Saints Row 2

As far as murder simulators go, GTA is king. However, it's not the only game town. Volition and THQ are looking to further cash in on GTA's success with the latest addition to the Saints Row franchise, Saints Row 2. We went ahead and took the Pepsi Challenge, but we weren't fooled by the competition's "flava." GTA is by far the more refined and worthwhile series, but Saints Row could work in a pinch.

"Saints Row 2 is an impressive action adventure overall. It does a good job of delivering the role of being a gangster without the consequence of serving real jail time."

"Overall, Saints Row 2 offers players a disk full of mayhem to soak in and explore. While the title can be a blast for a single participant, the cooperative game stands alone as one of the best examples of a two player experience currently available in any game. Just be aware the overall experience comes with its fair share of glitches, a price to pay for all the variety the game offers. "

"Saints Row 2 is a wholly different beast from GTA. If one were to compare it to any game in that other series, it most closely mirrors San Andreas. But where Carl Johnson’s saga offered a shift towards more mundane, real-world connections, Saints Row 2 heads in the opposite direction by delivering such blatantly over-the-top satire that it borders on parody. That was pretty much the point of the first game and things are elevated to the Nth degree in this sequel, with more missions and activities, more city to explore and more gangs. Oh, and your created character can talk. How far we’ve come… "