Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter (XBLA) Review
Posted by Trace Aber on 09.30.2010
Serious Sam continues his hunt for the evil overlord Mental, but does that equate to serious fun? Check out Trace Aber's review to find out!
Game: Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter
Genre: First Person Shooter
Players: 1-8
Developer: Croteam
Publisher: Majesco
Rated M for Mature
The Serious Sam series initially debuted back in 2001, during a time in which first person shooters were becoming increasingly realistic. While this is all good and well, sometimes just sitting down and blasting enemy after enemy with whatever weapon you can find is all the fun one needs. Croteam realized this and released a game that did just that – pit you against incredible odds and placed you in situations where death seems to be the only option. It was pure, chaotic fun. Fast forward nine years later, and we’re seeing HD remakes being released, with the Second Encounter being remade using the Serious Engine 3. But does the old formula hold up still today?
Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter picks up right where the previous game left off, where Sam’s vehicle is hit and sent crashing back down to Earth, except lands in the Mayan age. Thankfully, the Sirians, where Sam was initially travelling to, left a back-up ship on Earth and Sam must now find it, scattered throughout various time periods. So it’s not the most interesting story in the world – you shouldn’t be playing this game if that’s what you’re into. No, Serious Sam is more about killing everything in your path, no matter how hard it might be.
And it ain’t easy
Croteam sticks to their original vision of going back to the golden days of FPS by sending wave after wave of enemies after you – all of which have various strengths and weakeness. Some are huge, towering beasts that charge at you while others will chase you down with bombs in their hands…all while not having a head! The enemies are wild and varied and always keep you on your toes, especially any enemy in this game that flies. They will come at you in ridiculous numbers, and level progression typical occurs after defeating a certain number of enemies. There might be some strategy to employ when taking them out, but “shooting everything that moves” seems to work better than anything else.
Any first person shooter worth its stock has plenty of weapons for players to choose from, and the Second Encounter is no different. Weapons range from the lowly pistol to the badass chainsaw to the “is this really necessary” rocket launcher. By the way, the answer is, “Yes, it really is necessary.” Every time Sam picks up a weapon he’ll say a humorous line, then continue on killing hundreds of poor, tortured creatures. Weaponry is not designed to replicate their real-world counterparts and instead have been designed to create the most fun, so get ready to destroy enemies from a hundred yards away with a shotgun.
During his adventure, Sam will explore a variety of areas, ranging from close, tight-knit corridors to huge open fields that allow for maximum carnage. Due to the time traveling aspect of the game, the locations are a lot more varied than in the First Encounter, though some of the spots are noticeable more drab and boring looking. Overall though, each level is fun to play and challenging enough to keep you interested. Thankfully, Croteam implemented a quick save button that is usable at anytime. You’re going to want to use that a lot if you plan on beating this game in a timely manner.
I like to pretend those are just huge speakers and he’s surprising me with a huge dance party. But then they just turn out to be rockets.
One of the most disappointing things about the Second Encounter is the audio. Seeing as how the game was originally designed as a slightly-more expensive budget title, the sound effects aren’t exactly top notch and really show the game’s age. And it’s not a nice retro trip like the sounds of Doom are – it’s just kind of grating. Unfortunately, you’re going to have to deal with it because sometimes sound is the only way to determine which way death is attacking you.
The HD remake also includes several new multiplayer modes, including survival, capture the flag, and co-op, all of which act as nice diversions from the standard single-player game.
Pros
-New multiplayer modes
-Really benefits from the HD makeover
-Quick save feature
-Old-school FPS feeling
Cons
-Can become a chore after long periods of play
-Enemies can sometimes be extremely cheap
The 411
Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter is not going to be for everyone, and if you’ve never played an old-school FPS this game probably isn’t for you. But if you miss the days when realistic physics and real time bullet damage didn’t determine how good a game was, then you’ll want to pick this up. The new multiplayer modes are a nice addition and the HD remake helps the game to look more modern. Croteam didn’t mess with their formula and, when played in small doses, the formula is a success. Play it too long, however, and be prepared to get sick and tired of being outnumbered by the evil alien monsters.
Graphics
8.0
The HD remake really makes the game look great, though sometimes the game shows its age
Gameplay
7.5
While it may follow a simple formula, the formula itself is extremely fun
Sound
5.0
Easily the weakest part of the game, you'll want to keep the volume down on this
Lasting Appeal
7.0
The online modes are fun to play and the main story will keep you entertained long enough to get your money's worth
Fun Factor
9.0
It's not the most complex game, nor is it all that varied, but in this case the pure fun this game gives trumps all
