When it comes to GTA-clones, there are a dime a dozen, but one stands out as the go-to-game for those seeking an experience completely the opposite of Grand Theft Auto while still mirroring the core gameplay, Saints Row. Saints Row has always been the franchise that takes what it lacks in terms of graphical power and more than makes up for it by delivering a campy and inventive non-linear game. With the release of Saints Row 3, gamers will not be forced to pick one element over the other.

In an interview with CVG, Dan Bilson, THQ’s man behind core games, revealed where the developer’s head is at when approaching the third game:

"Quality. Look at the visual quality of Saint's Row 2. When you see Saints Row 3, it's the visual quality of the GTA IV universe. It goes up there. It still has the wacky, insane stuff. It's going to get really big and really loud in December. And as soon as you see the assets, the gamers will go: 'Oh, I know what they invested in. The technology.' "

I am almost a little disappointed in THQ for trying to imitate GTA. When they first announced that a third game was on the way, I looked forward to it because the game  is a wholly different experience. Sure, visual quality is what sells nowadays, but I never thought that the Saints Row franchise was bad looking. It had developed its own style based on its over-the-top antics and the visuals reflected that.

I was fine with this announcement until Bilson went on to say that this entry in the franchise would be "less gangsta" than the previous titles. First, a middle-aged man should never utter the word “gangsta”. Ever. Second, does THQ not know what type of game they are making? That’s the entire foil of Saints Row, being a gangsta with an a! If you take away the silly spirit of the game then you have reduced your development goal to simply making a GTA clone. I hope that once we see some of what the game has to offer it will be proven that Bilson was only making these comments to draw in new fans and not trying to scare away the established ones.

Saints Row 3 is set for release on the Xbox 360 some time in 2011.

How do you feel about Saints Row 3 upping the visual quality ranters? Do you feel shunned now that the level of gangsta has been diminished?

Source: CVG