CallingSaints RowaGrand Theft Autoclone would be an understatement… now. For a while, it only seemed likeSaints Rowwas created to rival Rockstar’s most successful franchise but the truth of the matter is thatSaints Rowhas since done a great job in becoming a respectful series. With its definitive tone and game mechanics,Saints Rowhas not only found its own image but has even surpassedGrand Theft Autoin certain aspects.
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While players love both of these games for what they are and what they’ve become, it’s interesting to see just similar and different they are at the same time. When it comes toSaints Row vs GTA 5, it’s easy to notice the differences between the two series, especially in contemporary times.
Updated June 03, 2025 by Erik Petrovich: The age-old debate ofGTA vs Saints Rowhas returned with the announcement of thenext entry in the seriesSaints Row Reboot. The game will be its own standalone experience in a new setting, and it’s made some fans of the criminal open-world genre question whether it’s worth sticking with GTA after so long with no new games. While both series have their ups and downs, ultimately the choice is up to the player. In general, GTA tends towards realism while Saints Row tends towards ridiculousness, making the two games much more distinct from one another than players might think.
13Better: Weapon Choices (And Combat In General)
The weapon choices throughout theSaints Rowseries are nothing short of fantastic - both in terms of power and being weapons that only exist in fantasy. In the first two games, weapons were relatively realistic, thoughSaints Row 2did introduce the Pimp Slap and Cane and the ability to use improvised weapons like the Garden Gnome. Later games in the series veered towards ridiculousness, withSaints Row 4weapons in a wacky ballpark all their own.
Weapons in theGrand Theft Autoseries are almost always based on real weapons, and there are very few ridiculous video-gamey weapons available.GTA 5could neverfeature a weapon likeSaints Row: The Thirdweapon the Shark-o-Matic, which summons a sewer shark to attack the target, but maybe it could get away with the Penetrator weapon that resembles, well, something that ought not to be fully described here.
12Worse: The Modding Community
WhileGrand Theft Auto 5famously made it much harder for creatives to create custom mods for the singleplayer version of the game,previous versions ofGrand Theft Auto, likeGTA 4,San Andreas, and evenGTA 3had robust modding scenes that still put out great content to this day. While moddingGTA 5is notoriously difficult nowadays, when it was first launched it had some of the most innovative single-player mods out there. Now, these are mostly relegated to private servers.
Saints Row, on the other hand, is already such a ridiculous series that modding it almost seems like a moot point. When players can already go to the moon, take on superhero-like powers, and use some of the strangest weapons in all of video gaming, what else can be improved through addons?
11Better: Side Missions/Diversions
TheSaints Rowseries brought us really interesting side quests or diversions.Saints Row 2let the player participate in drug trafficking, crowd control, and even a fight club where you may train in different fight styles. Later entries kicked it up a notch with the exciting blazing, Mind Over Murder and Mayhem to help divert us from the main story.
Grand Theft Autodid technically have side missions but they still felt like part of the bigger story.Grand Theft Auto 5tried to even match Saints Row with running into strangers for actual side missions. Unfortunately,Grand Theft Auto 5also had the excitement of yoga, dart and golfing.
10Worse: World Variety
Say what you will about the world ofVice City, you remember everything about its colorful environment and easy-to-navigate map and even Liberty City was improved inGrand Theft Auto 4. However, Rockstar’s golden achievement of world design goes toSan Andreas, just for the variety that presented to the gamer, going from rural, to deep country and then the city life. This was the first time aGrand Theft Autogame really felt grand and epic.
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WhileSaints Rowmap is not terrible, there isn’t much to set it apart from any other city-based video game. It’s still rather generic, grey and dull. Even inSaints Row 4, where the game takes place in space, they still managed to put us in a generic city. Just seemed like a missed opportunity there.
9Better: Customization
San Andreasreally improved on the character customization, not only in picking new clothing combinations but also morphing your character’s body type. You could be muscular, skinny or fat, really innovating the mechanic. However, for whatever reason, Rockstar just dropped this idea going intoGrand Theft Auto 4. Sure you could still change clothes, but sequels should build on these ideas and not take them away.
Saints Rowcustomization, for lack of a better word, is completely wacky. you’re able to choose your character’s gender, body type, clothes and even their voice. Everyone who’s playedSaints Row 3has experimented with the goofy zombie voice. EvenSaints Row 4had amazing car customization, which is really sad since no one used it due to your character’s ability to mega jump and glide.
8Worse: Online Play
WhileGrand Theft Auto Onlinehad its problems at the beginning, it has evolved into a respectable online multiplayer game. You can do everything you’ve wanted to do in aGrand Theft Autogame including plan heists, buy an underground facility, and even complete story missions; all with a couple buddies. It’s basically like playing a multiplayerGrand Theft Autogame, except all the other players are jerky trolls. But it’s still a very fun experience.
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WhileSaints Row’smultiplayer was fun, it wasn’t anything that gamers really praise about the game. Completely the main storyline with a friend was fun in its own right but it doesn’t compare to whatGrand Theft Auto Onlinehas accomplished.
7Better: Sense Of Humor
WheneverGrand Theft Autotries to make a subtle joke, it comes off as childish. This may have been funny when we played the game when we were children, but now that we’re all adults, it’s easy to see these jokes come off as immature. From the character named Jizzy to doodles of male genitalia climaxing or a literal pornstar named Candy Suxxx, it’s hard not to facepalm at these weird jokes.Saints Row, on the other hand, goes all out on the wackiness.
No matter how crazyGrand Theft Autogets, when it comes toGTA vs Saints Row, nothing will top the absolute insanity of the latter franchise. WhileGrand Theft Autostill attempts to tell stories with some deep characterization and themes,Saints Rowjust has the leader of a street gang fight luchador crime bosses, become the president and single-handedlyfight against an alien warlord. This kind of humor is what has helpedSaints Rowfind its voice and tone, and everyone has appreciated them for it.
6Worse: Deep Lore
Something that Rockstar has become famous for over the past couple of decades is its ability to give its Easter eggs their own intriguing backstory. Remember the mass grave inSan Andreas? There are actually two possibilities that could explain where it came from. What about the ghost of Mount Gordo inGrand Theft Auto 5?
You literally have to solve the mystery here from a single clue written out on the cliffside. Keep looking hard enough in each game in the series and you’ll find that there are some interesting things going on around you.
5Better: Rewarding The Player
Ok, you’ve endured the unbelievably boring and tedious mini-game that is yoga, what do you get in return? Absolutely nothing, except maybe Michael will be a bit more limber for his age. This is a problem through a lot of the side quests inGrand Theft Auto 5, with all these new side missions, there are few rewards for the player except the usual cash prize. It doesn’t really feel like you’ve accomplished something great.
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After you complete a round of Mayhem or Mind Over Murder inSaints Row, you’re rewarded with cash, experience and sometimes, even new weapons and accessories based on how well you do. When you get the big reward, you know you caused the most property damage and it feels good.
4Worse: Intriguing Storytelling
While you’re able to make the argument thatSaints Rowhas a more consistent story, following one character’s journey and his rag-tag team of side characters. However, which is something we can probably all agree on,Grand Theft Autojust has more mature themes, characters and situations. WhileVice Citycould be considered a somewhat silly game, it still tells the story of man who lost his life in jail and wants to regain his power.
In San Andreas, it follows a man trying to restore his home and family to what it once was.Saints Row, while endlessly funny and entertaining, usually only has one note when it comes to storytelling, starting from the bottom and gaining powerfor you and the gang. Well, if it worked the first time, no sense in changing it… right?
