The upcoming Saints Row game aims to put a fresh spin on the series while still maintaining its trademark tone. Set to release later this summer, Saints Row will let players build a crime empire from the ground up while playing as their own highly customizable Boss Factory character. The new entry will feature a completely new storyline and characters, but keep the same ridiculous flavor that has made Saints Row so popular.
The Saints Row reboot takes place in the beautiful Southwestern-inspired Santo Ileso, which is full of side quests and secrets for players to explore alongside the main storyline, either solo or in co-op mode. In classic Saints Row style, the game features lots of interesting weapons, skills, and perks for players to take advantage of, and includes the classic takedown feature from previous titles. Things like car combat and wingsuits will also play a role in fighting mechanics as players work towards expanding their gang's territory against Santo Ileso rivals The Idols, Los Panteros, and Marshall Defense.
Saints Row UI Designer Cailyn Talamonti sat down with Screen Rant during a special event for the game to discuss the design of the city, its characters - particularly the hotness of Kevin - and balancing new Saints Row features without losing the fan-favorite elements of the series.
In terms of rebooting the Saints Row franchise, what were elements that you felt were really important to keep in this game? And what things did you really want to revamp or change entirely?
Cailyn Talamonti: I think the approach wasn't so much elements. There are some elements that were kept, like, I know that we used to have playlist apps and things like that. But I think, for the most part, it was more of a tone and personality that we wanted to carry through.
Saints Row has always been goofy and cool and action-packed, and we wanted to keep that going.
There are some scenes that are so cinematic and yet so ridiculously chaotic, like a flaming motorcycle going through a skylight. What was the creative inspiration behind that? Is it from watching a bunch of action movies, or is it all off the dome?
Cailyn Talamonti: That's a good question. I was actually just talking to one of the narrative people here, whose name is Jason Scott, and I asked him a similar question. "Who decides what? Why does this happen?" And he essentially told me, "We're trying to keep the goofiness, but also still provide at least some meaning into the story."
You saw the opening shot with Nina hitting a billboard with her car. That was supposed to make Nina look like a badass. She defies gravity. I think there's a balance between the wackiness and also the narrative worth of a scene. I know a lot of weirdos in cinematics, if that helps. [Laughs]
I'm curious about the setting. It's so different from the Midwest and East Coast style towns that have been in other Saints Row games. Was there a town in the Southwest that inspired it, or just that whole aesthetic?
Cailyn Talamonti: I don't know if there was one town, particularly. While I'm here in Las Vegas, it does seem like Las Vegas. All of the nooks and crannies? It feels very much like Las Vegas. But I do think it's a big snowball of a bunch of different Southwest towns and cities. I get a little bit of Roswell in there too, and weird alien oddity things.
I think we were drawn to that because of the vibrance in the desert and the really cool rock structures. It's beautiful scenery, and I think that was something new and not done before in our franchise yet. I think that was a major attractive point.
Speaking of things that you're especially proud of in your work, I noticed that there's a lot about the map that really rewards exploration and isn't necessarily related to the main story. Is there anything you're especially excited for fans to discover or collect in the game?
Cailyn Talamonti: I didn't make any of these., but when I came on to this project, I remember being overwhelmed by the amount of murals and advertisements and brands all in the world. We have an amazing art team; one of those people is James Taylor. He's an incredible artist, and he has made so many of those murals and ads. They're so silly!
There's so much to see in terms of world art and world building that makes Santo Ileso so freakin' vibrant and funky and a little bit scary. That's what I'm excited for people to [see]. I'm hoping that they once they do the gameplay, they can take a second and actually enjoy. The open world gameplay is riddled with really wonderful art by our art team.
I think the desert backdrop really helps lend itself to that mural aesthetic.
Cailyn Talamonti: Yeah, I think it's really vibrant and really natural. It feels good to be in that city.
Is there anything you want players to know about this game specifically?
Cailyn Talamonti: I guess I want them to know that Kev is a really hot guy. [Laughs] Waffle tattoo, Europe - yeah.
And I really hope that people can relate to the friends, even though Kev is like a god. I'm objectifying one of my characters. [Laughs]
Saints Row will release August 23 for Playstation consoles, Xbox consoles, PC, and Google Stadia.