DLC Review: The Trouble With Clones

Am I the only one who finds a story about a nerd idolizing a street gang a little odd?  Well, I guess I shouldn’t, given that I’m playing a video game (typically considered a nerd activity) about being a gang member.  So perhaps Volition was trying to make a statement about their audience with their DLC The Trouble With Clones.  But I suppose the plot of a nerd’s amateur experiment going array isn’t new.  My last Saints Row 3 DLC, Gangstas in Space, was an exercise in over-the-top, satirical fun.  Can this DLC top it?

Where exactly do nerds get this stuff?

Plot: Jimmy Torbitson, the Saints’ “biggest fan,” attempts to resurrect Johnny Gat by using various pieces of DNA in a cloning machine.  However, the resurrected Gat isn’t completely mentally stable, & the brute goes on a rampage across the city.  This leaves the Boss & Pierce no choice but to team up with the nerdy Jimmy through various failed schemes to calm “Johnny Tag” down enough to have him join the Saints.  Of course, this isn’t easy, between the raging science that created the brute & the military attempting to destroy the rampaging beast at every turn.

Adds:

• 3 missions
• 2 homies, Johnny Tag & Aisha Brutella
• 1 new weapon, the Swarmitron, for use only during the missions
• 1 vehicle, the Torbitron
• 10 achievements: B.A.M.F (defeat enemies using melee only), Public Enemy #1 (destroy 45 police vehicles), Weird Science (complete 1st mission), Eye of the Bee-Holder (use Swarmitron on 25 fans), Sting Operation (destroy 5 guard vehicles), Tour de Farce (complete 2nd mission), Supaa-Excellent! (shoot down helicopter with a fireball), Send in the Clones (kill a brute with melee only), The Johnnyguard (protect Johnny from damage) & My Pet, Monster (complete dlc)
• Total gameplay time added: 2 hrs

Cost: 560 MP or $6.99

Nice look you've got there, Johnny

Opinion: Personally, I have mixed feelings about this DLC.  I thought that the first mission was pretty fun, the second was okay & the third was awesome.  The first mission is your standard drive-around-blowing-vehicles-up-goodness.  Nothing new, but still a lot of fun.  The second mission was… well, just plain weird.  Watching Pierce in a mid-drift top singing Aisha’s songs was just disturbing.  But the third mission was definitely the best.  In it, the Boss is under the influence of a radioactive Saints Flow drink, which gives them super powers, just like in the commercial.  It feels like being a superhero.  You can run faster than any vehicle, which sends pink sparks flying in your wake.  You can take people out in a single punch, complete with comic book exclamations (like BLAM!).  And you can shoot fireballs!  I was grinning from ear to ear during the entire thing.  I just wished this was available in the regular game.

I have to give some attention to Jimmy, the classic fanboy.  He’s obviously based off the nerd from the Robot Chicken franchise.  From his looks down to his voice.  And I have to say, the running dialogue between him & the Boss is one of my favorite parts of the missions.  He tells the narrative of the plot in this grandiose, self-deluded fashion, which makes it all the funnier when the Saints say things that disagree with him.  It’s especially funny in the third mission when the Boss can hear what Jimmy’s saying & tells him to use a phone next time.

Insert punchy Hadoken comment here

However, I do have to say that I found the new content very lacking.  The Swarmitron is only available during the second mission, & it isn’t really that much fun.  You’d think a gun that shoots bees at people would yield a bigger reaction from people, but it’s just not that much fun to watch when compared to other weapons.  And the Torbitron truck is pretty basic as well.

Consider this a recommendation with reservations.  While overall I didn’t find this DLC that impressive, I really, really enjoyed the final mission.  And as with the other DLC, you can replay it as many times as you want, so at least you get your money’s worth.

– GamerDame