Saints Row IV
By Marc Saltzman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Over-the-top alien bloodfest for mature audiences.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this game.
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Saints Row IV
Community Reviews
Based on 18 parent reviews
Alien shooter mixes with sex and drugs
Report this review
I have not got the game yet but I'm thinking about it
Report this review
What’s It About?
In SAINTS ROW IV, you play the leader of the Third Street Saints gang, who gets elected president of the United States. If that doesn't sound strange enough, Earth is under attack from an alien invasion, and the Saints are transported into a simulation that grants superpowers, giving these \"petty humans\" a chance to free themselves from the alien overlord Zinyak's mental grasp and to save the world from annihilation. By jumping over buildings, using mind control, and firing all kinds of realistic and alien weaponry, you're tasked to fight back with all your might. Played from a third-person perspective, this open-world urban adventure also includes car racing, high-tech hacking, and even romance.
Is It Any Good?
Despite some technical bugs -- which can be fixed with a downloadable update -- and some drab environments (not unlike in Saints Row: The Third), this adult game is a fun, silly, and action-heavy adventure in a sort of "guilty pleasure" kind of way. Between the zany story missions, humorous writing, and innovative combat abilities, Saints Row IV gets it mostly right -- if you take the game for what it is. Just when you think the action can't get more bizarre and intense, the talented developers at Volition throw in some extra twists, including robots, space stations, costumes, and unlockable superpowers. If you're of age, love shooters, and have a sense of humor, consider picking up this ridiculously fun but mature game.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
What is the impact of media violence when you're playing a cheeky, over-the-top game such as this one?
What makes alien-infested games so much fun to explore?
Game Details
- Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows
- Subjects: Social Studies: citizenship, government, power structures
- Skills: Collaboration: cooperation, Self-Direction: achieving goals, time management, work to achieve goals, Thinking & Reasoning: applying information, investigation, strategy, Communication: friendship building, Responsibility & Ethics: learning from consequences
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Deep Silver
- Release date: August 20, 2013
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Superheroes, Adventures, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires, Space and Aliens
- ESRB rating: M for Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Last updated: June 30, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Play
Our Editors Recommend
Shoot-'em-Up Alternatives
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate