Saints Row - The Third - Prima Official Game Guide (2011) [X360, PS3, PC]

The best games of the series are usually considered to be Saints Row 2 (2008) and Saints Row: The Third (2011). In Saints Row IV (2013) you fought Overload Zinyak and you eventually get superpowers. It was big and overblown in both scope and in story. It was still fun, but most agree the gameplay wasn't as balanced. The superpowers were great, but they were unlocked rather early in the main game. When you can run with super speed and leap tall buildings in a single bound – it made driving vehicles pointless, but several story missions still take them away. Plus, why upgrade weapons when I have telekinesis and a freeze blast? Saints Row: The Third still has silly moments, but it's probably the best designed of them all. 

There is a collection called, Saints Row: The Third - The Full Package (PS3/Xbox 360) that has all the content, but I recommend Saints Row: The Third Remastered (PS4/Xbox One/Windows). It has a higher resolution and improved framerate (for consoles), enhanced graphics, improved lighting, reworked environments, and new visual effects. It has all DLC included; the three expansion mission packs and more than 30 pieces of DLC from the original version. Everything except the Team Fortress 2 Masks, the Bloodsucker Pack (you regain full health from executing a human shield), and Unlockable Pack (get access to all unlockable items, upgrades, and bonuses). You can still buy these on the Xbox 360 versions in the store, but you’re not missing much. 

This guide is labeled as Saints Row: The Third - Studio Edition: Prima Official Game Guide but there doesn't seem to be another version released (not for North America), so the "Studio Edition" moniker sometimes gets dropped when listed on sites. The guide was actually packaged with an exclusive DLC content, called the Money Shot Pack – which unlocked a few outfits, a fully automatic sniper rifle, and the Ultor Interceptor jet-bike. Three months after launch you could buy it on storefronts for $1.99US, but it's included in the Remaster. 

The guide is a massive 352-pages with bios on the main characters and a rundown of all weapons. It came out at the game’s release, so the DLC isn't covered. Saints Row: The Third came out around the time where many open-world games were putting in-game map markers for all activities and even collectables (or you could eventually unlock their locations). This game lets you buy the locations to all collectables with in-game cash. I believe I did all activities in the original Xbox 360 version without a guide, BUT this guide shows a map with all collectable locations, which will save you some time and cash. It doesn't explain all of them, but each location has two images to help you find it. It does run through certain hard-to-find locations, like the Drug Packages and Money Pallets. Like it will tell you which ones require a flying vehicle to reach, or if you need to enter a structure. You get write-ups on all activities with many Developer Tips to help you with completion and the best placements, like with Assassinations, Barnstorming, Jumps, Trafficking, Insurance Fraud, Mayhem and more. There are about 14 different Activities and four different Collectables, not to mention a number of Challenges. The Remastered version might average around 45 hours to complete everything. You also get a little under 30 pages of behind-the-scenes info with developer Volition, Inc., including interviews with several team members and explanations of some of the inside jokes in the game.  

Great find @Roark406, this is defiantly a good guide for those that like extra help with all 47 missions and all the activities. And great job editing from @dablais. It's a fun game with the whole campaign supporting 2-player coop. There are no health pickups, but the autosave is very generous, so you never have far to go. If you miss all the open world games we once got, then you'll enjoy upgrading your weapons, upgrading your base and homies, unlocking new vehicles, and listening to the radio.