Stilwater is a fictional American city and the setting of the Xbox 360 video game Saints Row, and also its Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows sequel, Saints Row 2. It is loosely based on Detroit and more accurately on Chicago. The player has free exploration from the start of the game to before the last mission or cutscene.
Geography
Stilwater is separated by a large inlet in the middle of the game map. In Saints Row 2, there is a small prison island, and an island that houses the nuclear power plant. In Saints Row, the city features a prominent skyline that more closely resembles Chicago; however, in Saints Row 2, the skyline has been revamped, with many look alike buildings, such as the Chrysler Building, the Flatiron Building and John Hancock Centre. The downtown area is on the coast of the water inlet, and is mainly a skyscraper jungle. There is also a museum and a marina on the northeast section of the "downtown island." The north end of the city appears to be much wealthier than the poorer south end, however, the Arena, University and the Wardhill Airport are all located on the southern island. In the north you have the sophisticated buildings in the 'Museum District', you also have the high rise apartments and mansions in the 'Misty Lane' area, although in Saints Row 2 there is a trailer park below Misty Lane. Whilst in the south end you have the poorer ghettos such as the area of 'Shivington' and 'Sunnyvale'. The district of Saints Row is a run-down ghetto in the first game, but in the second, it has been updated beyond recognition, and is a booming commercial centre, and is the location of the city's tallest skyscraper, the Ultor Unlimited Building.
Districts
*Airport
Wardill Airport is the most southwest point in Stilwater. It is a fully functioning airport, offering flights either nationally or internationally. It has one runway in Saints Row, but in Saints Row 2 there are three, and it is much larger than in the first game. Just across from the airport lies a smallish crummy factory, with external parking. On the north end of the Wardill area lays a strip pole with an open parking lot, and across from that lays a large resort, perfectly located next to the airport for tourists’ convenience. Located in the lobby is a nightclub with bar and also On Thin Ice jewellers.
*Apartments
The Apartments District is a middle class neighbourhood, made up mostly of, you guessed it, apartments. It is located to the west of Chinatown, the east of Stilwater University and above the Carnales hacíenda. Along the west there is a large open sewer, and a few cliffs.
*Arena
This disrict takes its name from the large Stadium located on the north shore of the south island, the Ultor stadium. It is home to a Sloppy Seconds, a Rim Jobs, a Foreign Power car shop, and a water filtration centre. By going to the front door of the Stadium, the player can take part in a Demolition Derby activity.
*Barrio
*Chinatown
*Docks and Warehouses
*Downtown
*Factories
*High End Retail
*Museum
*Projects
In Saints Row, the projects are nothing more than cracked pavements, potholed roads, scrubland, dirty abandoned terraced housing and is a generally, poverty-stricken area. In Saints Row 2, it has been almost unbelieveably cleaned up. There are apartments, a shopping mall, and new housing.
*Red Light
Rebadeaux is a small and simple neighbourhood with the main north side road running through it. Running on the north of Rebadeaux is an assortment of small businesses and cafes, built atop the Rebadeaux tunnel and offering gorgeous views of the Stilwater inlet. A large block of land running west of the tunnel features sleazy motels, brothels and apartments, and is separated by a central road. On the west side of this complex lies a tattoo parlour. A movie theatre lies in the southwest corner of the neighbourhood, and across from this lies a ‘hippie’ clothes store.
*Saints Row
**Athos Bay is a small section of land built along the channel of water that runs into the South Island. Although Athos Bay is small and hosts no sights to see, it serves as the main route between surrounding neighbourhoods. There was once Brown Baggers store here but has since been abandoned.
**Harrowgate serves as Saints Row key location for shopping and transport. The suburb hosts a second hand clothing shop, plastic surgeon, weapons store and garage. Harrowgate is also convenient in the fact that it hosts Saints Row Station for the Stilwater Transit railway. Running along the south of Harrowgate is a riverside factory complex, complete with boardwalks out onto the water body, which continue on into Athos Bay as well. Some of the Mission Beach construction work also continues on into Harrowgate and it is evident that due to the brothels in this part of town, Harrowgate could very likely be considered part of the Red Light district. A hospital is located in Harrowgate, right on the borderline of Rebadeaux.
**Mission Beach is a rundown neighbourhood in the north-eastern corner of South Island. In the western half of Mission Beach lays a complex of side street roads which host dilapidated housings. Central north in Mission Beach hosts two large construction sites. The southern site is bordered by roads and is relatively smaller in size to the northern site, which spans out to the very tip of the shore and almost onto the sea itself. Running on the east side of Mission Beach is a large strip of road, spanning from the south of Mission Beach all the way up to the north point of the island, where it rises to form a bridge into Brighton. Running along this strip is a Freckle Bitch’s fast food restaurant and also a gas station, both very near to the edge of the shore. A highway route divides the strip and the neighbourhood of Mission Beach, which eventually rises up into another bridge, almost parallel to that of the strips. Mission Beach also hosts an abandoned church, which is the 3rd Street Saints’ base of operations. Directly across from this is Brown Baggers liquor and drugs store, and to the northwest of this lies a loft which the player can use as a hideout.
*Suburbs
*Truck Yard
Businesses
Clothing
The player can shop at numerous stores around Stilwater to customize their look and gain respect, depending on the expense, colour and style of their clothes.
Sloppy Seconds is a chain of clothing stores located around Stilwater. They sell used clothing, cheap and baggy. The Sloppy Seconds stores dominate the clothing industy in Stilwater- they have three stores around the city, and can sell clothes which are the staple for the character's outfit- socks, underwear, T-shirts and jeans.
On The Rag are a moderately cheap clothing store, selling hippie syle clothes and hats. A step up from their cheaper counterpart, Sloppy Seconds, On The Rag are a perfect destination for low-income earners looking to buy some cool outfits for their character.
Branded is a large clothes shop in Filmore. Wearing outfits from here is a status symbol on the streets. The namesake of the store is the fact they primarily sell clothes from popular designers. Branded are for those who are quite a wealthy- they can often sell clothes in the $6 hundreds, but players will earn a lot of respect just by wearing outfits from here.
Impressions is a high end shop in Nob Hill. The richest of people only shop here- a jacket, pants and shoes outfit could cost well into the thousands. Impressions is primarily a formal clothing store, selling dinner jackets, sport coats, and a pricy pair of Oxfords, without a doubt the most expensive and fancy shoes in all of Stilwater, and is situated on Nob Hill's main road- lined with fancy stone of course, and anyone wearing anything from this store could very well be considered a Mafioso-style crime boss of their familia, with such an amount of money required to purchase such clothes, it is safe to say the owner of these outfits is either incredibly wealthy, or just plain dumb with their money.
Nobody Loves Me is a store prominently featuring emo-style clothing and piercings. Nobody Loves Me is introduced in Saints Row 2 .
Leather and Lace is a clothing store for women's ware. The store features lace underwear, dresses, bras etc. Leather and Lace is introduced in Saints Row 2
Lets Pretend is a costume store the player can buy various outfits from eg pirate themes, ninja themes. Let's Pretend is introduced in Saints Row 2
Accessories
The player can customize their look even further, buying glasses, tattoos etc
On Thin Ice is a jeweller located across Stilwater in several location. Here is where the player can buy glasses/ shades, necklaces, watches and piercings. On Thin Ice has a broad range in these products and many products from here can be bought in either Steel, Silver, Gold or Platinum, in order of cost and respect earned.
Rusty's Needle is a tattoo parlour scattered across numerous locations in Stilwater. Here, the player can buy a range of tattoos for their legs, chest, back and arms. In Saints Row 2, tattoo location etc have been improved, you can now place them in more areas, and can move them around, change size, colour etc.
Bling Bling is a cheap jewellery store, which offers less pricey bling than On Thin Ice. Bling Bling is introduced in Saints Row 2
Food
The player can regenerate his health quicker by eating food.
Freckle Bitch's is a fast food restaurant and the only place where the player eats. The establishment is notorious for its parody of Wendy's . Known for its rude employees and poor quality food, the player eats them to regain health. Food can only be bought drive-thru called a drive-by, and the menu consists of double entendres such as The Big Swallow,(milkshake) Chicken Bazooms, (Chicken Tenders) The Twins, (Two burgers) and The Fist (A double pattied burger)
Lik a Chik is a fast food restaurant. However, in Saints Row, the player does not have access to Lik a Chik, however, radio ads and billboards are seen in the game. The player can also unlock a Lik a Chik employee, complete with chicken suit, as a homie by calling 555-2445 on the in-game phone. Chicken Neds number is written outside (allyway) the Vice Kings brothel. Chicken Ned drives a rusty Jackrabbit and has a baseball bat, reflecting on the low wage for fast food employees.
Appolos is a coffee shop, introduced in Saints Row 2
Phuc Mi Phuc Yeu is a Chinese restaurant chain, owned primarily by the Ronin. Phuc Mi Phu Yeu is introduced in Saints Row 2
Company of Gyros is a restaurant selling old-fashioned WWII style cuisine. Company of Gyros is introduced in Saints Row 2
Vehicles
The player can visit a car dealership and also an op shop.
Foreign Power is a car dealership. Foreign Power sells sports and luxury cars, and also supercar imports.
Rim Jobs is a chain of garages in Stilwater. Here, the player may store and access their vehicles, and also customize them.
Transportation
Stilwater is home to an elevated train system known as the "Stilwater Transit". The transit primarily runs along a city orbiting loop line visiting eight stations along the route. These stations are Saints Row, Downtown, Museum, Business District, Suburbs, Arena, Barrio and Docks. The three stations in the affluent City Core (Downtown, Museum and Business District) run along an additional core loop. The Line is elevated above street level for the most part, except for a short sub-surface section with the tunnel mouths in Shivington located in the Projects and Southern Cross in Barrio, whilst tunneling underneath Chinatown and Copperton. This subsurface section can be used as an alternative to the traditional loop route.
Stilwater operates a Bus service called "Cheetah". The major Cheetah Coach depot is situated in Prawn Court, Red Light District.
There are also three taxi services. These are Eagleline Yellow, Big Willy's Cab, and TNA Taxi.
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