It’s the DLC that we never meant to see the light of day. However, as you can see, it has. It’s a hidden reel of deleted scenes, exploring an unknown chapter for the Saints. It isn’t very long but it brings forth it’s own dose of awkward awesome. This is the DLC of Enter the Dominatrix, a short but batsh** insane extension of Saint’s Row IV.
With the nature of this DLC, I believe a history lessons is needed. Where does this DLC originate is important as it has much to do with how it’s seen. So if you would like to skip the quick lesson, got down for a little bit.
In 2011, big, old-fashioned publisher THQ was releasing several big titles to the gaming market. 2011 saw the most shooter releases then at any other point in this console generation, starting with Epic Games’ Bulletstorm and continuing with games like Crysis 2, SOCOM 4, Resistance 3, and Gears of War 3. Tucked in there was Homefront, a shooter written by Writer/Director John Milius featuring a hauntingly realistic occupation of America by a western-educated North Korea. The shooter, I felt, was awesome as it featured a solid single player, great shooting, and an addictive multiplayer. However, while it sold well and announced a sequel, the game was also considered a financial and critical failure and one of the contributions that led to THQ’s eventual demise.
Later on that summer, Volition and THQ released Red Faction: Armageddon. Armageddon was the sequel to 2009’s Red Faction Guerilla. The series originated in 2002 as a revolutionary first person shooter with an incredible action atmosphere reminiscent of Total Recall and the groundbreaking Geo-Mod technology. That technology carried into Guerilla as players could take entire vehicles and plow them into enemy buildings before setting off explosions and tearing them apart. Guerrilla, while an absolute blast to play, met some critical controversy with the fact that it was an open world game and far from its roots. Armageddon set to  keep the modern gamplay with vehicular combat, geo mod, awesome weapons, a dark, rebellious martian atmosphere, while keeping to its roots. Armageddon took place in the martian underground, fighting crazy religious zealots and an alien horde. The game suffered a similar fate, being a blast to pla, and well-received but not as financially successful, causing THQ to publicly declare that Red Faction was put on indefinite hiatus. THQ would have some hit and miss success here and there, particularly with the WWE games. But it’s diamond in the rough would be Saint’s Row The Third.
Saint’s Row The Third is the game that doesn’t need an introduction. Obtaining a pulse for the modern society of smartphones, youtube, the internet, friendships, the game is an open world action-packed festival of the over-the-top, the nostalgia, and the absurd. The game featured several big DLC packs with substantial game play and value. They were not mere misisons but several hour extensions with their own story arc. The biggest one was  Enter the Dominatrix, a full expansion to Saint’s Row The Third. However, due to the fore mentioned misfires, along with other failures such as the uDraw scandal, THQ was forced to fold the DLC in Saint’s Row IV. Sometime later,as history states, THQ dissolved, its properties and studios being sold and bought by other bigger companies. Saint’s Row survived and we finally see the DLC come to light.
The DLC is considered a documentary-styled add-on of SRIV. At the ending of the main, primary game, having completed all secondary homie missions before the finale, players see a special human subject in stasis, Jane. Jane is a famous interviewer, who sounds like she is voiced by a particular character from Family Guy. Jane discovers the deleted scenes and interviews the team.
The entire team identify that this is a video game they’re playing, as they remark on past Saint’s Row games, the development, and even the missions that they embark on. It’s hilarious as they break the fourth wall and communicate as if they are real people in the real life. As the interview continue, you, the player, embark on the missions.
With Zinyak killed, the Simulation creates a sentient A.I being known as The Dominatrix. This scantily-clad sex queen seeks to dominate the simulation through an army of sex slaves. It’s up to the Saints to stop her. You get three new weapons for the DLC: a minigun, a flamethrower, and a grenade launcher. With that, you set off to fight the A.I and free the system.
               The game’s events are perhaps the most awkward I have ever had in a game. Of course, the title should’ve told you that. In one mission, I am in a massive mansion fighting waves of sex slaves wielding giant pink dildos. Hell, my character had to dress as one to blend in. And, I participate in “pony†races. Still, the action is there, using the new weapons are fun, and there are a ton of bad guys to shoot. The cut scenes are hilariously told through early concept art pieces and even film clip from the actual Volition studio, emphasizing the fact that this is a “lost episode†of the Saint’s Row universe. The missions still have their entertaining funny moments and over-the-top action.
The big drawback to the DLC is the lack of length and mission variety. The DLC only has five missions and 3 new weapons. The cast describe some relatively boring missions like “Guarding Kinzie as she performs nebula x.†While the characters say those are boring filler missions, it l would have made for some extra length and time along with more entertainment in the already crazy world of Saint’s Row. I would’ve liked to play some of those filler missions. Plus, it would’ve given me more enemies to dispatch with three new weapons. The nice thing though is you can replay each mission, unlike the main single player campaign. So if you are a trophy hunter and you want to get those challenges in and rack up those kills, you can do that. It still would’ve been nice to somehow play the full expansion that it was originally meant to be instead of some missions.
The Verdict
As the DLC doesn’t take itself seriously, the same should be applied going into this. This is a DLC pack that knows it’s a DLC pack and a game.  Therefore, if you play, play for the fun and the enjoyment of it all, no matter how many times you say “What the f**k!?†Despite the flaws, the DLC ends on a nice note. For $6, it’s not bad but it could have been better. If you really love Saint’s Row IV, of course, get the season pass. If you just picked the game and you kinda/sorta like it, you can hold off. Ultimately, I had fun and in a game, that is what truly matters. Well, I’ll be using this minigun until the next time: How the Saint’s Saved Christmas ( Due out in December)
Score: 3.5/5