyonce]

You guys can't seriously put 100% of the blame on fans... Yeah, all the people saying that this was SR5, either for likes and views, or because they wanted to believe it, didn't help, but this problem was created by the bad marketing.
This game was marketed as a spin-off SR game, there are expectations behind things like the Fleur de Lys and Johnny Gat, you can't just wave them around to attract SR fans and then give them something that is fundamentally different from SR in both substance and form.



That "that isn't Saints Row" moment in the launch trailer was just too little, too late.

Having an extended universe isn't inherently a bad thing, but marketing a new game with elements of your previous ones, when said new game is a complete departure from the previous ones, is misleading.
They wanted people to treat this game as something different while also relying heavily on their past success during the marketing campaign, you can't have your cake and eat it, that's not how life works.
The Saints Row references should have been minimal to nonexistent for this game to have a fair chance. Also I can understand bringing back fan-favorite characters, but the Fleur de Lys was completely unnecessary, it brings nothing to the game except more confusion.


I personally keep saying that because Saints Row games have an amazing gameplay loop, but Volition keeps putting sci-fi stuff where they don't belong, so I think they should just make a full sci-fi game that plays like Saints Row.
I (and I think most Volition fans) don't wanna play a hero shooter, at least not one that has a bland open world, only a single enemy faction, and virtually no customization options.

TBH, I really don't care, because the past is the past and I'm just waiting for August 23rd

 

[Eerye Vysage]

Not interested.
I might try it out after like half a year or a year or sth, like I do most games. But the story comes across as some cheap uninteresting neutered boring drivel, I mean hipster college kids posing as gangsters to get money for their tuition? Really? This is Saints Row in name only.
Also, never pre-order. Just look at CP77.

 

[Beyonce]

Not interested.
I might try it out after like half a year or a year or sth, like I do most games. But the story comes across as some cheap uninteresting neutered boring drivel, I mean hipster college kids posing as gangsters to get money for their tuition? Really? This is Saints Row in name only.
Also, never pre-order. Just look at CP77.

I understand that you want to hold off, but at least get the story right. It's not about them paying tuition, they've already established that it's a group of young adults that aren't fairing well in the economy and are facing the threat of eviction on top of their jobs and/or respective gangs mistreating them.

So they start doing quick gigs to keep things running for them and some point in between they decide to start their own gang after they were almost killed at another gang's event.

 

[TheBlueGuys]

Not interested.
I might try it out after like half a year or a year or sth, like I do most games. But the story comes across as some cheap uninteresting neutered boring drivel, I mean hipster college kids posing as gangsters to get money for their tuition? Really? This is Saints Row in name only.
Also, never pre-order. Just look at CP77.

They're under threat of eviction.

And you'd be surprised at what people will do to survive. If you're homeless, starving, you'll do anything. Historically, well, do I even need to go down that rabbit hole? People, in most circumstances, don't want to die, so if that means they have to flush morality down the toilet just to get some extra food or money? So be it.

They don't have the money to pay rent - threat of homelessness
No money + no food = threat of starvation

Effectively, we are looking at a group of young adults who would rather not spend the rest of their lives sleeping on the street, half-starved (and we can basically erase Snickerdoodle's name from the census. Why? Because unless he knows how to hunt for himself, he's a dead cat walking. If the humans can't afford to feed themselves, then they sure as hell can't afford to feed him.)

And they're up against three separate forces that has shown they give little f**ks about our group. Way they (Neenah and Friends) see it, it's either they fight fire with fire, or they just roll over and accept their lot in life. The latter is not something they're prepared to do.

 

[Wertologist]

I have no hope for this game an no real desire to even bother. They didn't need to reboot the series. Just find a way to retcon 3/4 as they were absurd. Like, just have a montage summary of the events of 3/4 and then have the Boss wake up from a deep sleep so it shows it was just a weird fever dream

Them using the Saints Row name for this is ridiculous. Just call it something else. You can do similar styled games without them being part of the same universe/IP. It was clearly just to bait in fans of the original series

It looks like they're going to be getting woke in this game and I have no desire to buy into that shit. I'm sick of woke stuff being shoved into games, comics, and TV. I actively avoid anything that is woke because it's always the same shit

I'm sure this game will control fine and have some redeeming qualities, but I need more than that to enjoy a game. If I can't stand the characters and story, why would I play it? It's why I don't really replay 4 or Gat Outta Hell. Like, Last of Us II looked like they polished the controls and mechanics, but I knew the dumpster fire it was going to be and avoided it like the plague

The hipster crew is not interesting to me. They all look like they're cardboard cutouts of quirky token characters. Seems like the devs are out of touch not only with the SR fanbase, but also their target audience of casual gamers wanting a gang simulator

SR was supposed to be about a street gang in a ghetto trying to get rid of the more problematic gangs that hurt the people. When Boss took over, they changed a bit, but mostly followed that MO. These hipsters don't give me the same feeling of purpose and I really just don't care for them. That initial trailer showing them really did not paint a good picture of who they are going to be for me. It just showed me that they're going to be quirky and annoying

Still haven't seen the latest trailers. I'll get around to it soon, but only out of morbid curiosity. I'll stick to SR2 as it's a timeless classic and still holds up to this day

 

[Eerye Vysage]

I understand that you want to hold off, but at least get the story right. It's not about them paying tuition, they've already established that it's a group of young adults that aren't fairing well in the economy and are facing the threat of eviction on top of their jobs and/or respective gangs mistreating them.

[...]

They're under threat of eviction.

[...]

Weird, I remember reading Volition describing the story akin to what I roughly described but whatever. It's a tad better if I indeed read wrong I guess, but doesn't really change all that much. The characters also still appear bland and unlikable beside the uninteresting story. So it seems like even the devs can't get it right anymore as this just doesn't have a proper Saints Row vibe to it. It pretty much feels like just another SR4 without the alien shenanigans.

So, I'm still not very interested. I appreciate the correction though, if it's indeed correct.

If people want to pre-order let them pre-order it's their right to do whatever they want with their money and with the 6 month delay I'm optimistic it'll be stable on launch.

Sure, I wasn't trying to tell people how to spend their money, was just sort of an fyi.
Pre-ordering nowadays is simply asinine and highly risky of receiving a faulty product, just gotta take a look at all the shitty AAA games riddled with bugs at launch, but especially after CP77.
I never pre-ordered any game in my entire life, and I wanted to make an exception with Cyberpunk after Witcher 3 and because of how hyped I was for it feeling like a kid again... Thank fuck I screwed up the pre-order and the retail guy ended up canceling it altogether. Dodged a nasty bullet there.

I also chuckled when I read someone here saying they aren't interested in the game but gonna pre-order it anyway.