Version tested: PlayStation 4 (played on PlayStation 5 through backwards compatibility)
The shooter genre has returned to its former glory. DOOM of 2016, it was the forerunner title, thanks to innovative mechanics and a frenetic and gory gameplay, all accompanied by incredibly refined sounds. Its sequel, DOOM Eternal, has only perfected the good showy in the previous chapter, so much so that it is considered one of the best fps of recent years.
Then there are titles like Far Cry 5 that overlap RPG elements and open world elements to first person shooter action to create more compelling and deeper experiences. But if you're looking for a no-nonsense first-person shooter, there's something appealing about the simplicity of the series Serious Sam.
Putting yourself in the shoes of Sam “Serious” Stone, there are no puzzles to solve or a particularly inspired story, nor do you have to worry about developing your character. It will be just you, a large number of guns and more enemies than you've probably ever faced before.
Finally available on console, Serious Sam Collection groups the first three games in the series Serious Sam. Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter, Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter and its Legend of the Beast expansion e Serious Sam 3: BFE along with its Jewel of the Nile expansion.
Serious Sam 2 is mysteriously missing, perhaps because it is not qualitatively comparable to the other main chapters, while Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter and Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter are actually remakes that maintain the original gameplay but with a significant visual restyling.
In any case, all you need to know is that they are the best iterations of Serious Sam that you can play.
Story
The story that is told through the three chapters is easily ignored. We are faced with a not too distant future, at the height of an apocalypse. After completely depleting the natural resources of planet Earth, humanity is one step away from extinction. The situation now seems compromised but a strange discovery will change the cards on the table. During an archaeological expedition, an ancient device of unknown origin is brought to light. The mysterious artifact seems to be the result of an advanced alien civilization and - in a short time - allows humanity to make an unprecedented technological leap.
Unfortunately, the progress does not go unnoticed Mental, an alien tyrant fueled by an insatiable hunger: exterminate all life in the universe. In short, the terrestrial people in a moment pass from the stars to the stables and find themselves catapulted into an intergalactic war with an infinity of bloody aliens. The conflict lasts for three years and unfortunately, humanity is crushed forcefully by the invaders. Fortunately, the end has not yet come, the hopes of an entire planet are pinned on Sam “Serious” Stone, the last bastion against Mental and his gigantic army.
gameplay
In each game you will start with a simple pistol and you will be faced with a slight resistance. But as your arsenal begins to improve, so do the hordes of enemies to face. Each type of opponent requires specific tactics to overcome and ultimately, although not at the same level as the more famous DOOM or Duke Nukem, things can get very chaotic. But this is where the real fun lies. Fighting for your life is absolutely exhilarating. And emerging victorious can often lead to euphoria not unlike defeating a Demon's Souls boss, especially if you play on one of the higher difficulties.
Part of the appeal of these games, and of the Serious Sam series as a whole, is the juxtaposition of stunning real world settings, wacky enemies and comedic jokes. In Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter, players will find themselves fighting in Egypt, marching and strafing large areas of the map to take down hordes of enemies they will soon be familiar with.
Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter instead takes Sam to explore different scenic locations over numerous time periods, before Serious Sam 3: BFE takes him back to Egypt, but before the events of the first game.
Essentially the first and second chapter have the same mechanics and the same level design. However, some changes were introduced in Serious Sam 3: BFE. The levels - at least the initial ones - are tighter. Even more interesting, Sam can aim low and sprint. Although the fact that you cannot shoot while running and that you move much slower while aiming down means that you may end up using both functions sparingly. Serious Sam 3: BFE also lets you perform some fun melee attacks on enemies.
Co-op and other modalities
While all of the Serious Sam games included in this collection are great fun when played alone, they become truly unique when played in co-op. Both online and split-screen co-op modes are available, and players can fight their way through campaigns or take on Self-contained Survival mode. Competitive multiplayer is also included, in case you want to get involved in some Deathmatch action and more. It goes without saying that there are hours and hours of single and multiplayer fun to experience, all at a budget price ($ 29,99).
Graphics and technique
This Collection is basically a port of the versions published on PC. Incredibly, it also has two options to choose from: graphics (a 30 FPS) or performance (which reduces the visual rendering and brings the game to 60 fps). Settings that in our opinion are not understandable on the new machines from Microsoft and Sony. It's baffling that you can't run these games at 60 frames per second with all graphics options turned on. These are re-editions of games, which in addition to having many years behind them, have negligible requirements on PC and could run practically smoothly on various devices.
There is no excuse for the collection not being optimized to the fullest. It does not even present the patch for Xbox Series X / S and PlayStation 5, although it was published close to the release of the same. When the performance mode on PS5 is set, the game is a bit blurry but at least it runs at 60fps. In graphics mode, it looks about the same as it did on a 30-year-old PC but is limited to XNUMX fps.
Furthermore, it is not uncommon to be faced with annoying effects of stuttering that although they do not particularly undermine the gaming experience, they can make you turn up your nose, especially when you are faced with game scenarios full of enemies.
Final comment
For those who love old-fashioned, action-packed first-person shooters, where taking cover is frowned upon in favor of defeating attackers while unleashing a hail of bullets, Serious Sam Collection is a must have. There are so many contents and every fight is nothing short of crazy, everything is further embellished by wonderfully panoramic environments.
And while the gameplay is never complicated and may seem a little repetitive, it has stood the test of time. Serious Sam 4 is certainly the most modern chapter with greater depth, but the titles included in the Serious Sam Collection - net of a not exactly excellent optimization - offer just as much fun.
