Saints Row: The Third originally launched in 2011 and received generally positive reviews from players and critics alike. Of the four games in the series, it is the first to receive a remastered version, which launched for PC, PS4, and Xbox One in May 2020.
Saints Row: The Third Remastered features a number of changes, including reworked assets and textures, improved graphics and lighting, as well as the three mission packs and over 30 DLC items released for the original game. When it launched, the PC version of the remaster was available for purchase only from the Epic Games Store and eventually came to Google Stadia in April 2021.
For some gamers, one major online storefront has been noticeably absent from PC purchase options, and a fan recently decided to ask about it on Twitter. Both the question and response were straightforward, leaving little room for misinterpretation. The user asked, “Are there plans for SR3 Remastered coming to Steam?” And the response from the official Saints Row Twitter account was simply: “Yes, May 22.”
Despite receiving praise as a solid remaster, some gamers had a few complaints about Saints Row: The Third Remastered when it released, primarily that the visual upgrades weren’t sufficient to bring the game up to 2020 standards and that many of the bugs from the original game are still present. The developer of the remaster, Sperasoft, has released two major patches for the game, but these seem to only address implementation problems with the remastered version and not already existent technical issues.
When it debuted, the action-adventure Saints Row series was often compared to the Grand Theft Auto games, given the setting in an open-world gang-infested city and the similar gameplay style that includes missions, side activities, driving, and a lot of shooting with a variety of weapons. However, the Saints Row franchise soon differentiated itself from GTA and other crime-related titles due to its inclusion of pop culture references and sometimes over-the-top humor.
The events in Saints Row: The Third take place five years after Saints Row 2, and the player is given the task of leading the Third Street Saints in a turf war with rival gangs in the city of Steelport. The new location is run by the Syndicate, an alliance of three gangs, who firmly rule over the city. As control of Steelport is gradually wrested from the Syndicate, the player earns respect, which serves as a form of experience point that can be used to upgrade weapons and the game’s AI-controlled gang support system, as well as to unlock a range of abilities, like taking reduced or zero fall damage.
Saints Row: The Third Remastered is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.