9. ...But It's Also Kinda Smart
The central premise will no doubt remind many of us of The Matrix, and just by observing the protagonist's clothes above all else, that clearly is the case. However, Volition haven't dared to put all their eggs in one basket, for Saints Row IV is really a pastiche of countless movies, video games and TV shows, making this a great game for pop-culture aficionados, especially those who enjoy intentionally ridiculous action movies, and the cheese-fests of the 1980s in particular. The references, whether not-so-subtle nods to Michael Bay movies or more subdued winks to Metal Gear Solid and Call of Duty, are always well-cossetted into the mayhem, and never stick out like a sore thumb, or worse still, just lazily rehash the very property they're referencing. If GTA by its more realistic nature has to keep these references to a minimum, Saints Row has carte blanche to just go flat-out insane.