Saints Row IV: How the Saints Save Christmas (DLC) Review

Ho, Ho, Ho-ly $#%&!

The Saints are back, and this time they are tasked with saving Christmas. With the latest expansion pack for Saints Row IV, players are once again tossed into a virtual world full of reindeer, elves and of course marital aids. While I enjoyed the concept behind the last expansion, Enter the Dominatrix, it was brief and left me hoping this final piece of single player DLC would truly knock my socks off. I mean who doesn’t want to see essentially a Christmas special starring the Third Street Saints? Sadly this pack is even lighter on the laughs and even sparser on the content.

Once again, this DLC pack shows up as a side quest during the core game. Instead of five missions like Dominatrix though, this one only plays host to three. The premise is simple. Santa Claus has been trapped in the simulation, and his evil doppelganger Santa Clawz (or something to that effect) has taken over. The idea is that the leader of the Saints – who doesn’t believe in Christmas – must rescue the real Santa, and restore joy to the world.

It is a typical, feel good Christmas tale, with of course plenty of Saints Row humor thrown in. I enjoyed the nods to classic holiday films such as Die Hard and A Christmas Story (you even shoot your eye out at one point), but a lot of the storytelling falls a little flat. It feels almost like Volition are trying too hard with this latest DLC. It also doesn’t help that it ran me less than an hour to complete, which at $6.99 feels a bit shallow.

Of course, there are bonuses earned with the new DLC such as weapons and costumes. The Red Rider BB Gun sticks out as the most novel (useless) item, while the reindeer sleigh is by far the most entertaining new vehicle. There is also a new activity called Naughty and Nice, where I had to fly the sleigh around and deliver presents to good little boys and girls, while destroying the naughty homes. It is neat once, amusing a second time, and after that it just starts to lose appeal. Most of this DLC pack seems focused on delivering new homies and items that I am likely never going to use.

Sadly, that is about all there is to this DLC. If you already have the Season Pass, it is a nice addition and reason to jump back into Saints Row IV. For those that have grown tired of Steelport though, this will do little to make your journey back in worthwhile. It is simply too short and uninspiring to reignite interest in the game. It seems DLC continues to be a struggle for the series, but that does not hinder my excitement for the inevitable Saints Row V, or whatever they decide to call it.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.

Good
  • Movie references are fun
  • New vehicles
Bad
  • Super short
  • Lacks in the humor department
  • Most of the new stuff is disappointing
5
Mediocre
Written by
Ken is the Editor-in-Chief of this hole in the wall and he loves to troll for the fun of it. He also enjoys long walks through Arkham Asylum and the cool air of Shadow Moses Island. His turn-ons include Mortal Kombat, Metal Gear Solid and StarCraft.