The series has historically been considered a clone of Grand Theft Auto that later positioned itself as more “gleefully silly” in comparison. The Third is the first in the series to intertwine the narratives of its three-gang structures, and also presents the player with story-altering decisions. To further complicate matters, the government’s Special Tactical Anti-Gang unit (STAG) is summoned to quell both organizations.
While the protagonist is the same, the game introduces a new setting, the city of Steelport, with its own three gangs: the Morningstar, Luchadores, and Deckers, together known as the Syndicate. Similar to the premise of the previous Saints Row games, the player’s goal is to lead the Third Street Saints gang to overtake its rival gangs in the city turf war. Saints Row: The Third is an action-adventure game played from the third-person perspective in an open world, such that players explore an unrestricted environment.
