[Hilo Oficial] Saint's Row: The Third -Enter the Dominatrix!-

The Saints Row series is known for a lot of things, but memorable characters aren’t high on that list. Aside from Johnny Gat or Shaundi, Stilwater was largely populated by ciphers and forgettable wannabes. Of course, while you’re spraying raw sewage on passers by in a septic truck or setting them alight in a go kart, you’re probably not too concerned about making new friends.

With Saints Row: The Third, Volition is going out of its way to deliver loads of action as well as a lineup of interesting friends, rivals, and other people. This week, Game Informer is highlighting just some of the folks you’ll be interacting with in Steelport.

“Phillipe Loren is the leader of the Syndicate, in particular the gang called the Morning Star,” says Steve Jaros, lead writer of Saints Row: The Third. “He’s kind of like a Bond villain. He’s statuesque and poised and elegant, and he’s a total gentleman. He’s not a fop—he’s not effeminate—and he’s not going to play to that European stereotype. He’s coldly logical and dangerous and very savvy.”

Phillipe is the main antagonist in the game, essentially kicking off the game’s story by kidnapping the player character, Johnny Gat, and Shaundi after a botched bank robbery. The game’s first mission takes place in Phillipe’s jet, as the player blasts his way out of the aircraft and down into Steelport.

It turns out that the player has made a powerful enemy in Phillipe, who’s far more powerful than the street level thugs that littered Stilwater. “He’s made a killing being an international arms dealer. He’s pretty much the leader of the criminal fraternity in Steelport. He calls all the shots, he directs everybody, he’s the guy that you just don’t want to f--- with.”

The Saints Row series is known for a lot of things, but memorable characters aren’t high on that list. Aside from Johnny Gat or Shaundi, Stilwater was largely populated by ciphers and forgettable wannabes. Of course, while you’re spraying raw sewage on passers by in a septic truck or setting them alight in a go kart, you’re probably not too concerned about making new friends.

With Saints Row: The Third, Volition is going out of its way to deliver loads of action as well as a lineup of interesting friends, rivals, and other people. This week, Game Informer is highlighting just some of the folks you’ll be interacting with in Steelport.

The wrestling-masked Luchadores are one of the more flamboyant criminal organizations in Steelport, so it’s only appropriate that the gang is led by someone equally peculiar. Killbane is a former professional wrestler who also founded the Luchadors with his tag-team partner, Angel. Killbane became jealous of his partner’s success, which led him to publicly unmask and shame his former friend. Eventually, Killbane was banished to Mexico after he killed an opponent in the ring. That exile didn’t last, and the grappler is back and running his group.

“He’s obsessed with his legacy and is a total fame ***,” says Steve Jaros, lead writer on Saints Row: The Third. “In some ways, he’s like a dark mirror to the player.”

Killbane’s given name is Eddie Pryor, but he doesn’t respond to that moniker. His mask is a constant presence, whether he’s on the streets, being interviewed on television, or attending a Syndicate board meeting. “He’s always embracing that luchadore spirit and never wants to let it go,” says Jaros, adding that while Killbane might look a little clownish he’s not someone to be taken lightly. “He’s very volatile. He can be charming and debonair one moment and then just snap off and break your neck.”

And what of Angel? He’s still dealing with the disgrace of being unmasked, but he’ll prove to be a helpful ally to the player as he navigates the unfamiliar streets of Steelport.

The Saints Row series is known for a lot of things, but memorable characters aren’t high on that list. Aside from Johnny Gat or Shaundi, Stilwater was largely populated by ciphers and forgettable wannabes. Of course, while you’re spraying raw sewage on passers by in a septic truck or setting them alight in a go kart, you’re probably not too concerned about making new friends.

With Saints Row: The Third, Volition is going out of its way to deliver loads of action as well as a lineup of interesting friends, rivals, and other people. This week, Game Informer is highlighting just some of the folks you’ll be interacting with in Steelport.

Even though Steelport is a city where groups of wrestling-masked gangsters stalk corners without anyone giving it a second thought, don’t assume all of the city’s crime involves ostentatious displays of costuming, rocket launchers, or remote-controlled drones. Sometimes, even the world of Saints Row calls for subtlety.

Matt Miller is the Syndicate’s go-to guy for those instances. As leader of the Deckers, Miller (no relation) is in charge of the city’s cybercrime. As with a lot of folks bolstered by the anonymity of the Internet, Miller is all swagger when he’s at his keyboard. Take him out of his element, and it’s another story. “The thing that’s interesting about him is that when he’s by himself he thinks that he’s god,” says Steve Jaros, the game’s lead writer. “He’s super cocky and kind of obnoxious and is very self-assured in what he does. However, when he’s around Killbane or Phillipe, he’s like a 15-year-old kid sitting at the big kid table.”

Even if he does clam up during those meetings, Phillipe and the rest of the Syndicate appreciate his contributions. It’s always good to have someone smart in your corner, particularly when it’s so potentially lucrative.

The Saints Row series is known for a lot of things, but memorable characters aren’t high on that list. Aside from Johnny Gat or Shaundi, Stilwater was largely populated by ciphers and forgettable wannabes. Of course, while you’re spraying raw sewage on passers by in a septic truck or setting them alight in a go kart, you’re probably not too concerned about making new friends.

With Saints Row: The Third, Volition is going out of its way to deliver loads of action as well as a lineup of interesting friends, rivals, and other people. This week, Game Informer is highlighting just some of the folks you’ll be interacting with in Steelport.

As Steelport’s oldest pimp, Zimos is a fixture in the criminal ecosystem. At first, the Syndicate tolerates the eccentric character, and he even forges a friendship with Phillipe Loren’s protégés, Viola and Kiki DeWynter. The relationship goes south for as-yet-unknown reasons, and Zimos finds himself locked away in the basement of one of the Syndicate’s human trafficking hubs.

After being rescued by the player, the temporarily gimp-suited Zimos becomes an important ally. His ties to the criminal underworld are critical in the player’s early days in Steelport, and he’s a great guide to the city. “In general, he’s kind of like the lovable granddad of the Saints,” says lead writer Steve Jaros. “He’s too old to care, he has a lot of swagger. Pretty much he’s seen it all, he’s done it all, and he’s too cool to be scared or offended.”

In addition to the role of de facto tour guide, Zimos provides plenty of comic relief. He has had a tracheotomy, though that hasn’t stopped him from smoking through the subsequent hole in his throat. He speaks using an electronic voice box, which has been autotuned. In other words, everything he says sounds like it was plucked from a T-Pain song. Stay classy, Saints Row.

All week long, we’ve been taking a look at some of the individuals who have shaped the criminal world of Saints Row: The Third. Today, we’re examining an organization that directly affects each and every one of those characters: the Morning Star gang.

Gangs have been a focus of the Saints Row franchise since the series was conceived. As the 3rd Street Saints rose to power in Stilwater, they’ve had to work around and eventually supplant organizations like Los Carnales, the Vice Kings, and the Sons of Samedi. We’ve spent time delving into the individuals that players will be interacting with in Saints Row: The Third, but don’t think that the game is turning into a character study. While Volition is putting more of an emphasis on populating the town of Steelport with more memorable people, its gangs are just as powerful as any that the Saints have encountered on their rise to power.

Morning Star is the oldest surviving gang in Steelport, and as such it commands considerable respect among criminals. It’s led by Belgian arms smuggler Phillipe Loren, and the organization maintains legal and illegal operations worldwide. For instance, Morning Star operates a high-end gun boutique in town, which sells weapons to people who have the cash. Simultaneously, the gang outfits illegal organizations, governments, and militaries with weapons as well.

“Where the others are more local and isolated, Morning Star is the more international organization and it has far-reaching tentacles,” says lead writer Steve Jaros. Those international ties are how Morning Star hooked up with Steelport’s Luchador gang. After selling weapons to that gang’s Mexico operations, Loren realized that a partnership could be lucrative for both parties. Eventually, the tech-focused Decker gang was brought into the fold, creating the Syndicate.

Loren runs Morning Star—and the Syndicate—with the help of the DeWynter sisters. Viola and Kiki are art dealers with refined tastes and a penchant for human trafficking. They’re so close that they’re often referred to as a single entity. “They’re the number two in the Syndicate, so when Phillipe is busy they’re the ones who assume control and make sure that things run on time,” says Jaros. “If they weren’t around, everything would descend into chaos.”

The game starts with the player upsetting Steelport’s balance of power, which will undoubtedly have far-reaching effects. Even though Morning Star might be a powerful entity, the Saints have proven themselves worthy of a good challenge. And after dominating Stilwater, that may be exactly what they need.