SAINT’S ROW THQ, Xbox 360, $59.99 In the world of crime, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to become the boss; it just takes a lot of muscle, nerve, and luck. It’s a pretty simple formula and plenty of wannabe hoodlums try to use it to climb to the top. In the virtual world, Grand Theft Auto is the don of gangster games, and almost all of its successors have tried to imitate its formula of open free-roaming worlds, career-advancing missions, and more clichéd characters than a Quentin Tarentino movie. Saint’s Row follows this theme to the letter, asking you to take back the streets from rival gangs; it’s not particularly fresh, but it’s bound to ease the wait until the next GTA arrives. On the bright side, Saint’s Row features vastly improved graphics and robust, over-the-top multiplayer modes like ‘Protect Tha Pimp’, a team-based escort mission, and ‘Blinged Out Ride,’ a death-match mode that also cheekily mixes in car customization. As the saying goes “Good artists borrow, great artists steal”–for this criminal rip-off, that maxim seems particularly appropriate. Peter Suciu www.saintsrow.com Love: Multiplayer adds a whole new dimension, solid voice talent Hate: Few new ideas Final Word: Decent Theft Auto