Metareview: Saints Row 2 (Xbox 360, PS3)

Fo' rizzle, there be nothin' really wrong with Saints Row 2. Actually, it's quite amusing to read through the reviews of THQ's great holiday hope. The critics pretty much say that SR2 is great fun, but doesn't push the sandbox genre forward. With GTA's realistic turn in its fourth installment, SR2 is apparently a nice over-the-top alternative for fans of the genre. Not that it ever claimed to be anything else.

EuroGamer (90/100): "Saints Row 2 is one of the most ridiculous and enjoyable games of the year. Some will dismiss it as GTA's "gangsta" offshoot, but they're missing the point; with its immense scope, fun physics and focus on entertainment over realism or grit, Saints Row is what GTA would have become if Rockstar North had followed Vice City to its pimpin' conclusion."
IGN (82/100): "Saints Row 2 isn't a GTA killer, but it's a GTA alternative. Players who enjoyed the action-packed moments of GTA will have an absolute blast with Saints Row 2. It's tough not to hate on the slightly lacking production values, but when you see the rest of the game it actually makes a bit more sense. The technical shortcomings are the only truly bad part of Saints Row 2, but the core gameplay experience is extremely enjoyable."
Gamespot (80/100): "Saints Row 2 may not offer a sizable leap in the sandbox genre, but that doesn't diminish its fun. From beginning to end, this is one of the most fun urban chaos games out there. The controls are so tight and the combat so satisfying, you'll frequently find yourself getting distracted from the campaign as you cause terror all over the city. With great cooperative integration, tons of unique activities, and a super cool zombie mode, Saints Row 2 will keep you happily creating havoc for a long time."
Gaming Nexus (78/100):"After all's said and done, there's no singular powerful experience for you to store away in your Gaming's Greatest Moments memory bank. And so, in that respect, Saints Row 2 aims to be nothing more or less than a popcorn flick, and succeeds winningly as nothing more or less than a popcorn flick."