14 DAY TRIAL // Our Incoming 2015 series focuses on the most important game launches of the next 12 months, and next up we talk about one of the most anticipated titles in January – Saints Row: Gat out of Hell – coming from developer Volition and publisher Deep Silver.
What we know
Saints Row games have delivered some decent open-world experiences over the years, but what really made the games stand out were the outlandish theme, the stories that didn't take themselves too seriously, and the crazy characters or mechanics featured within them.
Saints Row 4 delivered a great saga and super powers, and now, with Saints Row: Gat out of Hell, Volition is taking things even further, going in a biblical direction, while focusing more on Johnny Gat, one of the most popular members of the Third Street Saints gang.
As the name of this standalone expansion implies, Gat out of Hell sees Johnny and fellow Saint Kinzie Kensington travel to Hell in order to save the Boss, the leader of the Saints, who got abducted by Satan so that he can be married off to his daughter, Jezebel.
The premise is already thoroughly wacky and you can expect the same great tongue-in-cheek tone to permeate throughout the whole experience.
What's more, the supernatural theme is also going to result in new powers, crazy weapons, and all sorts of outlandish hijinks.
Why it matters
Open-world games are a dime a dozen nowadays, and while many can't hold a candle to Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto, Saints Row proves that they don't have to try and rival that behemoth, provided that they succeed in other areas.
While, of course, the video games industry must strive to deliver great experiences that touch players, there's also a need for tongue-in-cheek titles that serve to remind us that video games can be funny and cathartic.
What's more, this is the first game from Volition coming to PS4 and Xbox One, so it's going to be interesting to see how the studio can transition to the new platforms.
Saints Row: Gat out of Hell launches on PC, PS4, and Xbox One on January 20, in North America, and January 23, in Europe. On the same dates, Saints Row 4: Re-Elected is also coming to the aforementioned platforms with the original game and all of its DLC.
