Saints Row 3 Screenshot Blowout

THQ has released a megaton of screenshots from their upcoming open-world romp, Saints Row: The Third, giving gamers a preview of what to expect out of the new game.

The Saints Row franchise found its niche in the market by doing away with realism and going for over-the-top and oftentimes silly action gameplay mechanics. The previous Saints Row 3 trailer displays another franchise mainstay: humor. Staying true to form, The Third is a game created for chaos, and some more chaos, and a little bit of dirty humor, and these screenshots are a perfect example of that.

The first leaked screenshots showcased the cushy, successful life the Saints had earned as a result of their escapades during previous games, but as we revealed the Saints have yet more gangs to eliminate and this time they're pulling out all the stops for more violence than before. The new Saints Row: The Third screenshots give us a peek at character creation as well as some outfits. The weapons pictured appear fairly standard, with the most interesting one being the gigantic, purple "baton" a character is seen using as a blunt force weapon.

The standard instruments of chaos are pictured: namely the attack helicopter and tank. And we get a couple action shots taken during a mission in which the player is involved in a firefight while falling from an airplane.

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The graphics are far from revolutionary, but the game's art style is a tad refreshing when compared with the many "realistic" shooters out there. While providing all sorts of chaotic gameplay moments, GTA IV took a more realistic approach to the gameplay, and it would seem that Saints Row: The Third seeks to capture the essence of the earlier Grand Theft Auto games and deliver a wholly arcade open-world experience. This is probably a good move to continue filling that niche in the market, as most games strive to be more and more realistic all the time.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and THQ released 18 of them, so instead of trying to write several chapters of a novel, I leave you ranters to drool and laugh over the new screenshots

THQ and Volition keep the old school arcade style alive this holiday on the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Source: THQ