A great and fun game! This is what GTA IV should have been.
Graphics: The graphics are not bad at all. If people make games this big you expect them to have good graphics? They are no where near as good as GTA IV, but at least they are inside the next-gen area.
Gameplay: The best part, the gameplay. The game is great and is VERY addicting. If you dont think this game is fun than you must be a GTA fanboy, because this game is a lot more fun that GTA IV, because it actually maintains its level of fun. In GTA IV, you couldnt really do anything, which made it boring after you beat the game.
Sound: The sound is great, just like in all other games. A few voice acting problems though, but the gun sound effects are great and its also funny.
Story: The big difference in Saints Row and GTA is that Saints Row is actually a story arc, unlike GTA where its diffenent storys every game. You are always a different person. The story in Saints Row matches well with the first. The thing is, the story isnt as good as GTA IV, which is why GTA IV is good, only because of its good story.
The Good: The good things about SR2 is that you can throw people 20ft. You also have all the fun gamemodes GTAIV never had, and it has some great guns that are easy to use.
The Bad: The graphics arent that good, but they arent that bad. There is not gibbing.
The only other problem is that its the same city. The city is the same, but you barely reconize it at the beggining. I really do like the way they made it almost the same, but the buildings are nice and redone.
So IMO, i think Saints Row needs more credit than Gamespot and other game reviewers are giving it, because it definatly beats GTA IV gameplay wise, which is more important that anything else.