Despite its old reputation, A GTA Knocked Out Saints Row seems to have inspired several new features in the GTA series.
The original Saints Row game was fairly obscure as a GTA clone. Perhaps because of the embarrassing comparison of the two series, Saints Row went in a completely new direction after the second game. Now no reasonable person can say that Saints Row is an unoriginal version of GTA.
Ironically, the GTA series now uses many of the features, vehicles, and weapons that made its first direct competitor popular.
Note: This article reflects the personal views of the author.
5 times GTA took inspiration from Saints Row
#5 – Victim vs Spectre
Saints Row 3 introduced the Spectre, a plane that could be used on the ground and in the sky. Players can use the mounted laser gun to fire at enemies while driving this vehicle.
GTA Online also introduced a similar hybrid vehicle, known as the Oppressor MK II, in the After Hours update. Unlike its predecessor, this version of the vehicle is very reminiscent of the specters of Saints Row. He also wields powerful weapons, much to the chagrin of GTA Online players who cannot oppose him.
Fans from both sides started making fun of the suspicious similarities between the two vehicles. The main Twitter page of the Saints Row series also took notice. The tweet, presumably aimed at Rockstar Games, said the following:
“Now who copies who…”
#4 – Custom Character Creation
Obviously, the concept of character creation is not the origin of the saintly line. Many games already have this feature.
However, in the open-world crime series, Saints Rose was one of the first to create adaptive characters. They have successfully implemented this feature since the release of the first game in 2006.
The GTA series mostly relied on predefined characters with distinct personality traits. However, Rockstar has finally introduced adjustments to make it play a role in GTA Online. This feature was limited to hairstyles, tattoos and clothes. Today, players can choose between a male or female character, along with skin tone and body type.
Saints Row’s customization is even more detailed as it allows players to select materials for character bodies and gives them the ability to download other player characters online.
#3 – Weapons of the Future
Released in 2013, Saints Row 4 is heavily influenced by sci-fi elements. The main weapons of the game also reflect this fact. Players can use many futuristic tools and weapons such as disintegrators and black hole generators.
On the other hand, the GTA series was more famous for its realistic approach to weapons for a few.