Bilson: Saints Row is the "comic book" of open-world crime games

There's a place for serious stories and goofiness in the open-world genre, according to THQ Core Games boss Danny Bilson.

"I look at Saints Row as a send-up, a parody, a comment on all of the other big, open-world crime games that have come before," Bilson told WorthPlaying.

"Personally, I love those games and play them top to bottom, but some of those have become very believable in their own reality - almost like the Martin Scorsese version of a game. This one has gone much more, for me, to the underground comic book version."

Bilson said Saints Row is "built for fun and gaming and player enjoyment".

"It's almost like the other games have gone more straight cinematic, and I can't in any way criticize them. I play them all and really love them, and this one's gone really gaming, gamer, fun factor, wild, crazy and customizable."

The executive commented that there's room for both kinds of game - and long as they're ambitious.

"There's nothing wrong with the more cinematic development of these epic experiences because I do think, whether it's Saints Row and it's epic comedy or 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World' kind of epic or a competitor's phenomenal games, a great epic experience is really the only thing that's going to work financially in the marketplace. You have to give the user a lot of value for $60."

Saints Row: The Third releases in mid-November. The Initiation Station, which allows players to create their character ahead of release for export to the full game, arrives on console networks with this week's update.

Thanks, GoNintendo.