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Only a few short weeks remain until Santa Claus makes his global trip, spreading presents and holiday cheer to all the good girls and boys of the world - a group that apparently doesn't include the leader of the Third Street Saints. Given the plot and action of Saints Row 4, we can't say we're shocked.
But the Saints won't let their fearless leader sit by as Santa falls under attack, meaning it's up to the gang to save Christmas. That's the premise of the newest SR4 DLC, out now. If fans were worried that the developers at Volition weren't going to twist the holiday as much as any other pop culture tropes in the game, the launch trailer should set their minds at ease.
Normally, the presence of an evil rampaging Santa Claus monster, a machine-gun-wielding snowman, and murderous nutcrackers would seem odd in a Christmas-themed DLC. But at this point, it's hard to be surprised by any decision made by either Volition or publisher Deep Silver.
That being said, Saints Row 4 proved that there's certainly a place for lunacy in today's gaming space - a notion emphasized once again with the 'Enter the Dominatrix' DLC - so there's no real reason to keep any holiday sacred. But as the name of the DLC hints, 'How the Saints Save Christmas' will show a softer, more charitable side of the Saints. At least until the bullets start flying:
Experience a Christmas story, told the Saints style! Santa is trapped inside the simulation, but the Scrooge-like boss of the Third Street Saints can't muster enough festive spirit to save him. Can the Saints help the boss discover the true meaning of the season in time?
Jump on Santa's Sleigh, wield the North Pole and bring back holiday cheer to everyone! A holiday classic for the whole family!
The DLC is available for download now, for the asking price of USD $6.99, or coming free of charge for those owners of a Saints Row 4 Season Pass. There are plenty of movies and books making the most of the Christmas season, but nowhere near as many video games; perhaps Volition could be starting a trend in triple-A titles? Only time will tell.
For now, the only question is whether Saints Row 4 owners will jump back into the simulation to lend a helping hand to jolly old St. Nick, and perhaps crack a few nutcracker's.... heads in the process. If you plan on doing just that, be sure to leave us your thoughts on the DLC in the comments below.
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Saints Row 4's 'How The Saints Save Christmas' DLC is available now for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 for USD $6.99. Season pass holders receive the DLC free of charge.
Follow Andrew on Twitter @andrew_dyce.
