Saints Row is coming back, although in an entirely new form. The newest entry in the series aims to reboot Saints Row and what the name means to its fans. The game was revealed with an action-packed cinematic trailer during Gamescom's Opening Night Live 2021 that showed off its new setting, some of the enemy gangs players will battle with, a few different weapons, and introduced fans to the original cast of characters that make up its Saints organization.
The online reaction to the reveal was a bit negative, but the developer Volition said it is not backing down on its vision for Saints Row. After the original reveal, the developers released another trailer that showed off Saints Row's gameplay and the new city of Santo Ileso. This trailer helped show fans what they could expect from the reboot, and received a more positive reception. That was then followed up by the developers detailing the characters shown in the trailer, those that players will spend a lot of time with throughout the game.
The Boss
The Boss was heavily featured in the Saints Row trailer, and is the character the player will control. However, the developer has confirmed that players can expect a return of the detailed and varied customization options that Saints Row is known for, so the Boss' appearance will likely be very different for everyone. It does seem that the game's marketing will be using one design, and its reveal trailer gave players a peek at the Boss in action, including wielding a massive machine gun and a rocket launcher that shoots multiple missiles at a time.
The official website for Saints Row details some of the Boss' background, as well as their particular skills and role. The Boss apparently exhibited sociopathic behavior when the police encountered them before, and the Boss has repeatedly avoided arrest. A police report on the website also details that they are particularly skilled with heavy weapons as well as automatic pistols. It further acknowledges that the Boss is the ringleader of the Saints, although what has been shown of the game seems to indicate the gang is only made up of the four characters at the start of the game. It is possible that the gang will grow, and maybe even with some popular Saints Row characters from the past, but that remains to be seen.
Eli
Eli is the more business-minded member of the gang, who also seems to be in charge of its technology and assets. The developer has described him as the glue that helps hold the chaos of the gang together, while also noting that he cares more about money than morality. What has been shown of the characters in Saints Row also makes it seem as though Eli is not as close with everyone as the other members of the gang.
Saints Row's official website also gives some information about Eli, although the police report is incomplete. The website first establishes that Eli was identified by the police in a failed armed robbery attempt, and while he escaped, he does have an outstanding fugitive warrant. The police dossier on Eli also describes him as being a very calculating individual who was able to feign innocence when he was eventually caught. Interestingly, the website also says that Eli is suspected of committing multiple low-level blue-collar crimes, which seems to stand out from the activities players are used to doing in the series, but could fit in well with Saints Row's more grounded approach.
Neenah
The game's trailers establish Neenah as the gang's mechanical specialist and getaway driver. Her skills are shown off as she races through the streets of the city to escape the police. Neenah's police file on the game's website also states this by saying she has been witnessed driving the getaway car for multiple armed robberies, and that she is wanted for some connection with stolen antiquities. Saints Row should retain the driving that the series is known for, so it seems likely players could spend a lot of time with Neenah.
Another interesting part of Neenah's police file points out that she is a known affiliate of the Los Panteros gang through some family connections. It claims she was initiated into the gang at a young age, but it does not mention how or why she ended up working with the Saints instead. Since Saints Row is confirmed to be receiving DLC after launch, if the connection isn't explored in the main game, it could very well show up in DLC.
Kevin
The final member of the gang detailed so far, Kevin, is also an ex-member of a competing gang known as the Idols. Kevin is a DJ of some sort who seems to prefer being shirtless. However, the developer has said that while working with the Saints, he is also pursuing a dream of becoming a celebrity chef. Whether or not that plays into the game's narrative remains to be seen, but it is hard to imagine a Saints Row game making less than a handful of jokes about it.
It will be interesting to see how fans of the series take to Kevin after they get their hands on the game. The reboot is taking some pretty bold moves with its approach, which could be a double-edged sword for Saints Row, but only time will tell how successful it ultimately is.
Saints Row releases February 25, 2022 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.