Saints Row IV: Re-Elected

Game images by RAWG

Saints Row IV: Re-Elected

Deep Silver

PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo SwitchPremium

Health Score

MIXED

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About This Game

Super Review

Saints Row IV: Re-Elected delivers an over-the-top open-world shooter experience, casting players as a super-powered President battling aliens. While its robust character customization and full co-op campaign can be appealing, parents must contend with its Mature rating due to intense violence, strong language, and sexual themes. It’s a chaotic sandbox designed for laughs, not lessons, best suited for very mature players.

Super Review

Parent verdict

With a "Mixed" health score of 35, Saints Row IV: Re-Elected is a qualified fit that parents should approach with considerable caution. Its extensive mature content means it is not suitable for players under 18, despite its engaging co-op and strong customization. The game focuses purely on entertainment through outlandish action, demanding careful consideration regarding its themes and potential social exposure for older teens.

What players actually do

Players freely explore a simulated city, using superpowers like super speed and extreme jumps to navigate and interact with the environment, which develops spatial awareness and strategic movement.
Players engage in combat using a diverse arsenal of sci-fi weapons and unique alien vehicles against enemy forces, requiring quick reflexes and tactical decision-making.
Players extensively customize their in-game character and weapons, allowing for strong self-expression and personalizing their gameplay experience.

Where it shines

The game offers robust character and weapon customization systems, providing players with significant freedom to express their individuality through unique avatars and personalized gear.
Saints Row IV: Re-Elected supports full two-player cooperative play throughout the entire campaign, fostering teamwork and shared experiences in its open world.
As a complete bundle, the Re-Elected edition includes all previously released downloadable content, meaning there are no further microtransactions or pressure to spend beyond the initial purchase.

Parent watch-outs

The game carries a Mature rating (M by ESRB, PEGI 18) due to intense violence with blood and gore, strong language, partial nudity, sexual content, and drug use, making it unsuitable for younger players.
Its online cooperative mode, while optional, may expose players to interactions with others, raising potential social risks if communication is not monitored.
Saints Row IV: Re-Elected prioritizes chaotic action and crude humor, offering minimal explicit educational value and potentially trivializing serious themes.

Family rules worth setting

If playing co-op, ensure online interactions are limited to known friends and that voice chat is turned off or closely supervised due to unmoderated content.
Given the Mature content, establish a clear rule that only players 18 and over are permitted to play this game.
Discuss the game's exaggerated violence and mature themes to ensure players understand the distinction between fantasy gameplay and real-world implications.

Talk about this

Discuss the difference between humor in entertainment, which can be over-the-top, and respectful communication in real life.
Talk about the importance of discerning media ratings and why certain content is deemed appropriate only for mature audiences.
Explore how games use customization to foster creativity, and compare it to other forms of personal expression.

Play style

Saints Row IV: Re-Elected provides an open-world experience with a strong narrative focus that players can approach at their own pace. Missions involve a mix of combat, exploration, and superpower usage, typically lasting 15-30 minutes, allowing for flexible session rhythms. The difficulty is manageable, but constant chaotic action means players will frequently engage in over-the-top encounters. The entire campaign supports optional two-player co-op, offering a shared experience that can ease difficulty.

Score Breakdown

Positive Aspects

Educational Value

1/5

Creativity

4/5

Pro-Social

3/5

Risk Factors

Addictive Monetization

0/5

Time Pressure / FOMO

1/5

Social Risk

2/5

Content Intensity

3/5

Why this rating

Educational Value

1/5

Saints Row IV: Re-Elected earns a very low score of 1 for Educational Value because its primary focus is entertainment through chaotic action and humor. The game offers minimal to no explicit educational content or objectives, prioritizing a fantastical narrative over learning.

Addictive Monetization

0/5

This game receives an excellent score of 0 for Addictive Monetization, as it is a premium bundle that includes all DLC at purchase. There are no microtransactions, daily login rewards, or limited-time offers designed to create a sense of urgency or pressure to spend further.

Content Intensity

3/5

Content Intensity scores a 3, reflecting significant concerns due to the game's Mature rating (M by ESRB, PEGI 18). It features intense violence with blood and gore, strong language, partial nudity, sexual content, and drug use, making it inappropriate for younger audiences.

Creativity

4/5

Creativity is rated a strong 4 because the game provides extensive character and weapon customization systems. Players can personalize their in-game avatar and modify their arsenal, allowing for considerable self-expression and unique creations.

Negatives

•The game offers minimal explicit educational value, focusing primarily on entertainment through chaotic action and humor.
•Saints Row IV: Re-Elected features moderate social elements through its online co-op, which may expose players to interactions with others.
•The content includes intense violence with blood and gore, strong language, partial nudity, sexual content, and drug use, as indicated by its Mature rating.

Positives

•Players can extensively customize their character and weapons, allowing for strong self-expression.
•The game supports two-player cooperative play throughout the entire campaign, fostering teamwork and shared experiences.
•As a complete bundle, the game contains no further microtransactions or pressure to spend beyond the initial purchase.
•There are no daily login rewards, limited-time offers, or other mechanics designed to create a sense of urgency or 'fear of missing out'.