It also still throws dozens of enemies at you in massive areas without the slightest bit of chugging. When it was originally released, Serious Sam was a throwback to an era and a style of game that never really existed, but should've. Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2012. Actually, there are more reasons to avoid the HD version of The First Encounter than to "upgrade" to it. Featuring dazzling visuals and revamped design, gamers take control of the legendary Sam ‘Serious’ … Also, the audio hasn't been changed at all. When Serious Sam first debuted on the PC in 2001 many gamers were quite enthralled with the title. But perhaps the biggest change has to do with rocket jumping. Croteam obviously kicked this one out the door long before it was ready for primetime. Just a few new frills have been tossed into the mix to upgrade gameplay for a modern audience. Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter. There are a couple of noteworthy cuts and some odd design decisions, though. Everything feels retro given the unabashed dedication to re-creating the mood of such golden-age shooters as DOOM and Duke Nukem 3D, but this is still one of the best run-and-gun games ever made. But it still can't compete with most other modern shooters, with relatively clunky monster models when seen close up and jaggy level scenery, such as the braziers in the Egyptian tombs. If you want a fresh hit of Sam Stone's insanity, you might be best off reinstalling the original game plus its sequels and save yourself 20 bucks. Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter really drives that point home with a spiked gauntlet. Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter does get entertaining once you get over the initial shock of how antiquated the whole experience feels, but running around shooting stuff in the most primitive of senses isn't going to be enough to keep most first-person … Serious Sam: The First Encounter Summary : As Special Forces veteran Serious Sam Stone, you'll travel back in time to early Egypt to stop the dastardly Tah-Um, the very spirit of evil, … Starting the week off, with a review of Serious Sam, developed by Croteam. And you won't have to deal with the tech glitches that can make this new game more frustrating to deal with than a gang of kleer skeletons. Monsters still growl and scream with the same samples used back in 2001, which is a touch disappointing even while you can't help but love hearing that familiar headless bomber shriek. This is the first time that console gamers have gotten a look at the authentic Serious Sam: The First Encounter that was released for the PC. Like the kids say, it's a trip. Sure, in 2009 we expect innovation from even our craziest shooters. This kills some of the fun and changes how you approach parts of some levels, especially those places where you used to head for the high ground right away to get away from hordes of bad guys, like big werebull runs, in a couple of spots. Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter is a great purchase for both fans of the series and newcomers. While you never leave this monster-filled Egyptian city, Serious Sam finds room for surprising architectural variety – underground rivers, dry canyons, yellow obelisks at twilight, dusty … Unsurprisingly, playing with that many people results in incredible scenes of mayhem. All in all, we spent at least six hours struggling with this annoying issue--which, coincidentally, is about the same amount of time it takes to finish the single-player part of the game. A new level or two would … This revamp may not be indispensible because it doesn't bring anything new to the table, aside from snazzier graphics and expanded multiplayer. Still, if you have never experienced Serious Sam before, the HD version is probably the way to go (well, as long as you can get past the bugs). In fact, it results in a little too much mayhem, as games with 10 or more players become so chaotic that you can barely tell where you are. There are fewer examples of solid, instantly gratifying gameplay that you can buy for the money." Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter scored 8/10 on Destructoid, saying: "It looks really good for what it is, and the hardcore, old school shooting action is just as robust as ever. We ran into the main sound glitch noted online where the game crashes constantly due to a bug with audio sample rates. A quick glance at either the Croteam or Steam forums reveals how many gamers are having trouble. If you already have the original game, there aren't any compelling reasons here to make you want to go back for more. The problem is that there are no indications that an active internet connection, a Steam account, and access to the Steam server are required in order for … The serious level editor has also been dropped. Textures on building walls are sharper, skies over … LGR - Serious Sam The First Encounter Review - YouTube This first Serious Sam game is still such a rush! Serious Sam: The First Encounter Review It's a great looking, fun-filled game that has plenty of visceral thrills and absolutely, positively the biggest battles in any shooter to date. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. If you played the original, you pretty much know what you're getting yourself … on January 15, 2010 at 5:09PM PST. The Xbox version retains the original games' off-the-chart intensity levels, and Serious Sam--which was always an arcade game at heart--feels right at home on Microsoft's powerful console. Even if you're a serious lover of Serious Sam, it's impossible to recommend the HD remake of The First Encounter unconditionally. And so it is in Serious Sam HD… There is also some jaggy level scenery, such as the braziers in Egyptian tombs. Some jaw-dropping scenes include the apocalyptic end battle under the stars against a massive demon who seems to tower over the nearby Great Pyramid. This is a straight-up remake of the original Serious Sam in every possible way. platform: pc, xbox 360 (xbla). It might not be the most essential shooter of 2010 for the 360, especially if you played the original game on the PC way back when, although you will certainly have a blast with it if you appreciate mile-a-minute shoot-'em-ups. First one to see the light of day is the HD version of The First Encounter on the PC, through Steams distribution platform. By the time you shout out an order or try to coordinate an attack, ten headless bombers have gone kaboom. The only difference is that it all looks a lot prettier. But you'd still have to look high and low to find another shooter with this much crazy action and attitude. GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers. But the visuals don't change how the game plays at all. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Now this is more like it. The insane plot about Sam "Serious" Stone battling absolutely stupid numbers of bizarre aliens controlled by some villain named Mental is the same. The number of supported players has been cut back from the 16 offered in the PC version of the remake, although this isn't a bad thing because games with this many players are insanely chaotic. on December 3, 2009 at 9:07PM PST. This is just a really professional reskin, of the sort you can find produced by the best mod teams. GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers. So you constantly wheel around strafing at an amazing collection of creepy aliens, including galloping skeletons in black fetish wear, shock troops who keep their heads tucked under one arm, emerald demons juggling fireballs, robot scorpions toting machine guns, and the franchise's now iconic headless suicide bombers that come racing at you screaming with a cartoon bomb in place of each hand. Resident Evil Village Release Date Is May 7, PS4/Xbox One Versions Confirmed, PS5 Restock Updates: Check Latest Stock, Updates, And More, Xbox Series X Restocks: Check Availability Here, By The version of the game released in 2002 for the original Xbox cut down the size of levels and added arcade touches, such as phone-booth save points. The fantastic co-operative mode from the original game has been expanded to support 16 players as well, although now they zip through key moments in each level rather than play through the entire campaign. Now, you simply can't get up that high. 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