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Serious Sam 3: BFE

A hugely fun, mega-frenetic co-op shooter that embodies the soul, and depth, of 90s twitch shooters.
Serious Sam 3: BFE Game Cover
81%Game Brain Score
graphics, gameplay
grinding, stability
86% User Score Based on 8,378 reviews
Critic Score 67%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

Playstation 3LinuxXbox 360PCMac OSXboxWindowsPlayStation
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Serious Sam 3: BFE Game Cover

About

Serious Sam 3: BFE is a single player and multiplayer shooter game with warfare, comedy and science fiction themes. It was developed by Croteam and was released on November 22, 2011. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

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
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Serious Sam 3: BFE screenshot
Serious Sam 3: BFE screenshot
Serious Sam 3: BFE screenshot
Serious Sam 3: BFE screenshot
Serious Sam 3: BFE screenshot
Serious Sam 3: BFE screenshot
Serious Sam 3: BFE screenshot
Serious Sam 3: BFE screenshot
Serious Sam 3: BFE screenshot
Serious Sam 3: BFE screenshot
Serious Sam 3: BFE screenshot
+7
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86%
Audience ScoreBased on 8,378 reviews
graphics414 positive mentions
grinding80 negative mentions
  • Fast-paced gameplay with intense action and hordes of enemies to defeat.
  • Variety of weapons and satisfying gunplay that keeps the combat engaging.
  • Humorous one-liners and character interactions add charm to the experience.
  • Repetitive level design and environments that can feel bland and monotonous.
  • Introduction of reloading mechanics and sprinting detracts from the classic Serious Sam formula.
  • Some enemies, like the flying ones and the Witch Bride, can be frustrating to deal with.
  • graphics
    911 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Serious Sam 3: BFE" have received mixed reviews, with many praising the significant improvements over previous titles, including detailed textures and dynamic lighting. However, some players criticize the game's aesthetic for being bland and lacking the vibrant colors of earlier entries, while others note performance issues and visibility problems due to excessive dust and smoke effects. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good for their time, opinions vary on their effectiveness in enhancing the gameplay experience.

    • “The game's graphics showcase a significant leap from its predecessors, with richly detailed textures, dynamic lighting, and impressive particle effects that enhance the chaotic combat scenarios.”
    • “Incredibly beautiful graphics, Egypt looks gorgeous and the music complements the ambience of Egypt.”
    • “The graphics have seen significant improvements compared to earlier titles, making the experience even more enjoyable.”
    • “The graphics aren't just dated (which is fine), they're bad.”
    • “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 the first obvious improvements.”
  • gameplay
    882 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Serious Sam 3: Before First Encounter retains the classic run-and-gun mechanics that fans expect, featuring fast-paced action against hordes of enemies. While some players appreciate the introduction of modern mechanics like sprinting and reloading, others feel these changes disrupt the flow of the game, leading to a more repetitive experience. Overall, the game balances nostalgia with new elements, offering a chaotic and engaging shooter experience, though opinions vary on the effectiveness of its level design and pacing.

    • “The gameplay is classic Serious Sam—nonstop action, massive hordes of enemies, and over-the-top weapons.”
    • “The game masterfully balances old-school gameplay with modern graphical enhancements and level design, resulting in a fast-paced, brutally fun shooter that challenges players to rely on reflexes, strategic movement, and sheer firepower.”
    • “Unlike modern shooters that emphasize cover mechanics, this game encourages aggressive run-and-gun gameplay that feels incredibly liberating.”
    • “The gameplay introduces reloading, which, in theory, sounds like a fine mechanic to add to Serious Sam, but the level design doesn't really accommodate for the time it takes to reload your guns, especially weapons like the shotgun, so you'll often find yourself being attacked by loads of enemies while you wait for Sam to finish his reload animation.”
    • “The gameplay is repetitive as hell; healing is too limited, most healing is 1 health while you scramble around for more being swarmed by hundreds of enemies. Bosses, when you reach them, will one-shot you. Level designs are just confusing; it's fun for the first 30 minutes or so, after that it's just boring and frustrating.”
    • “The gameplay flow is also pretty off; I never got that feeling I would have in other similar shooters where the intensity and difficulty is just right, where levels are well-paced and contain set-pieces that complement the gameplay.”
  • story
    822 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Serious Sam 3: BFE" is generally considered minimal and serves primarily as a backdrop for the action, with players noting its simplicity and lack of depth. While it attempts to provide a prequel narrative that connects to earlier games in the series, many reviewers feel that the plot is forgettable and often overshadowed by the chaotic gameplay. Despite its comedic elements and occasional humor, the storyline is not the main draw, with most players focusing on the fast-paced shooting and monster-slaying rather than the narrative itself.

    • “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, but the story is not at the forefront in this game, so you don't need to take it so seriously. If you are curious, you can learn everything including the story on the wiki pages.”
    • “The story is simple and it's not the game's main purpose, but it does its job, providing context for the action and keeping the gameplay engaging.”
    • “Even the story is surprisingly good in this one; the writing never feels wasted and the voice performances are great.”
    • “There's barely a plot here.”
    • “The plot mostly serves as a backdrop for the action, and some players might feel that it doesn’t offer enough depth to keep them invested outside of the gameplay.”
    • “The story is paper-thin with Sam trying to stop an alien invasion, that’s it.”
  • humor
    516 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a mix of classic Serious Sam silliness and self-aware comedy, with many players enjoying the protagonist's one-liners and absurd situations. However, opinions are divided; while some find the humor engaging and reminiscent of earlier titles, others feel it falls flat or becomes repetitive, lacking the charm of previous installments. Overall, the game offers a blend of chaotic action and comedic moments, appealing to fans of over-the-top humor, though it may not resonate with everyone.

    • “The game's irreverent humor and self-aware tone provide comic relief between intense firefights.”
    • “You're obviously not playing this for the story, but there is a story, and it's as funny and ridiculous as you would imagine.”
    • “The game takes itself so seriously in its ridiculousness that it becomes a hilarious masterpiece.”
    • “His jokes, which used to bring a smile, now seem flat and unfunny.”
    • “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
    385 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its energetic and adrenaline-pumping soundtrack that complements the chaotic gameplay, particularly during intense battles. However, some players find the music repetitive and annoying, especially during prolonged encounters, leading to a desire to mute it in favor of personal playlists. Overall, while the soundtrack features standout tracks that enhance the atmosphere, its lack of variety can detract from the experience for some players.

    • “The headless kamikaze screams are unforgettable, weapons sound punchy, and the soundtrack provides energetic, adrenaline-pumping tracks perfect for the chaos.”
    • “The soundtrack is, as always, a Croatian masterpiece combining heavy, drum-pounding rock with eastern percussion and wind instruments.”
    • “The music is fitting, with a heavy metal soundtrack during intense battles that perfectly complements the action.”
    • “Music is okay, but I don't think I can stand hearing the same music playing in the background throughout all the stages, especially since later stages have very long maps and take a lot of time to complete.”
    • “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.”
    • “The music is repetitive and irritating to listen to.”
  • optimization
    136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its solid performance and smooth framerates during intense gameplay, while others report significant stuttering, especially during loading and saving. Many users noted that despite having modern hardware, they experienced frequent performance issues, including frame drops and unresponsive menus, indicating that the game is poorly optimized overall. While some versions and settings can improve performance, the general consensus is that optimization remains a major drawback for many players.

    • “Performance is solid, maintaining smooth framerates even during the most hectic encounters with dozens of enemies on screen.”
    • “The game looks real good, but at times the performance takes a dive from the cliff.”
    • “The serious engine 3.5 is optimized very well, while load times can be a tad long.”
    • “Great game, but make sure to play it from Fusion and not the game itself; it's very unoptimized and stutters a lot on modern hardware.”
    • “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 dropped 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 with such intense gameplay.”
    • “Without a doubt, one of the worst optimized PC games of all time.”
  • grinding
    85 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with many players feeling that it requires excessive time and effort to progress. Reviewers noted that the gameplay often devolves into monotonous waves of similar enemies, leading to frustration and boredom, particularly in the later levels. While some found enjoyment in the game, the overall sentiment suggests that the grinding experience can detract significantly from the fun.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “However, instead of a brisk step back, we got a stumbling, tedious walk through a sun-scorched desert.”
    • “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, and not enough puzzles or tricky stunts like the previous ones had.”
  • replayability
    57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers significant replayability, particularly through its multiplayer and cooperative modes, which enhance the experience with friends and provide various challenges. While many players appreciate the modding support that adds to the game's longevity, some feel that the single-player campaign lacks compelling reasons for multiple playthroughs. Overall, the combination of cooperative gameplay, diverse modes, and modding capabilities contributes to a generally high replay value.

    • “The multiplayer component adds tremendous replay value, with cooperative modes allowing you to tackle the chaos with friends.”
    • “The modding is really what gives these games replay value, hence the superiority of PC over console.”
    • “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.”
    • “The replay value is certainly there, the secrets are well hidden.”
    • “I mean it's okay... but the story is terrible, the gameplay is mediocre, and the game has little replay value.”
    • “This game has as much depth as a piece of paper and has no replay value.”
  • atmosphere
    50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its unique blend of humor and serious tones, as well as its detailed environments that evoke a post-apocalyptic feel. However, others criticize the graphics and color palette for being dull and lacking vibrancy, which detracts from the overall experience. While the sound design and music are often highlighted as strong points, the consistency and impact of the atmosphere vary significantly across different levels and titles in the series.

    • “I really loved the atmosphere and the vibe of the game and how the music changes depending on the situation or even the place.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is very much owed to the sound design, which is phenomenal.”
    • “The visuals perfectly capture the atmosphere of a ruined future: pyramid ruins, dusty Cairo streets… all of it serves as the ideal backdrop for a bloody massacre.”
    • “Not that the game has an adequate atmosphere to match the setting...”
    • “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.”
    • “The atmosphere is gray and the graphics are also gray, mediocre and uninteresting.”
  • stability
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a range of bugs and glitches, from minor issues to game-breaking problems. While some users noted improvements and good performance on certain systems, others expressed frustration over persistent bugs and poor AI. Overall, the game appears to be a blend of fun gameplay marred by stability issues, though ongoing updates from developers have helped address 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!”
    • “Game is very meh, unpolished and buggy.”
    • “Too many bugs and glitches, a huge let down to the Serious Sam franchise.”
    • “One potential problem, though: even on my relatively beefy PC, the game stutters, stalls, and freezes.”
  • monetization
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with players noting the introduction of modern mechanics like aiming down sights (ADS), reloading, and sprinting, which some feel disrupts the classic Serious Sam formula. While these features are seen as a fresh addition that enhances exploration, others criticize their implementation as feeling out of place in a game that traditionally focused on fast-paced action and chaotic combat. Overall, the integration of these mechanics has sparked debate about the balance between modern gameplay elements and the series' 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 the generic and not colorful color palette that every shooter from the late 2000s to early 2010s had.”
  • emotional
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highly polarizing, with some players finding it to be a deeply moving experience filled with dramatic character development and heartfelt connections, while others criticize the story as boring and lacking depth. Despite its flaws, many appreciate the emotional highs and lows it offers, with some expressing that it can evoke strong feelings of joy and frustration simultaneously. Overall, the game resonates with those seeking an immersive narrative, though it may not appeal to everyone.

    • “This is one of the most heartbreaking and well-written games of the century.”
    • “I 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
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is largely criticized for its lack of depth and coherence, with some reviewers suggesting it feels haphazard and poorly executed. While there are moments of humor and emotional connection, particularly with the character Samuel, the overall narrative and character arcs are seen as simplistic and overshadowed by gameplay mechanics. The game prioritizes action over storytelling, leading to a mixed reception regarding its character development.

    • “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.”
    • “It doesn’t focus much on character development or deep narrative.”
    • “Rather, I feel like the character designer/team lead made this design choice under some serious influence of alcohol.”
    • “Old-school (sod storyline, mindset or Aristotelian character development, just shoot everything that moves).”
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67%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews
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8h Median play time
15h Average play time
10h Main story
26h Completionist
4-15h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 23 analyzed playthroughs
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Serious Sam 3: BFE is a shooter game with warfare, comedy and science fiction themes.

Serious Sam 3: BFE is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows, PlayStation 3 and others.

The main story can be completed in around 10 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 26 hours to finish. On average players spend around 15 hours playing Serious Sam 3: BFE.

Serious Sam 3: BFE was released on November 22, 2011.

Serious Sam 3: BFE was developed by Croteam.

Serious Sam 3: BFE has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its grinding.

Serious Sam 3: BFE is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Serious Sam 4, Serious Sam II, Serious Sam: The First Encounter, Zombie Army Trilogy, Alien Rage: Unlimited and others.