There’s a new Saints Row game out, and the response to it has been rather mixed. Some fans would still rather go back to the classic games, with many citing Saints Row 2 as the series’ peak. It’s hard to argue with them, as while the game’s graphics, gameplay and tone has aged, its story, design, and amount of interactivity beats its later entries.
Take Cribs, for instance. They are basically safehouses where the player could change their outfits, customize their gangs, get a fresh set of wheels, and more. Saints Row: The Third simplified them. Saints Row 4 got rid of them. But Saints Row 2 let players customize them, explore them, and make the most of them. Players will need all the Cribs eventually during their playthrough, but some offer more than others. So, here they are ranked in order from worst to best.
9 Both Docks and the Airport
There’s nothing the player can do here except stash boats and aircraft respectively. They’re all function, no flair. Need a boat or an airplane? Perfect! They’re something to save up for. Need a place to duck into to escape the Ronin? Or change clothes? Or replace gang members with ninjas? No luck there, chum.
The Docks are relatively cheap at just $5,000 each, so it won't blast a hole in the wallet. Though the Airport might at $50,000. Best not to worry about them until there's some cash to spare on them. It is tempting to grab a plane and fly it to, or into, any location, but the player might as well jack them until the money starts flowing.
8 Red Light Loft
It’s one of the first Cribs players will get, and it doesn’t offer more than the basics. The place is a dump that’s a block and a bit away from the main Saints Hideout and doesn’t offer much more over it than a safe for picking up cash and a TV to play the Zombie Uprising game on.
Still, it’s cheap to get and quicker to enter and leave than the Hideout. Though, chances are the player will forget they even have this crib once they have the others under their belt.
7 Prison Lighthouse
The Lighthouse scrubs up quite nicely once it’s upgraded. It has the same features as the Red Light Loft, but with the addition of a Radio to play music on and the Newspaper Clipboard to replay old missions on. The building even has a garage but no dock.
This is a problem because it’s on the Stilwater Prison Island. There’s nowhere to drive to except the Penitentiary and Jane Valderama’s house. It could’ve done with a dock for storing boats and sailing back to the city. But nope, players have to drive from the lighthouse to the Prison Dock and jack whatever’s there to get back instead. It’s not the end of the world, but it does feel like an oversight.
6 Downtown Loft
Want a building that’s almost exactly the same as the Lighthouse but in the Downtown District instead? It has all the same features, with the Clipboard, TV, Stash, Weapons Cache, Wardrobe, etc. Plus, it’s in a better part of town, right in the heart of Ronin territory, and next to the upmarket stores for extra Respect.
However, it also has an upmarket price of $50,000, twice that of the Lighthouse. It’s fine if the player has the spare cash to make the most of its location. But there’s another Crib on the northern island that has more features for a better price. Thus, the Downtown Loft is a low recommendation.
5 University Loft
The University Loft has everything the Downtown Loft and Lighthouse have, from the Clipboard right down to the Weapons Cache. The difference is that it’s right within the University District, surprisingly enough. So, racing back out on the streets in a car makes more sense there than at the Lighthouse.
The building is also $15,000, which is $10,000 cheaper than the Lighthouse. So, it’s clearly one to go for early in the game. The Crib’s big drawback is that the cars spawn behind the building instead of out front like the Red Light Loft. It’s a touch less quick for getting back into the action, but that’s a nitpick at best.
4 Saints Hideout
Unlike the other Cribs, the Hideout is part of the main storyline, so it doesn’t have to be bought. The player just needs to clear out the old tenants first. It also can’t be upgraded directly. The place improves gradually as the player progresses through the game, and it only has one style. No customization.
It doesn’t have a Clipboard either or a TV…yet the player can still play Zombie Uprising in there somehow. However, it does offer a touch more than many of the starting Cribs, like Gang Customization and a helipad for storing helicopters and other hovering aircraft. Until the player starts raking in the big bucks, it'll be the only Crib with one. So, don’t count out the Hideout just because it’s the default option.
3 Hotel Penthouse
This swanky building is right in Brotherhood territory, though depending on how the player plays, they might be mostly decimated by the time they can afford its $40,000 price tag. Plus, it’s right in Huntersfield in the Airport District, which is fine for the roads as it’s close to the Barrio and Chinatown for any missions and activities in those areas.
The Airport District itself doesn’t have a lot of going for it. However, once players buy the Airport, the Hotel Penthouse makes for a handy hub for stopping off before causing mayhem in the skies. Airplanes can’t be stored at its helipad, but it’s still ideal for choppers, and it has all the Crib features. Still, its smaller equivalent on the northern island is perhaps more ideal by a touch or two.
2 Penthouse Loft
The Penthouse Loft is technically part of the Suburbs District in Tidal Spring. But, with it essentially being right in the middle of the northern island, it’s in a great spot to reach the Downtown District, the Hotels & Marina, and anywhere else on the island.
It offers everything the other higher-end Cribs do, like the TV, Clipboard, etc. The interior can be particularly spiced up with its own pool table, grand piano, or stripper pole. Plus, it offers a helipad, and all for just $40,000. Overall, it’s a better deal than the helipad-less Downtown Loft.
1 Mega Condo
Smack dab in the original Saint’s Row District sits the Mega Condo. The district used to be as slummy as Sunnyvale until it was gentrified by Ultor. As such, the player has to earn $50,000 to regain ground in their original digs. Unlike the Downtown Loft, it has much more to back up its price. It already looks nice by default, but its customizable options look particularly swanky and can provide a lot of Respect.
It has all the features the Penthouse Loft offers, including a helipad. Interestingly, it also has a Dock available in the back, despite being on the east side of the map, well away from the nearest islands. Still, it’s in a great spot for reaching most of Stilwater by ground, sea, and air. Chances are the player will have to beat at least one Gang completely before they can afford it. Though if they can earn that spare $50k quickly, the Mega Condo will be their ultimate hub.
Saints Row 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360