I never played the original Serious Sam games, so when I tell you that I didn’t know what I was getting into when I signed on to review Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter, please take that to mean I had no effing clue just how bizarre, difficult, and fun this game would be.
For those of you who are like I was a week ago, on the face Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter seems to be a pretty stereotypical FPS that’s based on some crazy inane storyline that simply serves to progress the game to the point where you have awesome weapons. Really, prior to playing this game, I simply though it was just going to be a mild Duke Nukem rip off. Oh how wrong I was.
Gameplay
First, let’s just get it out of the way, Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter is a first person shooter. If you don’t like first person shooters then I highly doubt this game is going to change your mind in any meaningful way. However, if you do enjoy them then, well, this might just be the greatest game you’ve ever played.
Serious Sam HD; The Second Encounter is not about realism. You aren’t playing as some gritty character locked in an epic battle/war that’s been going on for years as you attempt to overthrow/take down the alien invaders/terrorist plot. Really the game is entirely about Sam going into places and kicking the shit out of everything that happens to live there, be in a headless bomb freak, or a 3 story tall rocket shooting monstrosity.
Which leads me to my next point about how freaking awesome this game is. Never, in my history of playing FPS games (I started with Wolfenstein 3D in 1993) have I come across as many wildly unique bad guys. From the clackity skeleton dinosaurs that charge you to the pumpkin headed chainsaw guys, everything in this game has a seemingly uniquely perverted existence and everything is armed to the teeth with weapons that will maim and destroy you.
Did I say maim and destroy? You better believe it because I quite literally mean that. To say Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter is an easy game is to straight up lie. Not only is this game fun, but it’s easily one of the most challenging and difficult FPS games I’ve ever played. I don’t claim to be a expert at the genre — certainly not like some of these kids on Halo – but I can usually beat a standard FPS on normal without too much effort. On Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter I find myself dying fairly often. Especially when, you know, the game just decides to throw a few hundred enemies at you with limited ammo and healthpacks lying around. But then again, if the game didn’t do that kind of crazy crap, where would the fun be?
Which reminds me, since you’ll be dying a lot, I do highly recommend that, before you start your first game you go into the options and turn on the “Auto-Save” feature. For whatever reason this is not turned on as a default and should you die you’ll either have to restart the game or go all the way back to your last save point, which can definitely be aggravating.
Aside from the single player the game comes with two other modes: survival and multiplayer.
Survival is exactly what it sounds like. You enter into a given arena like area with specific weapons chosen for you and you merely attempt to survive for as long as possible. Not exactly a new concept these days, but it’s far more fun in Serious Sam than in any other game I’ve played that has it. If you can make it even five minutes solo on any given arena, I certainly applaud you.
Multiplayer is fairly standard and seemed to be pretty tame in terms of population on the Steam version (the one I’m reviewing). Also I can’t really comment on it because anytime I tried to join a server my game would crash. Other people were able to play, but not me for whatever reason.
Style
There’s a reason why these revamped versions are called Serious Sam HD and it’s because the graphics have been given a major, modern overhaul. I’m not kidding when I say that Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter is a jaw-droppingly gorgeous game, especially on some of the more open environments you’ll come across.
Additionally, the audio is fairly adequate. Nothing really to complain about, but I wouldn’t say they’re revolutionary either.
Story
I have no idea what the story is. The game is very text heavy and seems to rely on information gained in the first game, which, as I stated in above, I haven’t actually played. Really though, the game doesn’t even need one in my opinion. All you need to know is that you’re playing some badass dude with a shit ton of weapons who doesn’t give a crap about anything he kills. Bam! Instant fun.
Other
I have a confession to make. I did not beat Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter. It’s an unfortunate truth and it’s one I don’t particularly like since I usually beat every game I play prior to reviewing them. However, I simply could not beat the game due to it’s excessive difficulty. However, I did get far enough a long that I feel like I got a true understanding of what the game is about.
Oh and don’t think that just because this review was due now that I plan on just dropping the game and moving on. No way. Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter threw down a mighty gauntlet, but it’s one that I am absolutely determined to pick up and return. This game will be beat by me… come hell or high water.
Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter is available on XBLA for 1200 MS points ($10) or via Steam for $19.99. No matter which way you experience this game, I highly recommend checking it out, even if it’s just a demo. You absolutely will not find a more bizarre FPS available.
[Xbox, Steam, Croteam, Devolver Digital]
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