Over the top and loaded with pop culture sendups, Saints Row IV cobbles elements from the aforementioned Crackdown, The Matrix, Mass Effect, Prototype, Metal Gear Solid and many more in a zany, willfully ridiculous brew that while entertaining, can certainly overstay its welcome.
How does a gangster acquire superpowers you ask? Oh you know, the usual way - become President of the United States after subverting a terrorist attack, suffer an alien invasion that results in the destruction of the planet, and become trapped in a virtual reality simulation of Steelport, the city from Saints Row: The Third. Somebody at Volition clearly loved 2007’s Crackdown, Microsoft’s superhero-powered take on sandbox open-world action, because Saints Row IV apes the mechanics, right down to the addictive orb-collecting to upgrade abilities.
