The way I see it.......Saints Row doesn't try to win any awards. Its in your face action and is hilarious with what they do. You had to earn points for access to storyline missions. Those points are also earned from side missions, which included spraying homes and developments with a sewer truck, blowing things up to cause mayhem and property damage, insurance fraud by throwing your character in front of moving vehicles.
GTA sometimes moves so slow its unreal. I also never finished GTAIV because I lost interest, but I ran through Saints Row 2 and am probably going to start it again.