The Saints Row Reboot Has Revealed Some Gameplay Footage

A new Saints Row game is something we couldn’t really have seen coming. The fourth installation in the series detached from the tracks and tried to carve its own path, setting the game in a simulation of the third game’s map, allowing you to master superpowers and clap some alien overlords upside the head as the President of the United States. A bit of a far cry from the GTA ripoff it once was.

It’s clear now that the series is willing to carve its own path, but by using the rulebook set out for the free-roam crime sim by Grand Theft Auto unashamedly. The game is returning to its roots, using a new locale and focus on the domination of the region of Santo Ileso’s businesses to keep things interesting.

And judging by a newly revealed look at next-gen gameplay, interesting is exactly the word to describe the game.

Saints Row Devs Reveal New Look At Reboot

In a brand-new feature from the Saints Row team, we get a new look at the map for the upcoming reboot - the sweltering Santo Ileso. The video spends a lot of time with the game’s developers, explaining why the series needed a reboot and why a lot of the choices in the game had to be centred on brand-new ideas.

The game looks fascinating - it’s very different to the Saints Row we recognise aesthetically, subbing neon pinks on dark backgrounds out for the gorgeous blue sky of the USA’s South-West.

The game’s focus on dominating business in the area is also likely to give a new degree of immersion in the world of the criminal, making the dastardly element of crime games run a little deeper than just hitting civilians with your car.

Saints Row Devs Discuss Rebooting The Series

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In the video, we get to hear from some of the team behind the game about why they made the decision to flip the series on its head and work on a complete reboot.

"Naturally, we looked at all of the things we’ve done in the past," said Brian Traficante, creative director of Volition. "But the more we did that, the more we started to discover that we’re actually blocking ourselves from the massive creativity we have at the studio. [...] And that’s when the concept really drove in that we need to reboot Saints Row."

The game looks like a step away from the bombastic silliness of the series so far - but there’s every chance that it could lead to a better game overall. We’re excited to check out Santo Ileso, and try all of the new features for ourselves.