Serious Sam 3: BFE

A hugely fun, mega-frenetic co-op shooter that embodies the soul, and depth, of 90s twitch shooters.

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Serious Sam 3: BFE is a fast-paced first-person shooter set in a fictional, ancient Egypt. Armed with a vast arsenal of weapons, players confront hordes of hostile alien creatures in frenetic combat across diverse environments. The game features single-player and multiplayer modes, with expansive level design and challenging enemy encounters that emphasize action and survival.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 8,152 reviews

graphics409 positive mentions

grinding78 negative mentions

graphics
882 mentions
46 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Serious Sam 3: BFE" have received mixed reviews, with many praising the detailed visuals and impressive engine capabilities for its time, particularly in 2011. However, some players criticize the game's color palette as dull and repetitive, noting that the environments lack variety and can obscure gameplay due to excessive dust and smoke effects. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered a step up from previous entries, they are often seen as a double-edged sword, enhancing the experience but sometimes detracting from the classic fun of the series.
- “Incredibly beautiful graphics, Egypt looks gorgeous and the music complements the ambience of Egypt.”
- “The graphics are detailed and the character and enemy designs are nice; it's just that it lacks variety.”
- “The graphics are sharp, and the game runs smoothly, even during intense action scenes.”
- “The visuals are, for lack of a better word, beige.”
- “For a game relying so heavily on spectacle, the graphics often seem to be working against it, and the color palette feels washed out rather than vibrant or atmospheric.”
- “The graphics are grey, mediocre and uninteresting.”
gameplay
827 mentions
30 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Serious Sam 3 has received mixed reviews, with many praising its fast-paced, chaotic action and nostalgic run-and-gun mechanics reminiscent of classic shooters. However, some players criticize the introduction of modern mechanics like reloading and sprinting, which they feel disrupt the flow of gameplay and detract from the series' original charm. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable co-op experiences and a variety of enemies, it can become repetitive and lacks the depth and variety some players desire.
- “The gameplay consists of linear levels with generally large scale battles against many different types of enemies.”
- “It's a fun game, various guns that are well balanced and each work their best for specific situations and enemies; it's fast-paced, no health regen yet fairly balanced gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is fast-paced and the gunplay is nice, save for a few things.”
- “Which is great if you're into that, but for me, the repetitive 'move and shoot' gameplay quickly became boring.”
- “It doesn't do anything to surprise you or shake up its gameplay other than a few puzzles of collecting things scattered around a level.”
- “The gameplay is so boring that even an insomniac person will fall asleep.”
story
796 mentions
21 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The story in "Serious Sam 3: BFE" is generally considered weak and often serves merely as a backdrop for the game's action, with many players noting that it lacks depth and coherence. While some appreciate the attempt at humor and character development, most agree that the narrative is simplistic and forgettable, focusing primarily on chaotic gameplay rather than a compelling plot. Overall, the game is best enjoyed for its fast-paced shooting mechanics rather than its storyline.
- “Even the story is surprisingly good in this one; the writing never feels wasted and the voice performances are great.”
- “The game tells the story before the first game, Serious Sam: The First Encounter, and I think it tells it very well and connects well to the story.”
- “The story is simple but effective - aliens invade, lots of nasty critters, turn on and go to the time travel doodad and connect up to the first encounter to save Earth.”
- “There's not much to the story, though, and you might find Sam's cocky growly voice annoying.”
- “The story is paper-thin with Sam trying to stop an alien invasion, that’s it.”
- “The story is bland and unexciting.”
humor
506 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it entertaining and reminiscent of earlier titles in the series, while others feel it falls flat or is less effective than in previous installments. Many appreciate the protagonist Sam's one-liners and the absurdity of the gameplay, but some criticize the humor as repetitive or lacking depth. Overall, the game maintains a blend of chaotic action and comedic elements, though opinions vary on its execution and impact.
- “The game’s fast-paced combat system and challenging puzzles will keep you on your toes, while the game’s witty dialogue and memorable characters will keep you laughing.”
- “The game takes itself so seriously in its ridiculousness that it becomes a hilarious masterpiece.”
- “Funny melee finishers like ripping rocketeer heart out or gnaar eye, or tearing face from scrapjack.”
- “It's not funny or clever.”
- “Levels near the end of the game are just unfunny and without innovation.”
- “It's not funny bad like bad rats, it's boring bad.”
music
366 mentions
46 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its energetic heavy metal soundtrack that complements the fast-paced action and chaotic gameplay. While some players find the music to be a perfect fit for the intense battles, others criticize it for being repetitive and occasionally distracting. Overall, the soundtrack is often highlighted as a standout feature, enhancing the game's atmosphere and excitement, despite some complaints about its lack of variety.
- “The soundtrack is, as always, a Croatian masterpiece combining heavy, drum-pounding rock with eastern percussion and wind instruments.”
- “The music is just awesome.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing, the gore is pretty nice and co-op still can be fun.”
- “Camera shake, color scheme, textures, music, sounds, everything makes you nauseous within an hour of gameplay.”
- “The music is repetitive and irritating to listen to.”
- “The battle music is slow-paced, way too generic, and the way it sloppily cuts in and out at the sign of any enemies is awful.”
optimization
130 mentions
35 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
28 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and poor responsiveness, even on modern hardware. While some users noted that the game can run smoothly with the right settings and tweaks, others found it frustratingly unoptimized, leading to a less enjoyable experience. Overall, the game's performance is inconsistent, with some praising its graphics and potential for good performance, while others criticize it as poorly optimized and demanding.
- “The graphics are sharp, and the game runs smoothly, even during intense action scenes.”
- “Awesome game, and the VR is well optimized for this version as well!”
- “The serious engine 3.5 is optimized very well, while load times can be a tad long.”
- “The optimization for this game is also pretty bad.”
- “I have a modern PC and the game is poorly optimized. I remember in Nubia there was a place with a water pool, and whenever I looked at it, my frames were dropping to around 25, while I was averaging around 40-70 fps in a not-so-good-looking graphically game. It was really jarring and irritating to play, having a slideshow in such intense gameplay.”
- “This game has some serious performance issues for what seems to me, no reason.”
grinding
85 mentions
1 % positive mentions
7 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its repetitiveness and tedium, with many players feeling that the gameplay becomes monotonous due to the constant waves of similar enemies and uninspired level design. While some appreciate the nostalgic feel and find enjoyment in the chaos, the overwhelming consensus is that the game can feel like a tedious chore, especially in later levels where variety is lacking. Overall, players recommend approaching the game with a friend to mitigate the grind and enhance the experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The reality is it's all tedious beyond belief and you can really feel you are just thrown in a cut/paste asset dumpster fire with minimal thought of how things are laid out.”
- “The game becomes tedious after a while; it's the same enemies appearing over and over in massive waves, not many new weapons, not enough puzzles or tricky stunts like the previous ones had.”
- “I wanted to like this game, for it does so many things right, but the enemy and weapon design just makes the game feel so ridiculously tedious and unfun to play in certain places.”
replayability
53 mentions
47 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits a mixed reception regarding replayability. Many players find it highly replayable due to its engaging multiplayer modes, modding support, and the variety of challenges and secrets available, while others feel that the campaign lacks sufficient depth to warrant multiple playthroughs. Despite some criticisms, the general consensus leans towards a positive replay value, especially for those who enjoy co-op gameplay and modding opportunities.
- “Very replayable, fun, great weapons with great sound effects, smart AI, aliens are interesting and quirky.”
- “There is a lot of good multiplayer and workshop support with this title, but even replaying just the campaign again will give a lot of replay value.”
- “Lastly, the icing on the cake and the cherry on top, this game comes with a modding workshop, which turns the already-endless replayability up to an 11.”
- “I haven't tried that much of multiplayer, but from what I played, the game has some variety for co-op and versus. Some modes were really fun to play, to be honest, I feel that this can sum up more to the replayability factor.”
- “Ss3 is much shorter than 2, and slightly shorter than the first and second encounter. This means that the game doesn't drag itself out too much and ends when it feels right, making it more replayable than other games in the series and less tedious towards the end.”
- “It was a good ride, but I do not think it has much replay value.”
atmosphere
43 mentions
40 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its unique blend of humor and serious tones, while others criticize the graphics and color palette as dull and uninviting. Sound design and music are highlighted as strong points that enhance the atmosphere, but many feel that the level design lacks the distinct vibes of earlier titles, leading to a less immersive experience. Overall, while there are moments of atmospheric brilliance, many players find it inconsistent and lacking compared to previous entries in the series.
- “The atmosphere of the game is very much owed to the sound design, which is phenomenal.”
- “The game has a unique atmosphere with delicate humor inside.”
- “There is tons of action, of course, with cazillions of enemies to battle, especially on the higher difficulty levels, but there is also a good deal of exploration and discovery, together with beautiful and atmospheric sceneries - the post-apocalyptic cities and towns are incredible.”
- “All the classic atmosphere is gone, at least for the first part.”
- “You can change the colors of this game - but it ruins the atmosphere completely.”
- “There's also the atmosphere that I think isn't as strong as in the first games; the first game's levels each had their own vibe, coupled with a rhythmic and sometimes moody soundtrack, but in SS3, while there is a kickass OST, a lot of the levels share the same vibes, which makes certain levels feel like the same as the others.”
stability
37 mentions
19 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
81 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a range of bugs and glitches, including frame rate drops and game-breaking issues. While some users noted improvements and smooth performance on certain systems, others expressed frustration with persistent glitches and AI problems. Overall, the game appears to be a mix of enjoyable gameplay marred by technical issues, with ongoing updates from developers addressing some concerns.
- “Runs great on my Linux (Ubuntu 18.04) gaming rig.”
- “Serious Engine 3.5 runs great even with having to render so many polygons on each character, and having those characters come in swarms of dozens, even hundreds.”
- “Also really well optimized and runs great!”
- “The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs and glitches.”
- “Too many bugs and glitches, a huge letdown to the Serious Sam franchise.”
- “One potential problem, though: even on my relatively beefy PC, the game stutters, stalls, and freezes.”
monetization
18 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with players noting the introduction of modern mechanics like sprinting, aiming down sights (ADS), and reloading, which some feel disrupts the classic Serious Sam formula. While these features are integrated into gameplay without making it overly reliant on them, many players find them out of place and detracting from the traditional fast-paced action and exploration that the series is known for. Overall, the reception highlights a tension between embracing new mechanics and preserving the franchise's original charm.
- “Worst of all, they added reloading and ads to the game.”
- “Weapons with ads and reloading feel really out of place in a game like Serious Sam.”
- “While it does shake up the Serious Sam formula with sprinting, ads, and reloading on some weapons, it also has a generic and not colorful color palette like many shooters from the late 2000s to early 2010s.”
emotional
17 mentions
88 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its deep character development and heartfelt storytelling, while others find the narrative lacking and boring. Many highlight the balance between humor and emotional depth, suggesting that the game offers a unique experience that can resonate deeply with players, despite some criticisms of its overall plot. Overall, it appears to evoke strong feelings, making it a memorable journey for those who appreciate emotional narratives.
- “This is one of the most heartbreaking and well-written games of the century.”
- “I would recommend this heartfelt emotional journey to everyone.”
- “One of the most emotionally deep and moving games I've ever played.”
- “Boring story.”
- “Quite a boring storyline, but the voice acting and cinematics add a pinch of sarcasm that spices things up.”
character development
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
-20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is described as dramatically emotional and relatable, particularly through the character of Samuel, whose journey is filled with humor and depth. However, some reviewers feel that the character design choices may lack coherence, suggesting a disconnect between the game's serious themes and its comedic elements. Overall, while the character development elicits strong feelings, it may not resonate with all players due to its unconventional approach.
- “Good balance of difficulty, good character design, and good gore effects!”
- “All of this goodness is spliced in with some of the most dramatic character development ever fathomed, with Samuel being overflowing with emotion, determination, wholesome relatability, and humor, making the player feel a deep connection to the character.”
- “Same environment, story, character design, and seriousness, which adds to the overall experience and enjoyment of the game.”
- “Rather, I feel like the character designer/team lead made this design choice under some serious influence of alcohol.”
- “All of this goodness is spliced in with some of the most dramatic character development ever fathomed by a college dropout from some hole in Europe, with Samuel being so overflowing with emotion, determination, wholesome relatability, and butt jokes from 2006, that when the game ends, there is a 78% chance the player will promptly feel despair because they cannot fathom a world in which Cereal Sam is not by their side.”
- “Old-school (sod storyline, mindset or Aristotelian character development, just shoot everything that moves).”