Saints Row 2 Chaos, Customization and Gang Drama

Character creation here goes deep. Pick a male, female or somewhere-in-between protagonist, choose from six different voices, then dress them however you like, from sharp suits to whatever else the wardrobe allows. The customization does not stop at your character: vehicles get visual makeovers and performance tuning, your cribs can be rebuilt to taste, and even your gang's look is up to you. You can play a serious gangster or a green-haired menace with an elderly voice, and the game takes both equally in stride. That freedom is the point: this is a game about taking a city in your own style, and it lets you build that style first.

Five years after the first game, the Saints have fallen and three new gangs run Stilwater. Your job is to rebuild the crew and win the city back, district by district, across more than 40 story missions plus bonus ones, in a city over 50% larger than before. The three rival gangs each have their own style and cast, and the story balances grounded crime drama with over-the-top fun rather than leaning all the way into either. Between missions there are activities, diversions, races and plenty of unmarked interiors to poke around in, from warehouse break rooms to museum server rooms. The cutscenes are directed with real care, and the soundtrack holds up.