Serious Sam: The First Encounter

Very good shooter. There's even HD mod for it - so it doesn't look very old. Serious Sam: TFE Plus @ moddb.com

Cool quotes, antic locations, and a lot of stupid enemies ! = a lot of fun ! HD version of game (its not this one) has modern graphic

Really, do i need to say it? It's a must have. Fun and entertaining music, fast gameplay, a lot of secrets to explore, funny story, funny voice acting, frustrating and funny looking enemies. I hear laughing is the best medicine and in this game you will have a lot of moments to laugh. This game should not be taken to seriously.

NOT RECOMMENDED. The game starts repeating itself after the first kill. It's extremely brainless and there won't be any pay-off for anything you do in it. Any progression is usually rewarded by spawning yet another Horde-Mode-styled wave of enemies to kill for no gain. Good: + The tech is okay for an FPS. Bad: -Super-repetitive. -Relies on player stepping on a specific spot to trigger a necessary enemy wave spawn. -Has numerous "collect X items to continue" segments, which do not belong to an FPS. -Only 4 to 6 hours long. -THe last fight is a stupid puzzle with ring-jumping instead of a straight one. -Most of the time you will be trying to find the spawned enemies. -Enemies will be spawning in places that you already cleared. -Looking for those artifacts to solve classic FPS door puzzles sucks and is boring af. -It has a sewer level.

While Sam "Serious" Stone is one of those classic wisecracking FPS protagonists, in the vein of Duke Nukem or Lo Wang, don't be fooled; Serious Sam TFE doesn't really play like the classic 90s shooters that may have inspired it. Movement is essential, as is prioritizing enemies, both of which are hallmarks of classic shooters, however most levels are constructed as a series of interconnected and quite literal arenas (some quite massive) where waves upon waves of enemies will spawn. Some levels give respite from this, introducing some more confined interior areas, but by and large the game heavily focuses on outdoors arenas. You will frequently find yourself running in circles and usually backwards, frantically trying to keep a safe distance from the hordes and dodging attacks from the many enemy types that will charge you. It is this level design and the associated gameplay loop that make SS TFE feel quite different from the likes of Quake, Blood or other classic shooters. The reason I'm saying all this is because I often hear SS being thrown into the same category as id software or Build engine shooters and I feel that's only partly justified. The game IS extremely fun, but it's worth mentioning what sets it apart. The roster of enemies is quite diverse and they will require various strategies to deal with. You will quickly learn which enemies need to be your priority. The weapons are also fun to use, they each feel adequately unique, and to the game's credit most of them remain useful to the end. On higher difficulty levels you will be tested and it may become increasingly useful to spend time hunting for secrets (extra health, ammo or armor). The ending, in particular, is quite frantic. All in all, SS TFE is a charming experience, there are more than a few humorous moments and the story doesn't take itself... seriously. As a final note, if you buy this game, do yourself a favour and look for the "Steamify patch" on ModDB.