Perhaps it videogaming blasphemy to state this, but I’m just not ready to declare the ‘Grand Theft Auto’ (GTA) genre the second coming of ‘Pong.’ Well, Pong with bitches, hos and lots of gang driven firepower.

Don’t get me wrong: the games are disgusting fun and pack enormous replay value. There’s also something ridiculously entertaining about carjacking a virtual Carmax to drive around highly detailed representations of some of the hippest cities around. Not to mention catharsis stemming from making front grill Jackson Pollack’s of all the city’s varied residents.

To think – I haven’t even touched upon the Smith and Wesson factory at your disposal, likewise humorous dialog and edgy gang warfare storylines.

Upon reflection, perhaps the GTA genre is ‘Pong’-worthy once dissected down to individual bullet and El Camino. There ya’ have it.

The problem is ‘Saints Row 2’ (SR2) is not Grand Theft Auto. It lacks the presentation value, character design, interactivity and minigame roster appeal that its predecessor provides. It’s not for lack of trying: ‘Saints Row 2’ appears almost as an ode to GTA, a close but not cigar attempt to keep the party going strong.

The good news is, close but no cigar – when contrasted with ‘Grand Theft Auto’ – is a good thing. Simply put, imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery…especially when served with a twist of lime. ‘Saints Row 2’ is clearly having fun out there, arguably much more clever, interactive and daring than GTA could ever imagine.

Yes, it’s got minigames too. But fending off zombies, spraying sewage all over construction zones, and engaging in phony versions of ‘Cops’ is a helluva’ lot more fun than ambulance frenzies.

Related, I also found SR2’s control scheme a lot more intuitive than GTA’s. Map selection and navigation is flawless. Aiming and shooting weapons is second nature…albeit with the same fine-tuning issues prevalent in GTA. Also, character creation in SR2 is awesome. When my brit-punk, hardened criminal capped a couple of do-gooders and taunted via ‘Smooth Criminal,’ I was sold.

Still, Hyundai’s will never be Jaguar’s, despite having similar body types, names and marketing. ‘Saints Row 2’ feels a bit unfinished, down to typos in the manual, blocking and fading in environments, difficulty selecting weapons, and design flaws in completing minigames.

This, however, is nit-picking at its finest. ‘Saints Row 2’ is a blast to play, packs a solid single and multiplayer experiences, likewise chock full of replayability. I’ve always found the ‘GTA’ series as taking itself somewhat too seriously. It’s clear the development team of ‘Saints Row 2’ had a blast creating this game.

SUMMARY: ‘Saints Row 2’ is an homage to ‘Grand Theft Auto,’ close but not perfect…albeit a lot more fun to play.

CONCLUSION: B plus