Years after taking Stilwater for their own, the Third Street Saints have evolved from street gang to household brand name, with Saints sneakers, Saints energy drinks and Johnny Gat bobble head dolls all available at a store near you. The Saints are kings of Stilwater, but their celebrity status has not gone unnoticed. The Syndicate, a legendary criminal fraternity with pawns in play all over the globe, has turned its eye on the Saints and demands tribute. Refusing to kneel to the Syndicate, you take the fight to a new city, playing out the most outlandish game play scenarios ever seen. Strap it on...

For those that love the Saints Row games, then the third in the series will be a welcome addition to your collection. The game moves its environment from Stilwater (which was where the previous games were set) to Steelport. You play as the leader of Third Street Saints and have to run/drive around the city completing various missions and quests. If you've never played a Saints Row game, think an updated, funkier, funnier, sexier version of Grand Theft Auto.

A lot of detail has gone into the customisation aspect of the game play. This means that you can change your character's appearance to look like you. You can also alter the appearance of any vehicle you steal (just take it to a garage and choose what you want to alter), buy outfits or single items in clothing stores, and purchase guns and ammo from the various gun shops dotted around the map. You can customise your voice (from a limited selection of accents) as well as chose your taunt and compliment gestures (you can taunt or compliment any citizen in the city). And if you get bored of your appearance you can visit a cosmetic surgeon to alter your looks, voice and taunts etc.

The variety of the citizens of Steelport is impressive, as is the number of different vehicles. Of course, as you progress through the game, more things are unlocked like more powerful weapons and the ability to control air and water based vehicles. And if you get a little bored you can always strip off and streak around the city scaring the locals. Or why not dress as the opposite sex? Or run around in a thong and bondage gear? The list of mindless fun that can be had is almost endless.

There are some fantastic high performance cars to be found, as well as novelty cars like the Gat Mobile (which is a vehicle that has a large Johnny Gat head with a flamethrower disgusted as a giant cigarette coming out of Gat's over-sized head). Oh, and while we're on the subject of vehicles, why not engage in a bit of vehicle surfing - simply climb on a car and, when the driver sets, off try and keep you balance - you can even engage in handstands.

Be careful that you don't attract the attention of the law because if you do then you'll have to shake them off your tail. And if things get too hot the army is called in. However, this is also a handy way of disposing of rival gangs. Simply steal a tank and then drive over to a gangs crib and destroy them with ease. Once you're in a tank you're pretty invincible and can engage in hours of fun driving over other vehicles as you crush them beneath your tracks.

The game has a slight sci-fi angle in the introduction of a character has has been used to create genetically engineered thugs.

As well as the main Campaign mode you can also play Co-Op Campaign as well as Whored Mode - in which you have to kill a set number of prostitutes before you move onto the next wave. This is a lot of fun, but isn't really a mode you'll want to come back to too often. The giant dildo swords are freakishly detailed - I would love to meet the poor soul who was paid to create this particular weapon.

Saints Row: The Third will keep you coming back time and time again for more mayhem and fun and when you start to feel a little bored of completing the missions you can merrily drive around mowing the locals down or starting fights.

9

Darren Rea