One thing that has always set the Saints Row franchise apart from other open-world titles is the plethora of customization options that it gives players. The Saints Row reboot is no different. Players can alter pretty much every aspect of their character so that they can make the perfect boss. Everything from the weight and hairstyle to the exact size of various body parts and the personality of the character. It is one of the most powerful character creators in gaming, and other video games should take note.
Character creation is nothing new to video games, but Saints Row has always seemed to take it to the next level. Players love to create custom characters in video games, from wild aliens to exact recreations of themselves, and that ability has always made the Saints Row franchise special. Having control over the look of the player character is often a very powerful tool and one of the reasons that MMOs like World of Warcraft are so popular. Many players want to be given the freedom to make the character of their dreams, and more video games should offer this choice.
The Saints Row Character Creator is Very Powerful
The Saints Row series has always been known for its powerful character creator which has only gotten stronger with each entry. The first Saints Row gave players the power to make their own character which led to some pretty funny creations. It was far tamer and more realistic than later Saints Row entries, but it was still very special. While other open-world titles like Grand Theft Auto were forcing players into the shoes of certain protagonists, Saints Row was letting them enter the shoes of anyone that they could imagine.
Saints Row 2 gave players far more control over certain aspects of their character, but Saints Row: The Third took it to the next level. Almost everything was customizable and players could make the wildest of creations. They could run around as chrome behemoths with unique personalities, which really set the third game apart. Saints Row 4 pretty much kept the same character creator, but the newest Saints Row game has perhaps one of the most in-depth character creators yet.
Players are able to customize virtually every aspect of their character in the newest Saints Row game, and they can change the look whenever they want through the brand-new Style App. Pretty much everything is connected to a slider which gives players control over everything from the forehead and brow shape to the veins that jut out of characters' muscles. They can even control the level of modesty that their character has and the type of teeth in their mouth. They can create a character wholly unique to them, a feature that other open-world games could benefit from.
Other Games Should Adopt Similar Character Creators
There is something very special about being able to create the player character, and that has helped make Saints Row a pretty popular franchise. Players want to see themselves in the protagonists and want the ability to go crazy with the editing tools, which many games don't offer. There are other titles like Cyberpunk 2077 that give players control, but a lot of games lock the player into premade avatars designed by the studio. While this can lead to great characters like Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2, it can also lose something for the player.
Giving players control over a premade character makes the studio's job a bit easier because it can better write a story around that character, and it does not have to spend resources making an in-depth creator. Players have also grown to love all sorts of different video game protagonists over the years, and there is definitely a place for these types of characters. However, sometimes players also just want to run wild as a character that they created, and more games should offer that.
The Saints Row character creator is one of the best custom features in gaming. It allows players to create the characters they want and to be what they want to be in these open-world playgrounds, which can feel very special. The gaming industry needs more games that give players this power, and Saints Row sets the standard.
Saints Row is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
