It happened in 2011. Volition decided to stop chasing Rockstar Games. For years, the Saints Row franchise lived in the shadow of Grand Theft Auto, constantly being dismissed as a "clone" or a "lesser version" of the gritty crime dramas coming out of North (and later Edinburgh). Then Saints Row The Third arrived. It didn't just break the mold; it took a purple sledgehammer to it and danced on the debris.
Honestly, it was a weird time for games. Everything was trying to be "gritty" and "cinematic." But here was a game that opened with you robbing a bank while wearing an oversized mask of your own face. It was absurd. It was loud. Most importantly, it was confident.
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The Identity Shift That Saved a Franchise
Before Steelport, we had Stilwater. The first two games were actually pretty grounded, all things considered. They were about gang warfare, territory, and a somewhat serious rise to power. But Saints Row The Third realized something vital: you can't out-GTA GTA. Instead of fighting for realism, Volition leaned into the "toy box" philosophy. They made the player a celebrity. By the time the game starts, the Third Street Saints aren't just a gang—they're a global lifestyle brand with energy drinks, clothing lines, and a movie deal.
This shift wasn't just flavor text. It changed how the game felt. You weren't a scrappy underdog anymore; you were a god in a purple suit.
Remember the mission "The Belgian Problem"? You’re literally dropping through a skylight while "Power" by Kanye West blasts in the background. It’s scripted, sure, but it felt like a peak expression of what gaming could be when it stopped taking itself so seriously. Some critics at the time, like those at GameSpot or IGN, noted that the game traded depth for spectacle. They weren't entirely wrong. But man, what a spectacle it was.
The Syndicate vs. The Saints
The antagonists in this game actually felt threatening in a way the later entries lost. You had Philippe Loren, the sophisticated leader of The Syndicate. He felt like a Bond villain dropped into a playground. Then you had the Deckers, the Morningstar, and the Luchadores.
Each faction had a specific vibe.
The Deckers brought in the TRON-inspired cyber world, which gave us that incredible (and incredibly frustrating) boss fight against Matt Miller. The Luchadores, led by Eddie "Killbane" Pryor, added a layer of brutal, physical theater. Killbane wasn't just a bad guy; he was a pro wrestler who refused to break character even when he was murdering people. It was peak 2011 character design.
Why Steelport Feels Different (For Better or Worse)
If you talk to die-hard fans, the map of Steelport is a bit of a sticking point. Stilwater from the second game had more "soul"—more interiors, more distinct neighborhoods, more secrets. Steelport is basically a series of gray islands connected by bridges. It’s functional. It serves as a racetrack and a warzone, but it’s not exactly a place you’d want to live.
But here’s the thing.
The city was designed for the new traversal mechanics. By the middle of the game, you aren't driving cars much anyway. You're flying VTOL jets or jumping out of helicopters. The verticality of Steelport actually makes sense when you realize the developers wanted you in the air as much as on the ground. It’s a playground, not a simulation.
The Controversy of "The Remastered" Version
Fast forward to 2020. Deep Silver released Saints Row The Third Remastered. This wasn't just a resolution bump. Sperasoft actually went in and rebuilt the lighting engine and updated almost every asset. It looks gorgeous. The neon of the city reflects off the rain-slicked streets in a way the original 360/PS3 hardware could never have dreamed of.
However, it brought back the old debate. Does a game this silly need to look this "real"?
There’s a strange juxtaposition when you see a hyper-realistic explosion occurring next to a character who is essentially a cartoon. But somehow, it works. The remaster proved that the core gameplay loop—shoot, drive, upgrade, repeat—is timeless. It’s a dopamine machine. You finish a mission, you get a huge cash dump, you buy a new store, and you see your influence grow on the map. It's simple, but it's effective.
Customization is King
Nobody has ever done character customization better than Volition did in this era. Period.
You could be a silver-skinned alien with a British accent or a hulking brute who only spoke in zombie grunts. The "Inauguration Station" was a genius marketing move—letting people build their Boss before the game even launched. It created a sense of ownership. Your Boss wasn't just a generic protagonist; they were your weirdo.
The clothing options were staggered. You had "Planet Saints" for the brand-loyal look, "Nobody Loves Me" for the emo/punk aesthetic, and "Leather and Lace" for... well, you know. The layering system allowed for a level of detail that even modern RPGs often fail to hit. You could put a coat over a shirt, change the colors of the stitching, and even pick your "sex appeal" slider (which was exactly as mature as it sounds).
Misconceptions and the "Jump the Shark" Argument
There’s a common narrative that Saints Row The Third is where the series "jumped the shark."
That’s a bit of a revisionist history. While the fourth game went full sci-fi with aliens and superpowers, the third entry actually kept one foot on the ground. You were still dealing with rival gangs and police corruption, even if you were doing it while jumping out of a plane without a parachute.
The "shark jumping" wasn't a mistake. It was a calculated move to find a niche that wasn't being filled. At the time, GTA IV had gone very somber and serious with Niko Bellic’s story. People were hungry for the "old" GTA feeling—the chaos of San Andreas. Saints Row stepped into that void and turned the volume up to eleven.
Technical Legacy and Stability
Let's be real for a second: the original PC port was a mess. It had weird stuttering issues and didn't play nice with certain CPUs. But the modern Steam and Epic versions, especially the Remastered edition, run like a dream on modern hardware.
If you're playing on a Steam Deck or a high-end rig today, you're getting a locked 60 FPS (or much higher) experience that makes the combat feel significantly better than it did on the old consoles. The shooting mechanics aren't quite "tight"—they’re a little floaty—but they’re responsive enough for the chaotic nature of the encounters.
The Soundtrack Factor
You can't talk about this game without mentioning the radio. While it didn't have the massive budget of a Rockstar soundtrack, the curation was perfect.
- The Mix: Perfect for that 80s nostalgia.
- Krhyme: Held down the hip-hop side of things.
- GenX: For the alt-rock fans.
The way the game used music for specific story beats—like the aforementioned "Power" or the use of "I Need a Hero" in the final choice—showed a level of directorial intent that people often overlook because the game is so "stupid" on the surface.
Where the Reboot Went Wrong
It’s impossible to talk about the legacy of the third game without mentioning the 2022 reboot. The reboot tried to capture the "fun" but missed the "edge." The characters in Saints Row The Third were criminals who liked being criminals. They were arrogant, stylish, and a little bit psychopathic.
The 2022 cast felt like they were trying to pay off student loans.
Fans went back to the third game in droves after the reboot launched because they realized that the "cringe" of the 2011 game was intentional. It was satire. It was a parody of celebrity culture and the "cool" factor of the early 2010s. When you play it today, it feels like a time capsule of an era where games were allowed to just be loud, colorful, and offensive without worrying about being a "platform for future content."
Actionable Steps for the Modern Player
If you're looking to jump back into Steelport or experience it for the first time, don't just rush the main story. You'll miss the best parts of the game.
Get the Remastered version. Unless you have a very specific hardware limitation, the 2020 remaster is the definitive way to play. The asset updates are significant enough that the original version looks incredibly dated by comparison.
Focus on the "City Takeover." Don't just do the missions. Buying properties increases your hourly income. If you do this early, you'll have unlimited cash by the mid-game to fully upgrade your weapons, which is where the real fun begins. The "Level 4" weapon upgrades often change the fundamental way the gun works—like the pistols that eventually fire explosive rounds.
Play Co-op. This game was built for two people. The entire campaign is drop-in/drop-out. Having a friend fly a chopper while you hang off the side with a rocket launcher is the "correct" way to play.
Don't skip the DLC. The "Trouble with Clones" and "Gangstas in Space" missions are short, but they contain some of the funniest writing in the entire series. They’re included in most modern versions of the game anyway, so you might as well dive in.
Experiment with the "Whored Mode." Yes, it’s a terrible pun on "Horde Mode," but it’s actually a really solid wave-based combat system that forces you to use weapons and vehicles you might ignore in the main game.
The legacy of Saints Row The Third isn't just about the dildo bat or the tank skydiving. It’s about a developer finding their voice by screaming at the top of their lungs. It remains a high-water mark for the open-world genre because it understood that "fun" should always come before "realism."
To get the most out of your time in Steelport, start by prioritizing the "Assassination" and "Vehicle Theft" diversions. These aren't just filler; they force you to explore the corners of the map you'd otherwise ignore and reward you with unique followers and vehicles that make the late-game missions much more manageable. Once you've secured a steady stream of income from store purchases, dump your points into the "No Damage" upgrades in the character menu to truly embrace the "unstoppable gang leader" fantasy the game wants you to have.