Serious Sam: The First Encounter

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,057 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • story
Serious Sam: The First Encounter Game Cover
This solid first-person shooter plays like Timesplitters' loopy cousin. You are Serious Sam Stone, a bull-necked bodybuilder type whose broad shoulders bear the fate of the world. They also bear a large amount of guns, bullets, and knives as you travel through time looking for the only artifact that
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"Serious Sam: The First Encounter" is a first-person shooter game where players fight through hordes of alien enemies with a variety of weapons. The game is set in ancient Egypt and features non-stop action and massive enemies. Players must rely on their skills and weaponry to survive and advance through the levels.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,057 reviews
graphics88 positive mentions
grinding18 negative mentions
  • Fast-paced, chaotic gameplay with a wide variety of weapons and enemies.
  • Nostalgic experience that captures the essence of classic FPS games.
  • Humorous one-liners and a fun, over-the-top atmosphere.
  • Repetitive gameplay with similar enemy encounters throughout the game.
  • Some frustrating enemy placements and difficulty spikes, especially in later levels.
  • Graphics and level design feel dated and can be bland at times.
  • graphics220 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beauty and impressive lighting, especially considering the game's age, with many reviewers noting that they still hold up well today. While some acknowledge that the visuals are dated, they appreciate the aesthetic charm and level design, making it a nostalgic experience for fans of classic shooters. For those seeking enhanced visuals, the HD version is recommended, offering significant graphical improvements.

    • “Still, great fun, and a really strong first entry too with some honestly beautiful graphics.”
    • “The graphics are amazing for its time.”
    • “It's an FPS game that delivers with great humor and an interesting storyline that complements the game's aesthetically pleasing graphic designs of ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian obelisks, pyramids, and statues.”
    • “The graphics are indeed dated and trying to get across a wide space can get a little tedious at times, but these issues in my opinion don't hurt the overall experience.”
    • “The graphics show their age, but the gameplay is still solid and nostalgic.”
    • “The UI of the classic version is also pretty rough, with most of the graphical assets blown up and stretched out like a bad 2000s meme.”
  • gameplay216 mentions

    The gameplay of "Serious Sam: The First Encounter" is characterized by fast-paced, chaotic action that emphasizes shooting mechanics and large-scale battles against hordes of enemies. While the graphics may feel dated, the core gameplay remains engaging and addictive, offering a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic FPS titles like Doom and Quake. Players appreciate the straightforward run-and-gun style, though some note that the gameplay can become repetitive over time.

    • “The gameplay is just perfect!”
    • “In a nutshell, Serious Sam: The First Encounter features satisfying shooting mechanics with a wide variety of weapons for causing destruction.”
    • “The true power of Serious Sam is in the gameplay, with excellent level design, guns that are satisfying to use, and a very high skill ceiling allowing you to feel like a god laying down devastation on hordes of enemies.”
    • “The gameplay in this game often turns into running around in circles inside a large arena and mowing down hordes of enemies, wave after wave.”
    • “Yes, the gameplay can be quite repetitive, and it can be unfair, but that's the Serious Sam style.”
    • “Gameplay gets dull and repetitive very quickly.”
  • story142 mentions

    The story in Serious Sam is often described as minimal and somewhat generic, primarily serving as a backdrop to the game's action-oriented gameplay. Players follow Sam "Serious" Stone on a mission to travel back in time and combat alien forces, with most narrative elements conveyed through text logs and brief cutscenes rather than extensive storytelling. While some appreciate the lore and humor, many agree that the focus remains on fast-paced combat rather than a deep narrative experience.

    • “There is a very deep story that explains Sam's trip to the past and his one-man war against the army of aliens.”
    • “The story follows Sam 'Serious' Stone as he is employed to travel back to ancient Egypt after aliens take over the world in the near distant future to put a stop to the invasion in the first place.”
    • “I’d lie if I said Croteam put too much effort into the story: you play as Sam Stone, who was sent back to the source of all evil, ancient Egypt, to stop an alien warlord from eradicating humanity in the far future.”
    • “The story is almost non-existent and the dialogue is just cringy.”
    • “Honestly, this game is kinda dated with its shooting, models, and storytelling.”
    • “To be honest: the game has not really a story.”
  • music118 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with fast-paced tracks during intense action and slower ambient music during exploration. Many reviewers highlight the high quality and memorable nature of the soundtrack, particularly the metal compositions for boss battles and the iconic Egyptian-themed tracks. However, some critiques mention that certain tracks can feel repetitive or lack memorability over extended play.

    • “The music does a very good job capturing the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “The soundtrack complements the thrill of the combat perfectly.”
    • “The music is high quality and very fitting for the game's environments.”
    • “The soundtrack is meh.”
    • “The music quality varied from poor to sub-par, but this is understandable.”
    • “The music is constantly swapping back and forth between 'battle' and 'exploration', which causes tension whiplash.”
  • humor72 mentions

    The humor in "Serious Sam: The First Encounter" is widely praised for its irreverent and absurd nature, featuring the protagonist Sam's witty one-liners and funny scripted moments that enhance the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the blend of humor with intense action, creative secrets, and a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic shooters, making it a standout title for those who enjoy a comedic twist in their gaming. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with fast-paced gameplay, resulting in a fun and engaging experience.

    • “Sam often delivers humorous one-liners when he kicks those alien asses too.”
    • “What was really fun (and pretty hilarious) about this title is how many enemies will attack you at once.”
    • “It contains serious fun, good story, great characters, freaking bad-ass enemies, and so many funny quotes from an incredibly serious guy.”
    • “Not funny - cringe.”
    • “Not funny - cringe.”
  • grinding18 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, particularly in the later arena battles where repetitive enemy encounters diminish the initial excitement. While the game features well-balanced difficulty and avoids traditional level grinding, the overall experience can feel like a chore due to the drawn-out nature of combat and limited variety, leading to frustration rather than challenge.

    • “Even though some enemies are actually interesting to fight when they're first introduced, they become utterly tedious as you fight them again and again in almost identical circumstances.”
    • “Playing this game is a massive chore. While its scale is impressive for its time, the way it squanders its potential by being a tedious, boring uphill slog is the most frustrating part.”
    • “While the high-octane battles against huge swarms of enemies are usually very fun, fights can often end up dragging on too long and becoming tedious instead of challenging and tense.”
  • replayability18 mentions

    The game is highly regarded for its replayability, with players eager to dive back in after completing it due to the challenge of uncovering all secrets and power-ups. The inclusion of a fun multiplayer mode further enhances its replay value, making it an appealing choice for fans of core FPS mechanics. Overall, it is considered infinitely replayable, with a solid replay value rating of 7/10.

    • “Yes, this game is bloody replayable, and as soon as you finish it, you want to do it again.”
    • “The multiplayer mode is a lot of fun and adds a lot of replayability to the game.”
    • “Yes, this game is bloody replayable and as soon as you finish it you want to do it again.”
    • “It's hard to find them all, so you find more of them and just move on, coming back to it later, adding to its replay value.”
    • “The game also features a wide range of power-ups and secrets to discover, adding to the replayability of the game.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised, particularly for its evocative music that enhances the overall experience. While many levels feature repetitive hallways, certain sections stand out with a captivating ambiance that evokes nostalgia, especially in comparison to the HD remaster. Reviewers note that the classic version offers a more cohesive and effective atmosphere, making it feel more interesting despite identical gameplay mechanics.

    • “The music does a very good job capturing the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “This game has a unique atmosphere in comparison with the HD remaster; it feels more interesting and nostalgic even though I never played TFE in the 2000s.”
    • “While most levels primarily consist of repeating hallways, some sections exude ambiance and have a captivating atmosphere.”
    • “While the action and mechanics are all identical between the two versions, I couldn’t help but note the atmosphere of the classic version being more cohesive and effective.”
  • stability6 mentions

    The stability of the game appears to be inconsistent among players; while some report a smooth experience with minimal crashes and no noticeable bugs, others express frustration with glitches that detract from their enjoyment. Overall, the game has received mixed feedback regarding its stability, with some players successfully completing it without issues, while others have encountered significant problems.

    • “I had fun from point A to point B, but the bugs and glitches ruin the experience for me. They should consider remastering it like Serious Sam Classics: Revolution or HD, as they patched all the glitches in those versions. At least in the HD version, I managed to finish the game without encountering these issues.”
    • “I have completed this in two sittings with a friend, and the game only crashed once during the whole seven hours. However, that crash was due to my buggy router and poor internet connection.”
    • “The bugs and glitches really detract from the overall experience, making it frustrating to enjoy the game fully.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    The game is praised for its excellent optimization, with no performance slowdowns even during intense action sequences involving numerous enemies. Players have noted its impressive visuals and stability, making it a classic stress-reliever since its release in 2002.

    • “Great performance and impressive visuals for the time.”
    • “When I started playing in 2002, it was jaw-dropping. No performance issues, stable, even with dozens of enemies attacking you. It's a classic game where everyone will enjoy killing enemies, more like a stress-killer.”
    • “No performance slowdowns during action.”
    • “When I started playing in 2002, it was jaw-dropping. There were no performance issues; it was stable even when dozens of enemies were attacking you. It's a classic game where everyone will enjoy killing enemies, more like a stress-killer.”
  • character development2 mentions

    The reviews highlight that while the gameplay mechanics are enjoyable and the character designs are classic and memorable, there is little emphasis on character development itself. The focus seems to be more on the fun and engaging gameplay rather than deepening the characters' narratives or growth.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

83% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
11hAverage play time
9-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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