Volition launch the Saints Row saga on 360 with an unabashed GTA-like delivering its own brand of crew chaos in Stilwater. Gameplay feels rougher than its inspirations, but the Saints writing and the crew system lay the groundwork for a parody that turns cult across later entries.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player16+
Description
Open-world action by Volition and THQ, August 2006. A new Saints of Stilwater gang member must reclaim territory from rival gangs in a GTA-style city. Gang missions to control territories, cover combat and online co-op. First Saints Row establishing the criminal sandbox franchise.
Running a gang that becomes a commercial brand and then frankly presidential lets you get away with just about anything: heists, deranged urban destruction and weapons each more absurd than the last. The tongue-in-cheek tone is so heavy that you quickly forget the lengthening rap sheet, savoring this grand criminal playground as an avowed parody rather than a thug's handbook.
Is Saints Row still worth playing in 2026?
The first entry in Volition's urban sandbox, Saints Row embraces its lineage with Grand Theft Auto by offering a gang's rise in the city of Stilwater, between missions, deep customisation and urban chaos. The character customisation, the lighter tone than its model and the multiplayer make it a credible alternative at launch. The presentation and the driving have aged, and the content stays classic. A criminal open world for fans of urban sandboxes and the curious about the origins of the Saints Row series.
