Saints Row 4: Gat out of Hell
MA15+
PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360
Times were tough for the 3rd Street Saints. Despite overcoming an all-conquering alien army, the earth was destroyed and they have been left floating through space in a stolen spacecraft filling their time with board games and TV show re runs. Their lives had become a sad Groundhog day experience that held little to excite them. Basically there was no one left to kill. That is until Satan decided that the leader of the Saints, after all of his wanton murder and carnage over the years, was the perfect choice to marry his daughter Jezebel. What Satan didn’t take into account was that the head of the Saints right hand man was the most dangerous individual in the universe. Johnny Gat was going to hell to get the boss back and there wasn’t an imp, demon, devil or abomination that would stand in his way.
Gat out of Hell is a standalone expansion for Saints Row 4 that swaps the super powered city of Steelport with Hell. The 3rd Street Saints and Hell really is a match made in heaven. It is hard to think of a better location for their particular brand of mayhem to take place. The setting is delightfully devilish and appears to feature bits and pieces from cities that have featured in previous Saints games. Hell is of course suitably decorated with impaled bodies, fountains of lava and rows of strip clubs so there is quite a difference to previous entries stomping grounds.
Getting around the map is perhaps the biggest change in Gat out of Hell. Saints 4’s superpowers make a welcome return, all featuring a hellish upgrade, but is the addition of a new power that changes the way players will look at the world. That power is flight and it is a pure joy to play around with. Once players get the hang of it they will be zooming from one side of the map to another with glee. There really is no reason to actually get in any of the cars or trucks that are driving around hell’s streets, making them little more than window dressing on this hellish world.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment with Gat out of Hell is the lack of variety in the missions. The game is basically made up of side activities from past Saints games and there is none of the originality in story missions that the franchise is known for. The game is fun, no doubt about it, but it could have been much better. It is hard to complain about a $20 purchase though and what Gat out of Hell does offer is well worth the price of entry. As it stands there is about 7-8 hours of gameplay to 100% complete the game so the value for money is certainly there.
One thing Gat out of Hell does nail is the humor. Past Saints games have often flirted with the line of good taste but in Gat out of Hell it nails the jokes without ever stepping into offensive territory. The laughs come thick and fast and while occasionally the punchline falls flat there are significantly more hits than misses. The game is also a treasure trove of in jokes for past Saints players with old enemies and friends all turning up in hell to provide guidance, assistance or just someone to kill again. This game is designed for the player looking to laugh and laugh they will.
In the end, Gat out of Hell is really just more Saints fueled fun. The crazy humor, over the top gameplay and entertaining world all return with dash of eternal damnation thrown in for good measure. The story missions may be weak but there is more fun to be had here than in many full priced games so it is hard to complain. This is a must buy for Saints fans and if you have never stepped into this world before the Saint’s Row 4/ Gat out of Hell pack for Xbox One and PS4 is the perfect place to start. The only thing left to wonder after tackling human armies, alien invasions and now the hordes of hell is who’s next on the 3rd Street Saints hit list?
Matt Hewson
