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Serious Sam 4

Serious Sam 4 Game Cover
82%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
optimization, stability
82% User Score Based on 5,618 reviews
Critic Score 80%Based on 2 reviews

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Serious Sam 4 Game Cover

About

Serious Sam 4 is a single player and multiplayer role playing shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Croteam and was released on September 24, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Humanity is under siege as the full force of Mental’s hordes spread across the world, ravaging what remains of a broken and beaten civilization. The last remaining resistance to the invasion is the Earth Defense Force led by Sam “Serious” Stone and his heavily-armed squad of misfit commandos. Croteam returns with a high-powered prequel to the Serious Sam series that scales up chaos to unprecedent…

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Serious Sam 4 screenshot
Serious Sam 4 screenshot
Serious Sam 4 screenshot
Serious Sam 4 screenshot
Serious Sam 4 screenshot
Serious Sam 4 screenshot
Serious Sam 4 screenshot
Serious Sam 4 screenshot
Serious Sam 4 screenshot
Serious Sam 4 screenshot
Serious Sam 4 screenshot
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82%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,618 reviews
story264 positive mentions
optimization298 negative mentions
  • Intense and chaotic gameplay with massive hordes of enemies, providing a nostalgic experience for fans of the series.
  • Variety of weapons and gadgets, including dual-wielding options, enhance the combat experience.
  • Humorous one-liners and a lighthearted tone contribute to the overall fun atmosphere of the game.
  • Significant performance issues, including stuttering and texture pop-in, detract from the overall experience.
  • Level design can feel empty and repetitive, with large areas lacking meaningful content or engagement.
  • The story and character interactions are often criticized for being poorly written and uninteresting.
  • story
    1,291 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Serious Sam 4" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while it attempts to introduce a more structured narrative and character interactions, it often falls flat with cheesy dialogue and predictable plot points. Some appreciate the humor and lightheartedness, likening it to a B-movie experience, while others feel the story detracts from the core gameplay, which is primarily about chaotic shooting. Overall, the narrative serves as a backdrop for the action rather than a focal point, with many players emphasizing that the gameplay remains the main draw of the series.

    • “The story is surprisingly engaging for a Serious Sam game, taking us to fully-realized lands beyond the usual Egyptian setting.”
    • “The story, writing, and characters are a pleasant surprise.”
    • “The story is a mess kind of, but it is full of jokes and the lore got me good.”
    • “The story feels like what would happen if Beavis and Butt-Head decided to become game developers.”
    • “The dialogue can just be annoying and the story can feel like something you just have to deal with to get to the good parts, which should never be the case.”
    • “The story is a bunch of punchlines or one-liners between missions, but I don't think anyone got it for the story.”
  • graphics
    1,112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of Serious Sam 4 have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they feel outdated for a 2020 release, often comparing them unfavorably to previous titles in the series. Common criticisms include noticeable graphical glitches, texture pop-ins, and a lack of polish, which detracts from the overall experience. However, some players appreciate the vibrant environments and improved visual effects, suggesting that while the graphics may not be cutting-edge, they still contribute to the game's chaotic and fun atmosphere.

    • “The graphics are stunning, all those NPCs spawned right in front of your eyes will really need a strong GPU.”
    • “The graphics look beautiful and can be considered next-gen.”
    • “The graphics are great, the music is great, the hordes are crazy and the one-liners are still funny.”
    • “What I don't like is that the graphics are actually rather poor for a game released in 2020.”
    • “The game’s rough edges are hard to miss: tons of noticeable pop-in, poor anti-aliasing, the occasional gib clipping through the floor, and the overall lackluster graphics.”
    • “The graphics are poor and glitchy, yet very hardware-demanding.”
  • gameplay
    1,005 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Serious Sam 4 is characterized by its classic run-and-gun mechanics, featuring fast-paced action and hordes of enemies, which many fans find addictive and enjoyable. While the game introduces new elements like dual-wielding and a skill tree, some players feel these additions can disrupt the core experience, leading to moments of repetitiveness and frustration. Overall, despite technical issues and mixed opinions on level design, the gameplay remains a highlight for fans of the franchise, delivering the chaotic fun that Serious Sam is known for.

    • “The gameplay is a glorious homage to the golden age of first-person shooters.”
    • “The gameplay retains the old-school charm—fast movement, explosive weapons, and relentless enemies—while benefiting from modern visuals and smooth mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay is fantastic with maps that reward you for exploring, lots of secrets to find, and upgrades to get.”
    • “Some missions feel repetitive, revolving around similar objectives and enemy encounters, leading to moments where the gameplay loop can feel a bit monotonous.”
    • “The gameplay is a major step down from its predecessors both technically (stutters and micro-freezes, frequent fps drops, texture pop-ins, shadows flickering, laughable character animations) and gameplay-wise (level design and pace were really disappointing).”
    • “The gameplay is dull and uninspiring.”
  • optimization
    902 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of Serious Sam 4 has received widespread criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including frequent stuttering, frame drops, and long loading times, even on high-end systems. While some users have managed to achieve stable performance through extensive tweaking, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized and feels unfinished, detracting from the gameplay experience. Despite patches aimed at improving performance, many still find it lacking, suggesting that further optimization is necessary for a smoother experience.

    • “The environments range from war-torn cities to alien landscapes, all rendered with enough detail to create immersive battlegrounds without sacrificing performance.”
    • “They literally give you full control of the optimization in the menu.”
    • “Despite performance issues, the core gameplay loop has been optimized and is smoother than ever in the series, with a few great new guns and gun mods.”
    • “I feel like people don't talk enough about the terrible optimization, incredibly bad frametimes, mini stutters every other second on a beefy system (5700x3d/7900xt). I want to love and play this game, but I just can't digest the constant stutters.”
    • “The game doesn't look much better than the third one, performance is really bad (framerate can drop from 100 to 20 fps out of nowhere and these drops happen no matter which graphic settings I had). Cutscenes never run smoothly, using the scope always results in a significant framerate drop.”
    • “The performance is god awful at times, and it has not improved since release.”
  • music
    574 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in Serious Sam 4 has received widespread acclaim, with many praising the work of composer Damjan Mravunac for delivering a high-quality soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. While some tracks are noted for their energetic and epic qualities, there are criticisms regarding repetitiveness and abrupt transitions between combat and ambient music. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features of the game, with several memorable tracks that resonate with fans of the franchise.

    • “The soundtrack pulses with energetic, rock-inspired tracks that fuel the frantic action, while the sound effects deliver satisfying weapon blasts, explosive impacts, and the terrifying roars of the enemy hordes.”
    • “Now, my favorite part - the soundtrack, I adore every part of it. Every single level's song has this 'powerful' feeling to it; you'll hear one and think this is the peak, after that, another level comes, and you'll think this is the peak - I love it.”
    • “Damjan once again did an excellent job on the soundtrack as it not only amplifies the gameplay experience, but it feels unique, and it fits the game perfectly.”
    • “The main OST stops too late, it plays the first notes of the battle OST, it stops, and it returns to playing the main OST from the start.”
    • “The music is tediously repetitive and you will soon get annoyed at it and turn it down.”
    • “The soundtrack is painfully generic.”
  • humor
    487 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Serious Sam 4" is a mix of classic one-liners, campy dialogue, and absurd situations that often elicit laughter, though opinions on its effectiveness vary widely. Many players appreciate the over-the-top, self-aware humor reminiscent of B-movie action films, while others find it cringeworthy or forced, with some jokes falling flat. Overall, the game maintains a lighthearted tone amidst chaotic gameplay, appealing to fans of the franchise's signature comedic style, though it may not resonate with everyone.

    • “The voice acting and character dialogue are intentionally campy and humorous, fitting the game’s lighthearted yet brutal spirit.”
    • “It's chaotic, hilarious, and exactly what you want in a Serious Sam game.”
    • “The story is funny and the one-liners are killer.”
    • “Characters are mediocre, voice acting is serviceable but the dialogues are cringey and jokes aren't even funny.”
    • “And lastly, the NPCs and forced, unfunny humor they were going for were just the nail in the coffin for this game.”
    • “It is not funny because they're constantly regurgitating quips and breaking the fourth wall every moment they're given the chance.”
  • stability
    240 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting a plethora of bugs and graphical glitches, including texture pop-ins, animation issues, and game-breaking errors that can disrupt gameplay. While some users noted improvements post-launch patches, many still found the game to be poorly optimized and riddled with technical problems, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game's stability remains a significant concern, detracting from its otherwise enjoyable gameplay.

    • “Runs great!”
    • “Runs great after patch.”
    • “If I compare this with other releases from the last weeks (like Avengers and others), where those games are full of bugs and the game constantly crashes, SS4 is, compared to those, close to bug free.”
    • “For further context, I played the entire game in co-op on harder difficulties and I don't think there was a single mission that I didn't experience 5-8 bugs each (ranging from visual glitches, animation glitches, texture streaming issues, T-posing, my motorcycle literally running away from me, a game-breaking bug that required me to restart the entire last level, and more).”
    • “The game did release in an extremely buggy and unpolished state; after some patches, this could have been the best in the series.”
    • “A huge step down from its predecessors both technically (stutters and micro-freezes, frequent FPS drops, texture pop-ins, shadows flickering, laughable character animations) and gameplay-wise (level design and pace were really disappointing).”
  • grinding
    46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, often describing it as tedious and repetitive, particularly in boss fights and level exploration. While some enjoy the unique mechanics and combat variety, many feel that the game suffers from excessive length and bullet sponge enemies, leading to a frustrating grind. The need for co-op play to alleviate some of the tedium is frequently mentioned, as well as issues with save progress that can make returning to the game feel like starting over.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The bosses are decent too, but the final boss can be an arse, in the sense that his projectiles can pass through his own body, making it tedious to defeat.”
    • “But Serious Sam 4 manages to be tedious, dull, and unrewarding - on top of being one of the worst performing games I have ever played.”
  • atmosphere
    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the diverse settings and engaging soundtracks that enhance the experience, while others feel it lacks the unique charm and polish of earlier entries in the series. Many highlight the effective use of ambient music and environmental storytelling, but some criticize the overall execution, citing issues with character animations and dialogue that detract from the intended atmosphere. Overall, while there are moments of great atmospheric design, the game struggles to consistently deliver the immersive experience fans expect.

    • “The atmosphere is enhanced even further with the phenomenal soundtrack.”
    • “The story, the dialogues, the atmosphere, and the music are the things that keep you entertained.”
    • “A perfect blend of atmosphere and your upbeat Serious Sam-like music that blends together phenomenally.”
    • “There is no proper atmosphere; you don't feel that Earth is under attack by a cosmic terror.”
    • “The new Serious Sam part lacks any atmosphere.”
    • “This game tries too hard to create an atmosphere, but Croteam lacks the talent and experience in those domains to pull it off.”
  • emotional
    35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mixed response from players, with some praising its touching moments and wholesome tone, while others criticize the lack of depth in character development and emotional scenes. Many players appreciate the balance between humor and heartfelt moments, noting that certain cutscenes and character interactions can evoke genuine feelings. However, there are also complaints about the overall narrative being boring or poorly executed, which detracts from the emotional impact.

    • “I personally enjoyed and was very hyped for every cutscene; some are touching.”
    • “Outstanding visuals, incredible gameplay, and a super fun yet touching storyline.”
    • “There is one really special moment after a boss fight that packs a genuine emotional punch you'd never expect from a Serious Sam game.”
    • “It is heavily focused on a boring story with weird character animations.”
    • “This game as a whole is just severely unfinished, but the focus on such a boring story doesn't help much even if it were fully featured, to be honest.”
    • “Since then, the developers have tried to make 'serious' Sam serious: less over-the-top (read: fun) maps and weapons, a boring story, and a protagonist that worked as a caricature rendered down into just a grouchy dude.”
  • replayability
    35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is highly variable among players, with some finding it enjoyable and worth revisiting due to secrets and difficulty levels, while others feel it lacks depth and incentive for multiple playthroughs. Many reviews highlight a mix of fun gameplay and limited replay value, particularly after completing the game once, though features like skill trees and extensive maps can enhance replayability for certain players. Overall, opinions are divided, with some praising its replay potential and others deeming it a one-time experience.

    • “Overall, the game is a thrilling, action-packed experience that offers a lot of replay value for those who enjoy finding all the secrets, playing all the difficulty levels, or trying to beat their best time on a map.”
    • “With infinite replayability and bigger and stronger enemies, this game never ceases to give me everything I ever wanted from a first-person shooter.”
    • “Maps are extensive with lots of secrets, most of which can be fairly difficult to find, so there's a lot of replayability there as well.”
    • “This is the type of game you will only want to play just once to finish it and never touch it again, due to the many grueling sections that sap this game's replayability.”
    • “Has zilch replay value for me.”
    • “Overall it's a solid experience that I hope the devs come back to change some aspects to really give this game a 10/10, but for my score, it's gonna be 7/10: a fun game with solid playtime but no replayability, big maps with a lot of nothing going on and plenty of enemy variety.”
  • monetization
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy for the game has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, relying heavily on nostalgia without delivering on promised features or quality. While there are no microtransactions or additional monetization schemes, the game's marketing has been deemed misleading, with many players feeling that it fails to live up to its advertising and legacy. Overall, the lack of substantial updates and player engagement further highlights the perception of the game as a rushed and poorly executed title.

    • “No microtransactions, no lootboxes, no season passes, no DLC.”
    • “No need for super cutting-edge graphics, a gazillion monetization schemes.”
    • “No microtransactions.”
    • “This seems like a quick cash grab using the fame garnered by the prequels.”
    • “Obviously a cash grab, relying on the nostalgia factor.”
    • “This sad excuse for a cash grab, and Steam's complacency in the matter, is an embarrassing combination that has convinced me that abuse of Steam's refund system must occur, lest you get abused instead.”
  • character development
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players noting a surprising depth to Sam's character, showcasing a bit of growth and likability. However, criticisms abound regarding the overall character design and animations, particularly for human characters, which many find lacking and cringeworthy. While there are attempts to integrate more lore and dialogue, the game's narrative remains straightforward and does not significantly elevate the franchise's traditional focus on gameplay over story.

    • “Character development was actually surprisingly good as well.”
    • “Sam is even quite likeable in this one, showing some actual character development for a change.”
    • “More characters, more lore, more dialogue, more character development.”
    • “There is no real character design or facial expressions.”
    • “Serious Sam 4 is absolutely recognizably a title that fits within its series by offering frenetic gunplay with no character development and the bare minimum when it comes to plot.”
    • “Trying to integrate a real story with drama, character development, etc. is not a strong suit of the Serious Sam franchise.”
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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
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6h Median play time
8h Average play time
4-11h Spent by most gamers
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Frequently Asked Questions

Serious Sam 4 is a role playing shooter game with science fiction theme.

Serious Sam 4 is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Mac OS and others.

On average players spend around 8 hours playing Serious Sam 4.

Serious Sam 4 was released on September 24, 2020.

Serious Sam 4 was developed by Croteam.

Serious Sam 4 has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its optimization.

Serious Sam 4 is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Serious Sam II, Serious Sam 3: BFE, Shadow Warrior 3, Borderlands 3, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus and others.