Saints Row: The Third: Side Activity and Combat Guide

To control Steelport in Saints Row: The Third, alternate between main story missions and city side activities while concentrating your resources on high-damage weapons and heavy vehicles rather than defense or survival maintenance.

Balancing Progression and Side Activities

Progressing through Steelport requires managing Third Street Saints operations against rival gangs. Rather than rushing strictly down the main story path, weave side activities into your campaign loop:

• Pacing and Variety: Mixing primary missions with side activities prevents progression fatigue and introduces specialized equipment early.
• Side Activities: Objectives such as Insurance Fraud and Tank Mayhem act as mechanical testing grounds for physics interactions, ragdoll movement, and heavy equipment handling.
• City Management: Completing side activities and managing local businesses strengthens your overall foothold across gang-controlled sectors.

Tactical Combat and Upgrades

Combat in Saints Row: The Third rewards aggressive mobility and high explosive output over traditional cover shooters.

1. Use Vehicles as Weapons: High-speed vehicles function effectively as battering rams against enemy squads. Driving heavy vehicles directly into gang clusters generates momentum and causes immediate crowd control without exposing your character on foot.
2. Funnel Enemies into Bottlenecks: When defending fixed positions or surviving wave-based attacks, position yourself near narrow alleyways or tight street chokepoints. Bottlenecking hostiles allows area-of-effect weapons and environmental hazards to clear entire groups at once.
3. Invest in High-Destruction Assets: Saints Row: The Third omits survival micro-management such as hunger, thirst, or weapon maintenance routines. Direct all your accumulated funds into upgrading high-tier offensive weaponry and acquiring heavy armored transport like tanks.