1. Combat

As a criminal, sometimes you have to resort to violence to get your point across. While GTA’s thirst for realism goes out the window when your wanted level escalates, low-level shootouts and the like just… aren’t very much fun. While Rockstar cut out the wacky and fun weapons from the older games, Volition added in even more, and the combination of tactical depth and absurd boomsticks makes skirmishes in Saints Row a lot more enjoyable throughout the game. GTA V’s auto-aiming bullet sponge enemies make us cringe every time we get into a firefight. Gun combat in video games is unrealistic by default because if it wasn’t we’d just be playing Counter-Strike, so lean into it and at least make it engaging.

2. Customization

Rockstar has slowly been pivoting the GTA series towards robust, movie-like narratives, and to do that you have to have well-defined lead characters. That’s fine for them, but when we’re playing video games it’s nice to be able to identify with our on-screen avatar, especially in a sandbox game where there’s so much freedom in other areas. Saints Row letting you take your Boss and tweak just about every aspect of their presentation, including voice actor and even gender, makes you feel like your journey through the game really belongs to you, instead of just being an actor in somebody else’s movie.

3. Mobility

One of the great disappointments of the GTA series is how little you can actually interact with the fantastically detailed worlds Rockstar puts together. Sure, the cities and surroundings are massive, but they’re also pretty empty and big parts of them are unreachable. By introducing absurd superhuman abilities, Volition is able to make the smaller worlds of their games more vertical and let the player explore with enhanced mobility options. Cities aren’t as interesting when you only see them from ground level, so being able to get high adds a ton to Saints Row.

Are you ready to win your dream girl? Here are 5 ways to win a girl’s heart:

1. Be pursuant

Pursue her without the pressure. In other words, don’t try to “front” and be cocky. Have a conversation first and show her you are interested beyond her appearance. You don’t have to come up with some crazy pickup line. You can simply say, “I want to introduce myself…”Be sincere and genuine in wanting to get to know her. I see too many good guys get intimidated by a girl’s beauty up front, but take a closer look, and find her true self. Honestly, if you can get past this, you’ll have a leg up on the other idiots out there. After all, being genuine is where you excel the most. This is why you are the good guy!!

2. Be complimentary

On our first date, I told her “You look so beautiful.” I then told her how great she looked when I saw her without makeup the night before. It was real and sincere. While she later revealed to me that she had been testing me to see if I would still like her without makeup, I simply saw a girl who didn’t have enough time because she just got done at the gym. That was incredibly sexy to me.

3. Speak well of her in front of other people

Hold her hand. Pick-up artists recommend saying backhanded compliments, but nothing beats a genuine and sincere compliment. A backhanded compliment might work for a one-night stand, but come on, this is a poisonous ingredient in trying to form a long-term relationship. Treat her just as kindly in front of friends and family as you do when you are alone.

4. Be attentive

Show her that you care for her and her needs. Pay attention to the small details. Girls care about the small stuff, big time. For instance, on our first date, I knew Kristen was a vegetarian, so I took her to a vegetarian restaurant called Café Gratitude. Listen to what she has to say.

5. Be romantic

Plan ahead. What do you want your love story to be? You are the writer. When people ask where your first kiss was, you don’t want her to answer with the driveway or that you were drunk at a party. The night I kissed Kristen for the first time, I wanted it to be special. I took her to an overlook on Mulholland Drive. We stood on top of the city, and that night I was her very own Superman. It was a special moment and I ended up proposing to her there.

Finally, be yourself. There won’t be much longevity if she’s fallen for a false persona, and why would you want that anyway? I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m not the coolest guy out there, so I have fun in my dorkiness. There is no one else like you, so be confident. When you are walking in truth, game isn’t necessary. You’ve already won.