Saints Row 2: Ultor Exposed

Mar 30, 2009

Saints Row 2 is about to get its first downloadable add-on. Due out April 16, the Ultor Exposed expansion will add three new missions, a mission metagame, six vehicles, more hairstyles and outfits, and new multiplayer maps. Oh, Tera Patrick will also be a new in-game character and one of your homies. No big deal. All of that comes with the price of 800 Microsoft points or $9.99. To learn more about this add-on, we went to THQ and got the answers from James Torbit, DLC Producer on Saints Row 2.

IGN: So, Tera Patrick?

James Torbit: Right. And we couldn't be more excited!

We thought, who would players want to team up with when they're sticking it to the man (Ultor) in the new mission arc? We could have put someone unattractive and boring in there, myself for example, but ultimately concluded that would be a poor decision. We want to reward players for playing Saints Row 2 and Ultor Exposed. It's a philosophy we've stuck to for years and we'll not be stopping that any time soon.

Tera has a great role in the Ultor Exposed arc, but you'll also be able to call her up as homie and take her along for all existing and future content as well. She'll bring along one of the new vehicles, the Temptress, which is probably the most balanced performance car in Stilwater.

IGN: How did you capture her "essence" in digital form?

James Torbit: Visually rebuilding a real person within the stylistic and technical boundaries of an existing video game isn't easy. The expectations go beyond compelling character design, because now you must also evoke the iconic and subtle details of someone we've all seen. It's a very iterative art meets science process.

Of course, we're lucky enough to have Tera on board recording her own dialogue, which really brings the character and her attitude home. In game, Tera portrays herself having worked as a microbiologist for the Ultor Corporation, and now she's coming to you and you're both going to blow the whistle on the crimes Ultor has been committing under the guise of "research." It's a vengeance play, straight up.

IGN: Why the long time span from the game's release to this add-on?

James Torbit: In truth, we'd have loved to do it sooner, but first, we're going to do it right… and that's what it's all about. The expectations placed on DLC content are increasing and we're not in the business of disappointment.

Ultor Exposed is priced very competitively for a loaded pack containing a new mission arc, a new co-op gameplay mode, vehicles, piles of new customization items, multiplayer maps and so on. I'd say we're proud of that; consider it our stimulus package for gamers in these economically disastrous times.

IGN: People loved Saints Row 2 for the sheer variety and "fun factor" in the things you could do. How do you build on that successfully with an add-on?

James Torbit: I mentioned the Saints Row 2 philosophy of fun earlier. It's about gameplay that accommodates the whim of the player even if that means catering to the absurd and over the top. Because, why not? We've exaggerated that philosophy further in Ultor Exposed.

Consider this: You've got Tera Patrick on speed dial. She's unloading an assault rifle into a Masako super soldier while you're driving around a truck full of dead bodies. In your garage you've got an armored vehicle that fires heat-seeking missiles as fast as you can pull the trigger… and you're wearing a new alien costume. Honestly, WTF is going on here?

To most people this sounds insane, but to the residents of Stilwater this is Tuesday.

All of the Ultor Exposed content is baked right into the game. Just load up your save file and go, no questions asked. Part of the fun is taking all of these new toys back to your favorite Saints Row 2 experiences.

IGN: What makes the new multiplayer maps special? In other words, what do they offer that will spark a renewed interest in someone who has stopped playing Saints Row 2?

James Torbit: Ultor Exposed includes four new maps, two each for the Gangster Brawl and Strong Arm multiplayer modes. Each of these maps takes players to special renditions of popular Stilwater locations, like the Downtown or Prison Cellblock.

These maps are worth your time for two reasons: One, like everything in Ultor Exposed, they benefit from all we've learned while creating Saints Row 2. Two, multiplayer gamer expectations are high and we've responded by investing a significant amount of time and effort in developing the highest quality maps possible, both visually and functionally.

New maps always give way to new tactics. As a gamer, I enjoy these times the most, because there are new opportunities to make the environment work for you in the struggle for victory. Well designed maps are going to give you these options, and this is definitely something you'll find in the Ultor Exposed multiplayer maps.

IGN: Imagine I'm crazy and don't want to play around with the new distractions, vehicles or multiplayer maps. About how long will it take just to beat the three new missions?

James Torbit: Crazy people will spend around two hours completing the new mission arc. The Ultor Exposed missions are a bit larger than usual and we've taken care to give players the challenge they've been asking for. When you take into consideration all the other content, you're looking at many more hours. We think the all-new co-op metagame is reason enough the play through Saints Row 2 all over again, and if you're a fan of multiplayer, the new maps will add hours of new gameplay. Throw in all the new vehicles and customization options and it's hard to pin-point just how much time it will take to explore everything.

IGN: How does the mission metagame work?

James Torbit: The meta-game is a new competitive co-op gameplay mode that works not only in the Ultor Exposed mission arc, but also in all of the existing Saints Row 2 missions.

During the metagame, players will receive points for getting kills and causing mayhem during missions. Killing your co-op partner will result in a penalty, so it's all about getting the job at hand done as destructively as possible. Points are shown on screen as they're earned so you'll always know the score.

When the mission ends you'll see the final tally on the completion screen and the victor walks away with a bonus wad of cash money.

The game is activated in the pause menu and can be turned on and off anytime. It's great fun and it's killer for replay value. We've found ourselves hitting up lots of our favorite missions, sometimes over and over, as we compete for the high score.

IGN: Which of the new vehicles is your favorite to toy around with?

James Torbit: There are six new vehicles in Ultor Exposed, all of which are available in the player's garage. Many of them are equipped with destructive weaponry, like the EDF Scout which makes an explosive crossover appearance from Red Faction: Guerilla or the Vulture, a military grade helicopter that's all about air superiority.

I'm a car guy, so my favorite is the Stallion, a vintage racing car. It's maneuverable in the extreme and it's an all-out torque-monster. I've taken it through many of the races available throughout the city.

IGN: This download has been labeled DLC Pack 01. How long will we have to wait for 02?

James Torbit: We'll be getting to the business of the next Saints Row 2 DLC package once Ultor Exposed is complete. I'd be breaking the rules if I revealed anything specific but I will say that you won't have as long a wait as you did for Ultor Exposed, so stay tuned.