With the success of Rockstar North's Grand Theft Auto 4 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) still fresh in the minds of gamers, it leaves some people wondering if THQ's Saints Row 2 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) can still offer anything new to compete against its biggest rival. During a recent William Blair & Company investors meeting, THQ CEO Brian Farrel explained some of the differences between the two sandbox action titles, which made each game unique from the other.

During the meeting, Farrel sought to convince investors that their sequel would still stand out in contrast to Rockstar's own release. The biggest difference that Saints Row 2 will have compared to GTA4 is that it will be about "tongue-in-cheek [...] silly, over-the-top gameplay".

At the same time, Farrel still recognized the efforts GTA4 has made to step up its own series with the creative direction Rockstar has decided to take with it. Here's a quote from Farrel explaining his stand on the matter:

We're always concerned about GTA as a competitor. It's a great product, the leader in the genre. But we were actually very pleased when we saw GTA4. It's a great game, but they went in this great creative direction [that makes the game] more character- and story-driven.

Farrel was pleased with this development since it meant that each title will offer unique takes in their common genre. He further explained that Saints Row 2 will feature a lot of character customization, downloadable content, a "larger, richer environment", a unique combat system, and a "seamless" two-player co-op mode.

He ended his statement by explaining THQ's decision to opt for a two month delay of Saints Row 2, pushing its release date back to October 14. Farrel mentioned that this was done at the request of developer Volition, giving them more time to polish the game and adding a comfortable window in between the flood of upcoming Christmas titles.