Saints Row V: 5 Things We Hope To See

Great news, Volition fans. Saints Row V has been confirmed to be in development and is expected to be revealed in the coming weeks. Now, whether or not E3 2021 will be the platform for Deep Silver to spill the beans on the fifth chapter is another question. Of course, while it does seem like a convincing stage to share the details on the long-awaited chapter, nothing seems to be set in stone as of yet. Even still, it hasn't stopped fans of the franchise from plastering leaks and rumors all over the net.

It's been just shy of six years since Volition put out an entry to the timeline, and to say people are rustling up an appetite for more madness would only be an understatement. Without a doubt, fans are eager to fill the shoes of The Boss for another wave of thrills and wacky antics on next-gen hardware. Plus, after the rather underwhelming Agents of Mayhem spin-off, followers are looking to the Saints now more than ever to pull off something truly spectacular. But what can we expect exactly? Well, here are the five things we'd happily employ for Saints Row V. Fingers crossed a few of them actually make it into the final cut. Wink, wink, Volition.

5. Johnny Gat

Where would the Saints be without the beloved Johnny Gat?

When we picture Saints Row in a nutshell — we immediately envision Johnny Gat sprawled out on the frontlines. Of course, we all thought we saw the demise of the cocky gunslinger after the events of Saints Row: The Third. But due to popularity alone, it wasn't long before the man himself made a striking return to our screens — and with a spin-off game to boot at that.

With Saints Row V opening up a whole new chapter for the crime-riddled faction — we're beginning to wonder whether or not Gat will reprise his role next to The Boss for another slice of action-packed insanity. Even after submerging into the seventh circle of Hell and coming back swinging, it's unlikely that the frantic antihero will resort to retiring anytime soon. And so, going by that, it's looking likely that the murdering sociopath will be making a comeback. Fingers crossed, anyway.

4. The Ultimate Crib

Would a Saints HQ on Pluto really be that unbelievable?

The Saints have come quite a long way since kicking it at the abandoned church — to White House level, strangely enough. But while the future may struggle to home the Saints in anywhere slightly more extravagant than the Presidential suite, it would be interesting to see where Volition plant roots in the next instalment. After all, being such a prominent portion of the series, it would only make sense for the fifth homestead to go bigger and bolder than ever.

Of course, after the esteemed crew knuckled in on some of the most prominent locations in the last two cities, sprouting a new homestead fit for the team wouldn't be an easy challenge to comfort. But then again, with how far the Saints have derailed since the gangbanging days — a settlement on Pluto wouldn't be entirely off the table, either. It's heading that way, that's all I'm saying.

3. Protagonists Without Powers

Maybe take it down a notch, Volition? Just a smidgen?

While Saints Row IV turned out to be an enjoyable chapter overall, it did deviate from a whole lot of things that people learned to love in the first three games. Superpowers, being the main hook of the fourth, really weren't all that great. Sure, Volition proved to its fan base that Saints Row could be anything it wanted to be without drawing influences from any other franchise — but it did tweak a lot more than it probably should've done. But as for Saints Row: The Third, well — that's another story.

Before Volition made the ultimate decision to bundle in superpowers, Saints Row was a relatively ordinary platform. Of course, it was still completely bonkers and beyond our wildest creation — but it was still somewhat grounded, without the unnecessary counterparts. Sure, superpowers work wonders for a spin-off game, but it isn't something we want to see being carried over to future games. And as far as Saints Row V goes, well, here's hoping that notion doesn't come to fulfilment.

2. A Boatload of Genki

Professor Genki made his debut in Saints Row: The Third with his blood-soaked gameshow, Super Ethical Reality Climax.

Once Volition made the decision to break away from the semi-serious tone and hone in on a different genre entirely, new characters and plotlines started to unravel to help set the stage for future games. One of those characters, of course, was Professor Genki — the oversized pink and green cat with a sadistic nature by heart. Although only shedding a minor influence in Steelport, the sinister antagonist went on to create some of the best mini-games in the series as a whole. And one thing Saints Row isn't exactly short of…is mini-games.

From the run-and-gun Super Ethical Reality Climax gameshow to the Genkibowl VII, the fractured felion has built some of the most memorable segments in Saints Row history. The only problem, of course, is that there just isn't enough to sink into. That's why we're putting our hopes on a revival for the next wave —  with bigger guns, bigger personalities, and much, much bigger gameshows to dominate.

1. Multiple Cities

Please, no more Stilwater or Steelport.

Let's face it, Volition has explored every nook and cranny of both Stilwater and Steelport ten times over now. The two cities have served their time with the Saints, and people are hungering for a new world to conquer. Only, rather than settle for a metropolis —  why not go one step further and create an entire region? Countrysides, mountaintops, suburban districts — to name but a few.

Saints Row has become so predictable with its setting that fans are starting to wonder whether Volition has it in them to branch out and design something outside of generic cityscapes. We're just hoping Saints V tackles that and responds accordingly. Even if the developer was to merge Stilwater and Steelport with a third or fourth city connecting the two and a vast wasteland between them — anything would be better than a drab and lacklustre location with half the content. But that's just our opinion.

What do you want to see in Saints Row V? Let us know over on our socials here.

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