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<div style="float: left; padding: 3px;"><img src="http://images.totalgamingnetwork.com/images/thumb_sshd_box.jpg" border="0"></div>Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter (PC)
Release Date: Nov 24, 2009
Reviewed On: PC
Also Available On: Xbox Live Arcade
Developer: Croteam
Publisher: Devolver Digital
ESRB Rating: Mature - Blood and Gore, Violence
PEGI Rating: 18+
OFLC Rating: Unclassified
It's not uncommon for exceptional video games to simply erode away as time goes on, eventually to be forgotten completely. As a result, it's easy to get excited when a well executed remake of an exceptional title from the past comes along. Serious Sam, a title well worth remembering, has received its opportunity to be remembered again as we review it's verbatim remake; Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter.
Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter is the first of two remakes, set to deliver the same story and gameplay the original brought to the table, only in a younger, more modern exterior. Will this remake be appreciated by both diehard fans of the series and gamers who knew not of its existence?
Story:
The story in Serious Sam is rather original when compared to other games. Sure, it still has that cliché 'one hero must save the world by themselves' dead horse, but there's also a unique twist to the story.
The humans, having discovered ancient but powerful technology from a previous civilization, have managed to traverse the universe. It's all going well until a mysterious and seemingly endless army of creatures comes and drives them back, all the way to Earth. With Earth under attack, their last chance is to send someone back in time to prevent this technology from ever being retrieved. However, when Sam gets there, he finds the same enemies he was sent back in time to save Earth from in the first place.
Collecting your first element
Throughout the game, the story is complemented by NETRICSA. The 'Neurotronically Implanted Combat Situation Analyzer' provides players with more in-depth info about weapons and enemies, and provides helpful hints about any situation you might be in.
For the most part, however, the story stays out of your way. It does a good job of providing an explanation for why things are happening, but at the same time, you don't have to sit through cut-scene after cut-scene to understand the situations Sam finds himself in.
Gameplay:
As with all games in the Serious Sam series, Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter buys its baddies in bulk. The original Serious Sam title earned its fame by overwhelming players with ridiculous numbers of on-screen enemies. While these numbers aren't as impressive in a modern title, they still provide an insane amount of action.
Serious Sam doesn't just have a lot of enemies; it also has a lot of different kinds of enemies. Everything, from headless grunts and bear-sized monsters to giant mechs and robotic bulls, will all chase you down to kill you.
Harpies fill the sky
If the amount of enemies this game throws at you hasn't made your jaw drop, the sheer size of some of them will. Some of the monsters in this title could fight in Godzilla's weight class, and you're expected to take them on with nothing but your weaponry on your side.
This rocket launcher suddenly seems inadequate
Having large enemies in large numbers requires some serious firepower, which the game undoubtedly provides. Serious Sam HD gives players all sorts of different weapons, including a giant cannon which shoots rolling cannonballs. Most of the weapons aren't things you haven't seen before, though the game still gives the player a wide arsenal to pick from.
Unfortunately for gamers accustomed to newer titles, Serious Sam HD lacks some of the more sophisticated gameplay features of modern first person shooters. For the most part, the gameplay can be summarized as 'shoot anything that moves and hope you don't die'. Players used to seeking shelter behind cover will quickly notice that there isn't any, and there's no such thing as being stealthy in this game. While there are secret areas containing weapons and power ups, the game has an extremely arcade-style 'run and gun' feel to it.
Graphics:
One thing this title does an excellent job of is looking good while still feeling like Serious Sam. The graphics are modernized when compared to the original Serious Sam title, yet it still looks and feels like The First Encounter. The most noticeable improvement is the models. They're highly realistic and very well defined, while still being reminiscent of the original models. That's not to say everything else is lacking, though. Everything, from the rockets and explosions to the textures and lighting, has been revamped.
It's easy to walk into an ambush in Serious Sam HD
One of the more interesting new features is the 'color mode' option. You can now pick from several color modes which can turn the scene's ambiance to horror-movie black and white, a bright sunny day, or anything in between.
If you're looking for bleeding-edge, next-gen graphics that will make your video card melt, this title will disappoint. However, if all you want is a title that looks great and feels as new as the original did when it first showed up in 2001, Serious Sam HD more than delivers. The graphics aren't the best around, but there honestly isn't much a serious fan could possibly want done differently.
Audio:
The audio in Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter gets the job done, but there's not a lot more to say about it. The music is catchy, and the gun sounds are fitting, but it isn't anything extraordinary. Sam does have some entertaining catch phrases, though, which seldom fail to add humor to the game.
The audio does do a good job of indicating when enemies are around. The music goes from mellow to intense when enemies appear, and each type of enemy makes their own specific noise. You know there's a raging bull after you when you hear its heavy foot fall.
Multiplayer:
Multiplayer in this title is limited to a co-op version of the story campaign. However, with up to 16 players online, the co-op multiplayer can be extremely fun and chaotic. The only major shortcoming of the co-op multiplayer is the limited amount of interaction between players. Players work together to bring down the enemies, but they can mostly just mind their own business and go about their own mindless killing without caring what anybody else is doing.
Lava bad!
There aren't a ton of servers to choose from at the moment, though. When I searched for servers, there were only a handful to choose from. This shouldn't be an issue in the near future though, as Croteam is supposedly working adding dedicated servers, as well as deathmatch, with a patch. Hopefully this will add more depth to the multiplayer experience, as currently there isn't a lot for players to do.
Summary:
For those who haven't played a Serious Sam game before, or those wishing to recollect the joys of older titles, Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter makes an excellent piece of entertainment. Being a remake of a 2001 title, it's nowhere near as long or in-depth as many modern titles, but it also has a price point of only $20. With games costing $60 these days, it's easy to appreciate the value in a title like Serious Sam HD. It delivers highly fun, unique gameplay and enjoyable visuals at a seriously low price point. Diehard fans will like the fact that virtually nothing has changed, while gamers who are new to the series won't find the title too dated to enjoy.
Release Date: Nov 24, 2009
Reviewed On: PC
Also Available On: Xbox Live Arcade
Developer: Croteam
Publisher: Devolver Digital
ESRB Rating: Mature - Blood and Gore, Violence
PEGI Rating: 18+
OFLC Rating: Unclassified
It's not uncommon for exceptional video games to simply erode away as time goes on, eventually to be forgotten completely. As a result, it's easy to get excited when a well executed remake of an exceptional title from the past comes along. Serious Sam, a title well worth remembering, has received its opportunity to be remembered again as we review it's verbatim remake; Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter.
Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter is the first of two remakes, set to deliver the same story and gameplay the original brought to the table, only in a younger, more modern exterior. Will this remake be appreciated by both diehard fans of the series and gamers who knew not of its existence?
Story:
The story in Serious Sam is rather original when compared to other games. Sure, it still has that cliché 'one hero must save the world by themselves' dead horse, but there's also a unique twist to the story.
The humans, having discovered ancient but powerful technology from a previous civilization, have managed to traverse the universe. It's all going well until a mysterious and seemingly endless army of creatures comes and drives them back, all the way to Earth. With Earth under attack, their last chance is to send someone back in time to prevent this technology from ever being retrieved. However, when Sam gets there, he finds the same enemies he was sent back in time to save Earth from in the first place.
Collecting your first element
Throughout the game, the story is complemented by NETRICSA. The 'Neurotronically Implanted Combat Situation Analyzer' provides players with more in-depth info about weapons and enemies, and provides helpful hints about any situation you might be in.
For the most part, however, the story stays out of your way. It does a good job of providing an explanation for why things are happening, but at the same time, you don't have to sit through cut-scene after cut-scene to understand the situations Sam finds himself in.
Gameplay:
As with all games in the Serious Sam series, Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter buys its baddies in bulk. The original Serious Sam title earned its fame by overwhelming players with ridiculous numbers of on-screen enemies. While these numbers aren't as impressive in a modern title, they still provide an insane amount of action.
Serious Sam doesn't just have a lot of enemies; it also has a lot of different kinds of enemies. Everything, from headless grunts and bear-sized monsters to giant mechs and robotic bulls, will all chase you down to kill you.
Harpies fill the sky
If the amount of enemies this game throws at you hasn't made your jaw drop, the sheer size of some of them will. Some of the monsters in this title could fight in Godzilla's weight class, and you're expected to take them on with nothing but your weaponry on your side.
This rocket launcher suddenly seems inadequate
Having large enemies in large numbers requires some serious firepower, which the game undoubtedly provides. Serious Sam HD gives players all sorts of different weapons, including a giant cannon which shoots rolling cannonballs. Most of the weapons aren't things you haven't seen before, though the game still gives the player a wide arsenal to pick from.
Unfortunately for gamers accustomed to newer titles, Serious Sam HD lacks some of the more sophisticated gameplay features of modern first person shooters. For the most part, the gameplay can be summarized as 'shoot anything that moves and hope you don't die'. Players used to seeking shelter behind cover will quickly notice that there isn't any, and there's no such thing as being stealthy in this game. While there are secret areas containing weapons and power ups, the game has an extremely arcade-style 'run and gun' feel to it.
Graphics:
One thing this title does an excellent job of is looking good while still feeling like Serious Sam. The graphics are modernized when compared to the original Serious Sam title, yet it still looks and feels like The First Encounter. The most noticeable improvement is the models. They're highly realistic and very well defined, while still being reminiscent of the original models. That's not to say everything else is lacking, though. Everything, from the rockets and explosions to the textures and lighting, has been revamped.
It's easy to walk into an ambush in Serious Sam HD
One of the more interesting new features is the 'color mode' option. You can now pick from several color modes which can turn the scene's ambiance to horror-movie black and white, a bright sunny day, or anything in between.
If you're looking for bleeding-edge, next-gen graphics that will make your video card melt, this title will disappoint. However, if all you want is a title that looks great and feels as new as the original did when it first showed up in 2001, Serious Sam HD more than delivers. The graphics aren't the best around, but there honestly isn't much a serious fan could possibly want done differently.
Audio:
The audio in Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter gets the job done, but there's not a lot more to say about it. The music is catchy, and the gun sounds are fitting, but it isn't anything extraordinary. Sam does have some entertaining catch phrases, though, which seldom fail to add humor to the game.
The audio does do a good job of indicating when enemies are around. The music goes from mellow to intense when enemies appear, and each type of enemy makes their own specific noise. You know there's a raging bull after you when you hear its heavy foot fall.
Multiplayer:
Multiplayer in this title is limited to a co-op version of the story campaign. However, with up to 16 players online, the co-op multiplayer can be extremely fun and chaotic. The only major shortcoming of the co-op multiplayer is the limited amount of interaction between players. Players work together to bring down the enemies, but they can mostly just mind their own business and go about their own mindless killing without caring what anybody else is doing.
Lava bad!
There aren't a ton of servers to choose from at the moment, though. When I searched for servers, there were only a handful to choose from. This shouldn't be an issue in the near future though, as Croteam is supposedly working adding dedicated servers, as well as deathmatch, with a patch. Hopefully this will add more depth to the multiplayer experience, as currently there isn't a lot for players to do.
Summary:
For those who haven't played a Serious Sam game before, or those wishing to recollect the joys of older titles, Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter makes an excellent piece of entertainment. Being a remake of a 2001 title, it's nowhere near as long or in-depth as many modern titles, but it also has a price point of only $20. With games costing $60 these days, it's easy to appreciate the value in a title like Serious Sam HD. It delivers highly fun, unique gameplay and enjoyable visuals at a seriously low price point. Diehard fans will like the fact that virtually nothing has changed, while gamers who are new to the series won't find the title too dated to enjoy.
Story: 7.5/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Graphics: 8/10
Audio: 7.5/10
Multiplayer: 7.5/10
Total Gaming Network Rating: 7.5/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Graphics: 8/10
Audio: 7.5/10
Multiplayer: 7.5/10
Total Gaming Network Rating: 7.5/10