Serious Sam: The Random Encounter: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|2011 video game}} |
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{{Good article}} |
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{{Use British English|date=April 2020}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} |
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{{Infobox video game |
{{Infobox video game |
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| title = Serious Sam: The Random Encounter |
| title = Serious Sam: The Random Encounter |
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| image = Serious Sam The Random Encounter |
| image = Serious Sam The Random Encounter.png |
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| caption = |
| caption = Cover artwork by Roy Nathan de Groot |
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| developer = [[Vlambeer]] |
| developer = [[Vlambeer]] |
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| publisher = [[Devolver Digital]] |
| publisher = [[Devolver Digital]] |
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| series = [[Serious Sam |
| series = ''[[Serious Sam]]'' |
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| platforms = [[Windows]] |
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| released = 24 October 2011 |
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| platforms = [[Microsoft Windows]] |
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| genre = [[Role-playing video game|Role-playing]], [[bullet hell]] |
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| released = {{Video game release|WW=24 October 2011}} |
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| modes = [[Single-player]] |
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| genre = [[Action role-playing game|Action role-playing]] |
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| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]] |
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| designer = {{Unbulleted list |
| designer = {{Unbulleted list |
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| [[Rami Ismail]] |
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| [[Jan Willem Nijman]] |
| [[Jan Willem Nijman]] |
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| [[Rami Ismail]] |
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}} |
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| programmer = {{Unbulleted list |
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| [[Rami Ismail]] |
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| Roy Nathan de Groot |
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}} |
}} |
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| artist = {{Unbulleted list |
| artist = {{Unbulleted list |
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| Roy Nathan de Groot |
| Roy Nathan de Groot |
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| Paul Veer |
| Paul Veer |
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}} |
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| writer = {{Unbulleted list |
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| [[Jan Willem Nijman]] |
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| [[Rami Ismail]] |
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}} |
}} |
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| composer = Alex Mauer |
| composer = Alex Mauer |
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}} |
}} |
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'''''Serious Sam: The Random Encounter''''' is a |
'''''Serious Sam: The Random Encounter''''' is a 2011 [[Role-playing video game|role-playing]] and [[bullet hell]] game developed by [[Vlambeer]] and published by [[Devolver Digital]]. It follows Sam "Serious" Stone travelling to the future in search of his nemesis, Mental, teaming up with mercenaries on the way. The player controls Sam and his accomplices through confined levels, engaging in battles through [[random encounters]]. These pit the [[player character]]s against large waves of enemies, and the player controls the weapons and items each character uses against them in five-second turns. |
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Announced in March 2011, ''The Random Encounter'' was created as part of the ''[[Serious Sam]] Indie Series'' to promote the release of ''[[Serious Sam 3: BFE]]''. Devolver Digital initially envisioned a clone of Vlambeer's ''[[Super Crate Box]]''. The studio disliked this idea, drafting a pitch for a [[turn-based]] role-playing game instead. ''The Random Encounter'' was released for [[Windows]] in October 2011 to a mixed reception. The combat system was given a varied response, with some critics calling it innovative. The game's tone, visuals, and sound were well received. Conflicting opinions were expressed regarding the game's arsenal and short duration. |
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== Plot == |
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After [[Serious Sam (series)|''Serious Sam'']]'s [[protagonist]], Sam "Serious" Stone was unsuccessful searching for [[antagonist]] Mental in the past, during the [[Serious Sam: The First Encounter|First Encounter]], he decides to continue his search in the future.<ref name="Destruct">{{cite web | url = http://www.destructoid.com/review-serious-sam-the-random-encounter-214328.phtml | title = Review: Serious Sam: The Random Encounter | last = Pinsof | first = Allistair | date = 24 October 2011 | website = [[Destructoid]] | publisher = [[ModernMethod]] | access-date = 25 August 2011}}</ref> In order to find Mental, Sam teams up with mercenary allies, taking down hordes of enemies and solving puzzles.<ref name="Steam">{{cite web | url = http://store.steampowered.com/app/201480/ | title = Serious Sam: The Random Encounter on Steam | last = Ismail | first = Rami | date = 24 October 2011 | website = [[Steam (software)|Steam]] | publisher = [[Valve Corporation]] | access-date = 25 August 2015}}</ref> Having fought the minor enemies, players encounter ever-growing bosses, eventually leading up to the bosses reaching off-screen.<ref name="EuroG">{{cite web | url = http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-17-serious-sam-the-random-encounter-review-review | title = Serious Sam: The Random Encounter Review: Gun and run. | last = Donlan | first = Christian | date = 17 September 2011 | website = [[Eurogamer]] | publisher = [[Gamer Network]] | access-date = 25 August 2015}}</ref> |
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== Gameplay == |
== Gameplay == |
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[[File:Serious Sam The Random Encounter screenshot.png|thumb|left|The player characters (right) firing a shotgun, minigun, and grenade launcher at approaching enemies]] |
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''Serious Sam: The Random Encounter'' plays a mixture of an [[action role-playing game]] and a [[Japanese role-playing game]].<ref name="EuroG" /> During the [[open world]] sequences, the player may roam around freely, but can eventually hit on a randomized mob wave of enemies.<ref name="GRadar">{{cite web | url = http://www.gamesradar.com/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-review/ | title = Serious Sam: The Random Encounter review | last = Hodge | first = Ryan | date = 27 October 2011 | website = [[GamesRadar]] | publisher = [[Future US]] | access-date = 25 August 2015}}</ref> These mob waves consist of ridiculously high amounts of enemies of all kinds, where the player is given the task to gun these down.<ref name="PCG">{{cite web | url = http://www.pcgamer.com/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-launches-on-steam-with-a-live-action-trailer-of-sorts/ | title = Serious Sam: The Random Encounter launches on Steam with a live-action trailer (of sorts) | last = Zacny | first = Rob | date = 24 October 2011 | website = [[PC Gamer]] | publisher = [[Future US]] | access-date = 25 August 2015}}</ref> The gun combat is the game's [[JRPG]] part, where the player may switch weapons and shoot the weapon selected, choosing a direction, radius, or position to shoot at, as well as using one of the previously gathered items.<ref name="Destruct" /> During gameplay, the team grows from one to three persons, all of them having a turn each, giving the player more ability to take down incoming enemies.<ref name="Steam" /> Additionally, the [[action RPG]] element adds to the combat's turns, where, while enemies are coming nearer, the player may move the their characters, as a group, up and down in order to reach out of the aiming boundaries, previously set in the turn's preparation.<ref name="IGN" /> |
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''Serious Sam: The Random Encounter'' is a hybrid of a [[role-playing video game]] with [[turn-based]] elements and a [[bullet hell]] game.<ref name="Destructoid: Review" /><ref name="GameZone: Review" /> The gameplay is split into two parts, world exploration and battle sequences, in a style similar to [[Japanese role-playing games]].<ref name="Kill Screen: Review" /><ref name="HG101: Spin-Offs" /> In the former, the player sequentially traverses nine confined areas, distributed across three thematic worlds.<ref name="Destructoid: Review" /><ref name="RPGamer: Review" /> Initially alone, protagonist Sam "Serious" Stone teams up with mercenaries Bam and Bim over the course of the game.<ref name="Kill Screen: Review" /> Every few steps made in these levels, a [[random encounter]] occurs, initiating a battle.<ref name="Kill Screen: Review" /><ref name="Shacknews: Review" /> In these, the [[player character]]s appear to the right of the screen, while a horde of enemies approaches from the left.<ref name="GameZone: Review" /><ref name="RPGamer: Review" /><ref name="IGN: Review" /> The player chooses for each character to either fire their equipped weapon at the enemies, swap that weapon for another, or use an item.<ref name="Eurogamer: Review" /><ref name="GamePro: Review" /> |
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When firing a weapon, the player determines how it should be used. Revolvers aim automatically, while shotguns have an adjustable radius in which they automatically aim, doing more damage to enemies at close range. Several weapons can have their trajectory angled, of which most fire in a straight line; some fire continuously, while others only have limited shots per turn. [[Grenade launcher]]s can shoot at a specific point on the screen. When a character switches weapons, they lose some time before also firing the newly equipped weapon. Items include additional health or armour for the characters, revivals of dead party members, a "Serious Bomb" that defeats the majority of visible enemies, and a "Kamikaze Bait" that spawns 100 (or more) Beheaded Kamikaze enemies.<ref name="Destructoid: Review" /><ref name="IGN: Review" /><ref name="Eurogamer: Review" /><ref name="GamesRadar+: Review" /> |
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== Development == |
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''Serious Sam: The Random Encounter'' was developed from an early sketch [[Vlambeer]] made for a game that was set to become a "[[JRPG]]-alike" title.<ref name="Destruct" /> It was made as part of the [[Serious Sam (series)#Indie games|''Serious Sam'' indie series]] to build up anticipation to [[Serious Sam 3: BFE]].<ref name="Engadget">{{cite web | url = http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/25/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-launches-a-billion-missiles/ | title = Serious Sam: The Random Encounter launches (a billion missiles) | last = Hinkle | first = David | date = 25 October 2011 | website = [[Engadget]] | publisher = [[AOL Tech]] | access-date = 25 August 2015}}</ref> However, [[Vlambeer]] lacked the time to develop the game before the release of [[Serious Sam 3: BFE]], which led to them mainly working on the game in their hotel room, the plane back to the [[Netherlands]], and at home with, as Rami Ismail stated, "a lot of [[jetlag]]".<ref name="GRadar" /> After a longer, silent development phase, the game was released on 24 October 2011 for [[Microsoft Windows]].<ref name="PCG" /><ref name="Engadget" /> |
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In each turn, the player characters perform their selected actions, while enemies also attack. Turns last five seconds, after which the player can assign new actions.<ref name="GameZone: Review" /><ref name="RPGamer: Review" /><ref name="GamePro: Review" /> During a turn, the player may also move the entire party up or down to shift their weapons' aim or dodge enemies and their projectiles.<ref name="RPGamer: Review" /><ref name="Shacknews: Review" /><ref name="RPS: Review" /> Individual enemies have different attack styles.<ref name="IGN: Review" /><ref name="Eurogamer: Review" /> Characters take damage when hit by an enemy or projectile and die when their armour and health are depleted.<ref name="RPS: Review" /> Should all party members be dead at once, the battle ends, with the party losing a [[Life (video games)|life]] and being reset to its position prior to the lost battle.<ref name="GameZone: Review" /><ref name="RPS: Review" /> Should the player lose all of their three lives, gameplay pauses and the active level is reset.<ref name="Destructoid: Review" /><ref name="Kill Screen: Review" /><ref name="RPS: Review" /> |
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Battles end normally once all enemies are defeated, although additional enemies may spawn during a battle.<ref name="GameZone: Review" /><ref name="Kill Screen: Review" /> Battles become progressively more difficult by pitting the player against more enemies.<ref name="RPGamer: Review" /> The game includes five [[boss fight]]s. Through victories, the player gains some [[experience point]]s that can add up to unlocking a new weapon or item.<ref name="Destructoid: Review" /><ref name="Kill Screen: Review" /> Further items can be found in chests during world exploration. Levels further include some [[Puzzle video game|puzzle]] elements, such as collecting a key, activating a switch or defeating large amounts of enemies, that the player has to solve to progress. Upon completion of the main game, an endless mode is unlocked, in which the player can play for an undetermined time to achieve the highest possible score.<ref name="Destructoid: Review" /><ref name="RPGamer: Review" /><ref name="GamesRadar+: Review" /> |
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== Development and release == |
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[[File:Vlambeer at GDC (cropped).png|thumb|right|[[Rami Ismail]] (left) and [[Jan Willem Nijman]] of [[Vlambeer]] (pictured in 2013)]] |
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[[File:Serious Sam The Random Encounter pitch.jpg|thumb|right|Vlambeer pitched the game with a crude sketch and was surprised when it was approved.<ref name="Eurogamer: inside story" />]] |
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''Serious Sam: The Random Encounter'' was developed by [[Vlambeer]], an [[indie game]] developer composed of [[Rami Ismail]] and [[Jan Willem Nijman]]. Its previous releases included ''[[Super Crate Box]]'' and ''[[Radical Fishing]]''. After coming across the former, [[Devolver Digital]], the publisher of the ''[[Serious Sam]]'' series, contacted Vlambeer, asking them to develop a game for the ''Serious Sam Indie Series''. A triplet of [[Spin-off (media)|spin-offs]] to be created by small studios to promote the impending launch of the mainline [[first-person shooter]] entry ''[[Serious Sam 3: BFE]]'', the ''Indie Series'' also encompasses ''[[Serious Sam Double D]]'' and ''[[Serious Sam: Kamikaze Attack!]]''.<ref name="Eurogamer: inside story" /><ref name="VentureBeat: Interview" /> Ismail and Nijman had been fans of the series, wherefore they accepted the request.<ref name="VentureBeat: Interview" /><ref name="Vlambeer: Serious news" /> However, Devolver Digital requested a copy of ''Super Crate Box'' with a ''Serious Sam'' theme, which Ismail and Nijman disliked. During a brainstorming session, they instead drafted a turn-based role-playing video game.<ref name="Eurogamer: inside story" /><ref name="Vlambeer: Serious Design" /> The intent was to place the game in a genre as far away as possible from a first-person shooter, while not sacrificing other core elements of the series.<ref name="VentureBeat: Interview" /><ref name="Vlambeer: Serious news" /> From this idea, they crafted a crude drawing, which they scanned and emailed to Devolver Digital, expecting that the publisher would turn down the pitch. As such, the team was surprised when it was quickly approved.<ref name="Eurogamer: inside story" /> The game concept did not change significantly from the pitch thereafter.<ref name="Vlambeer: Serious Design" /> Ismail stated that Vlambeer had full creative control and would not have undergone the project otherwise.<ref name="VentureBeat: Interview" /> |
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The visuals for ''The Random Encounter'' were produced by Roy Nathan de Groot and Paul Veer.<ref name="Vlambeer: Paul Veer" /> De Groot worked on all static assets, starting with designing the first world and the [[Sprite (computer graphics)|sprite]] for Sam. When creating Sam's accomplices, the team intended to use his sister but found that she was already deceased in the lore of the ''Serious Sam'' series. Instead, they went through the characters of the series's [[multiplayer]] modes and chose the two most "visually attractive": Groovy Gregory and Wild Wyatt. To avoid battle scenes feeling "flat", de Groot added [[parallax scrolling]] to their backgrounds. He also designed the cover artwork and, when its files were lost in a [[Crash (computing)|crash]] shortly before the associated deadline, quickly re-created it from a low-resolution version that he [[Image scaling|upscaled]] and re-coloured.<ref name="Pixel-icious: SSTRE" /> Veer produced character animations and [[visual effects]]. Because Groovy Gregory and Wild Wyatt (now named Bam and Bim) had a shape similar to that of Sam, Veer was able to repurpose some of Sam's animations by applying different colours. For greater variety between them, he added minor cosmetic details and altered a few animations. To fit the action theme of ''Serious Sam'', characters were fully animated, as opposed to the more static style of other role-playing video games of the time.<ref name="Vlambeer: Paul Veer" /> ''The Random Encounter''{{'}}s soundtrack was composed by Alex Mauer.<ref name="IGN: Alex Mauer" /> |
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The ''Serious Sam Indie Series'' was announced by Devolver Digital in March 2011.<ref name="Kotaku: Indie Series" /><ref name="GameSpot: Indie Series" /> To prepare ''The Random Encounter'' in time for its announcement, Ismail and Nijman worked from their hotel rooms in San Francisco while attending the 2011 [[Game Developers Conference]], in the plane back to the Netherlands, as well as at home under [[jet lag]]. They took several days off following the announcement.<ref name="Vlambeer: Serious news" /> The game was playable for the first time at the May 2011 "Indigo Connected by Ziggo" event in the Netherlands, as well as shown at [[Fantastic Arcade]] in September 2011.<ref name="Vlambeer: Indigo" /><ref name="Vlambeer: Fantastic Arcade" /> During the development of ''The Random Encounter'', a [[Video game clone|clone]] of Vlambeer's ''Radical Fishing'' was released by another company for [[iOS]] and quickly became successful. Because Vlambeer had itself been working on an iOS version of ''Radical Fishing'' (titled ''[[Ridiculous Fishing]]'') that had not yet been released, this [[plagiarism]] led to demotivation within the studio, resulting in the delay of ''The Random Encounter'' and other projects. Ismail had been fully engaged in working on ''The Random Encounter'' but shifted to handling the fallout of the controversy, with Nijman taking over the game's development.<ref name="Gamasutra: Gun Godz" /><ref name="Gamasutra: Clone" /> |
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Two trailers for ''The Random Encounter'' were edited by Kert Gartner.<ref name="Vlambeer: Supermassive" /> Both published in October 2011, the first focused on the game's mechanics, while the other coincided with the launch.<ref name="Vlambeer: Trailer 1" /><ref name="Vlambeer: Trailer 2" /> ''The Random Encounter'' was released for [[Windows]] on 24 October 2011 and made available for purchase through the Get Games and [[Steam (service)|Steam]] services.<ref name="IGN: Release Date" /><ref name="PC Gamer: launches" /><ref name="Engadget: launches" /> This marked Vlambeer's first commercial release, as its previous games had been [[freeware]].<ref name="GameSetWatch: Mac" /><ref name="Gamasutra: Best of" /> The studio intended to use the revenue generated from it to purchase a [[Mac (computer)|Mac]] computer and create a [[Mac OS X]] version of the game.<ref name="GameSetWatch: Mac" /> Vlambeer re-iterated its plan for this port in August 2016, also announcing plans to update the existing Windows version and release one for [[Linux]].<ref name="Vlambeer: Update" /> |
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== Reception == |
== Reception == |
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{{Video game reviews |
{{Video game reviews |
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| MC = 64/100<ref name="Metacritic" /> |
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| GR = 64.43%<ref name="GR">{{cite web | url = http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/644850-serious-sam-the-random-encounter/index.html | title = Serious Sam: The Random Encounter for PC | website = [[GameRankings]] | publisher = [[CBS Interactive]] | access-date = 25 August 2015}}</ref> |
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| Destruct = 7/10<ref name="Destructoid: Review" /> |
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| MC = 64/100<ref name="MC">{{cite web | url = http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/serious-sam-the-random-encounter | title = Serious Sam: The Random Encounter for PC Reviews | website = [[Metacritic]] | publisher = [[CBS Interactive]] | access-date = 25 August 2015}}</ref> |
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| EuroG = 8/10<ref name="Eurogamer: Review" /> |
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| GamePro = 3/5<ref name="GamePro: Review" /> |
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| GRadar = |
| GRadar = 2/5<ref name="GamesRadar+: Review" /> |
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| GameZone = 7.0/10<ref name="GameZone: Review" /> |
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| IGN = 7/10<ref name="IGN: Review" /> |
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| RPG = 2.5/5<ref name="RPGamer: Review" /> |
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}} |
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''Serious Sam: The Random Encounter'' received mixed |
''Serious Sam: The Random Encounter'' received "mixed or average reviews", according to the [[review aggregator]] website [[Metacritic]], which calculated a [[weighted average]] rating of 64/100 based on eleven critic reviews.<ref name="Metacritic" /> Several critics—including Allistair Pinsof (''[[Destructoid]]''), Eric Neigher (''[[IGN]]''), and Lana Polansky (''[[Kill Screen]]'')—considered the combat system innovative.<ref name="Destructoid: Review" /><ref name="Kill Screen: Review" /><ref name="IGN: Review" /> ''[[Eurogamer]]'' editor Christian Donlan described it as "ingenious", while David Sanchez of ''GameZone'' labelled it as an "excellent amalgamation of genres".<ref name="Eurogamer: Review" /> Polansky specifically lauded the battles' design, which she found was akin to a strategic puzzle requiring planning.<ref name="Kill Screen: Review" /> Conversely, Ryan Hodge, in his review for ''[[GamesRadar]]'', stated that these battles were "boring", "repetitive", and "monotonous".<ref name="GamesRadar+: Review" /> Others positively regarded the challenge posed by individual fights.<ref name="RPGamer: Review" /><ref name="Shacknews: Review" /><ref name="GamePro: Review" /><ref name="RPS: Review" /> |
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Donlan and ''[[GamePro]]''{{'}}s Nathan Meunier liked the variety in the available armament, with Donlan calling the individual weapons "endlessly satisfying".<ref name="Eurogamer: Review" /><ref name="GamePro: Review" /> However, Pinsof and Hodge found that some of them, especially the grenade launcher, only had limited usability.<ref name="Destructoid: Review" /><ref name="GamesRadar+: Review" /> Polansky and Hodge dismissed the puzzles in the overworld as "peripheral" and "unchallenging".<ref name="Kill Screen: Review" /><ref name="GamesRadar+: Review" /> |
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Pinsof, Hodge and ''[[Shacknews]]''{{'}}s Ozzie Mejia felt that ''The Random Encounter''{{'}}s concept was a good fit for the ''Serious Sam'' series.<ref name="Destructoid: Review" /><ref name="Shacknews: Review" /><ref name="GamesRadar+: Review" /> Mejia and Sanchez pointed out that the game's humour was well aligned with that of the rest of the series.<ref name="GameZone: Review" /><ref name="Shacknews: Review" /> Polansky and Alex Fuller (''RPGamer'') disliked the lack of a proper plot.<ref name="Kill Screen: Review" /><ref name="RPGamer: Review" /> Pinsof and Hodge noted an overall lack of polish, of whom Pinsof also encountered several [[Software bug|bugs]].<ref name="Destructoid: Review" /><ref name="GamesRadar+: Review" /> Its visuals and sound were considered by Sanchez as apt for the series, with the art described as "pleasing to look at" by Fuller.<ref name="RPGamer: Review" /> |
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Many critics voiced their disappointment about the game's duration of roughly one to two hours, considering it insufficient.<ref name="GameZone: Review" /><ref name="RPGamer: Review" /><ref name="Shacknews: Review" /><ref name="GamePro: Review" /> Hodge contrarily called it "mercifully short".<ref name="GamesRadar+: Review" /> Sanchez and Fuller consequently felt a sudden spike in difficulty after the first level.<ref name="GameZone: Review" /><ref name="RPGamer: Review" /> Polansky observed that later battles had "unpredictable" difficulties.<ref name="Kill Screen: Review" /> Conversely, Mejia opined that the game had a good [[learning curve]], although he found little [[replay value]].<ref name="Shacknews: Review" />{{Clear}} |
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== References == |
== References == |
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{{Reflist |
{{Reflist|refs= |
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<ref name="Destructoid: Review">{{cite web |url=https://www.destructoid.com/review-serious-sam-the-random-encounter-214328.phtml |title=Review: Serious Sam: The Random Encounter |first=Allistair |last=Pinsof |date=24 October 2011 |website=[[Destructoid]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=26 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526092615/https://www.destructoid.com/review-serious-sam-the-random-encounter-214328.phtml |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Engadget: launches">{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2011-10-25-serious-sam-the-random-encounter-launches-a-billion-missiles.html |title=Serious Sam: The Random Encounter launches (a billion missiles) |first=David |last=Hinkle |date=25 October 2011 |website=[[Engadget]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=14 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414191521/https://www.engadget.com/2011-10-25-serious-sam-the-random-encounter-launches-a-billion-missiles.html |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Eurogamer: inside story">{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-11-05-two-years-with-vlambeer |title=Two years with Vlambeer: the inside story on gaming's greatest new studio |first=Phill |last=Cameron |date=5 November 2012 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=7 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207121930/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-11-05-two-years-with-vlambeer |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Eurogamer: Review">{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-17-serious-sam-the-random-encounter-review-review |title=Serious Sam: The Random Encounter Review |first=Christian |last=Donlan |date=17 November 2011 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=9 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200309051558/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-17-serious-sam-the-random-encounter-review-review |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Gamasutra: Best of">{{cite web |url=https://gamasutra.com/view/news/128905/Best_of_Indie_Games_From_coins_to_Super_Crate_Box.php |title=Best of Indie Games: From coins to ''Super Crate Box'' |first=Eric |last=Caoili |date=13 January 2012 |website=[[Gamasutra]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=14 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114135408/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/128905/Best_of_Indie_Games_From_coins_to_Super_Crate_Box.php |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Gamasutra: Clone">{{cite web |url=https://gamasutra.com/view/feature/188097/ridiculous_fishing_the_game_that_.php |title=''Ridiculous Fishing:'' The Game that Nearly Ended Vlambeer, Page 1 of 3 |first=Mike |last=Rose |date=8 March 2013 |website=[[Gamasutra]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=16 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116005857/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/188097/ridiculous_fishing_the_game_that_.php |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Gamasutra: Gun Godz">{{cite web |url=https://gamasutra.com/view/feature/169969/postmortem_vlambeers_gun_godz.php?page=3 |title=Postmortem: Vlambeer's ''Gun Godz'', Page 3 of 3 |first1=Rami |last1=Ismail |author-link1=Rami Ismail |first2=Jan Willem |last2=Nijman |author-link2=Jan Willem Nijman |date=9 May 2012 |website=[[Gamasutra]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=24 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224125933/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/169969/postmortem_vlambeers_gun_godz.php?page=3 |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="GamePro: Review">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/224550/review-serious-sam-the-random-encounter-pc |title=Review: Serious Sam: The Random Encounter (PC) |first=Nathan |last=Meunier |date=2 November 2011 |magazine=[[GamePro]] |archive-date=5 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105212540/http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/224550/review-serious-sam-the-random-encounter-pc |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="GameSetWatch: Mac">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2011/10/serious_sam_the_random_encount.php |title=''Serious Sam: The Random Encounter'' Is Vlambeer's First Game You Can Buy |first=Danny |last=Cowan |date=26 October 2011 |website=[[GameSetWatch]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=11 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111185339/http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2011/10/serious_sam_the_random_encount.php |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="GameSpot: Indie Series">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/serious-sam-goes-indie/1100-6303024/ |title=Serious Sam goes indie |first=Brendan |last=Sinclair |date=9 March 2011 |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=27 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127201910/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/serious-sam-goes-indie/1100-6303024/ |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="GamesRadar+: Review">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-review/ |title=Serious Sam: The Random Encounter review |first=Ryan |last=Hodge |date=28 October 2011 |website=[[GamesRadar+]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=26 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200326155812/https://www.gamesradar.com/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-review/ |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="GameZone: Review">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-review |title=Serious Sam: The Random Encounter Review |first=David |last=Sanchez |date=4 November 2011 |website=GameZone |archive-date=17 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111117035328/http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-review |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="HG101: Spin-Offs">{{cite web |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/serious-sam-spin-offs-part-1/ |title=Serious Sam Spin-Offs (Part 1) |first=Jonathan |last=Kaharl |date=23 August 2020 |website=[[Hardcore Gaming 101]] |access-date=21 June 2023 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621184234/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/serious-sam-spin-offs-part-1/ |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="IGN: Alex Mauer">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/01/20/starr-mazer-fuses-point-and-click-adventure-and-retro-shmups |title=Starr Mazer Fuses Point-and-Click Adventure and Retro Shmups |first=Chloi |last=Rad |date=20 January 2015 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=28 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728055453/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/01/20/starr-mazer-fuses-point-and-click-adventure-and-retro-shmups |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="IGN: Release Date">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/10/10/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-release-date-announced |title=Serious Sam: The Random Encounter Release Date Announced |first=Anthony |last=Gallegos |date=11 October 2011 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=8 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108131846/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/10/10/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-release-date-announced |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="IGN: Review">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/11/03/serious-samthe-random-encounter-review |title=Serious Sam:The Random Encounter Review |first=Eric |last=Neigher |date=3 November 2011 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=26 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526092618/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/11/03/serious-samthe-random-encounter-review |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Kill Screen: Review">{{cite web |url=https://killscreen.com/previously/articles/review-serious-sam-random-encounter/ |title=Review: Serious Sam: The Random Encounter |first=Lana |last=Polansky |date=16 December 2011 |website=[[Kill Screen]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=14 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414191622/https://killscreen.com/previously/articles/review-serious-sam-random-encounter/ |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Kotaku: Indie Series">{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/serious-sam-delivers-three-new-games-with-an-indie-twis-5780139 |title=''Serious Sam'' Delivers Three New Games With An Indie Twist |first=Mike |last=Fahey |date=9 March 2011 |website=[[Kotaku]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=14 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414191625/https://kotaku.com/serious-sam-delivers-three-new-games-with-an-indie-twis-5780139 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Metacritic">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/serious-sam-the-random-encounter/ |title=Serious Sam: The Random Encounter |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=14 September 2023 |archive-date=14 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914130503/https://www.metacritic.com/game/serious-sam-the-random-encounter/ |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="PC Gamer: launches">{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-launches-on-steam-with-a-live-action-trailer-of-sorts/ |title=Serious Sam: The Random Encounter launches on Steam with a live-action trailer (of sorts) |first=Rob |last=Zacny |date=24 October 2011 |website=[[PC Gamer]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=14 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414191627/https://www.pcgamer.com/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-launches-on-steam-with-a-live-action-trailer-of-sorts/ |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Pixel-icious: SSTRE">{{cite web |url=http://pixel-icious.com/serioussam.html |title=Serious Sam: the Random Encounter |first=Roy Nathan |last=de Groot |publisher=Pixel-icious |access-date=15 April 2020 |archive-date=15 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200415095639/http://pixel-icious.com/serioussam.html |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="RPGamer: Review">{{cite web |url=https://rpgamer.com/review/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-review/ |title=Serious Sam: The Random Encounter Review |first=Alex |last=Fuller |date=25 October 2011 |website=RPGamer |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=14 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414191631/https://rpgamer.com/review/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-review/ |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="RPS: Review">{{cite web |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/10/25/wit-serious-sam-the-random-encounter/ |title=WIT: Serious Sam – The Random Encounter |first=John |last=Walker |date=25 October 2011 |website=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=22 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722193855/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/10/25/wit-serious-sam-the-random-encounter/ |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Shacknews: Review">{{cite web |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/70933/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-review |title=Serious Sam: The Random Encounter review |first=Ozzie |last=Mejia |date=3 November 2011 |website=[[Shacknews]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=6 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106151551/http://www.shacknews.com/article/70933/serious-sam-the-random-encounter-review |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="VentureBeat: Interview">{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/community/2011/04/28/interviews-serious-sam-indie-series-developers/ |title=Interview Roundup: Croteam and indie developers discuss new titles in the Serious Sam universe |first=Louis |last=Garcia |date=28 April 2011 |website=[[VentureBeat]] |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=27 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127201908/https://venturebeat.com/community/2011/04/28/interviews-serious-sam-indie-series-developers/ |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Vlambeer: Fantastic Arcade">{{cite web |url=http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/09/25/fantastic-arcade-serious-sam-release-info/ |title=Fantastic Arcade & Serious Sam release info |first=Rami |last=Ismail |author-link=Rami Ismail |date=25 September 2011 |publisher=[[Vlambeer]] |archive-date=18 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018162608/http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/09/25/fantastic-arcade-serious-sam-release-info/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Vlambeer: Indigo">{{cite web |url=http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/05/16/indigo-11/ |title=Indigo '11 |first=Rami |last=Ismail |author-link=Rami Ismail |date=16 May 2011 |publisher=[[Vlambeer]] |archive-date=19 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519073641/http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/05/16/indigo-11/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Vlambeer: Paul Veer">{{cite web |url=http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/06/06/paul-veer-on-art/ |title=Paul Veer on Serious Sam: The Random Encounter |first1=Rami |last1=Ismail |author-link1=Rami Ismail |first2=Paul |last2=Veer |date=6 June 2011 |publisher=[[Vlambeer]] |archive-date=24 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111024044139/http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/06/06/paul-veer-on-art/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Vlambeer: Serious Design">{{cite web |url=http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/07/08/serious-design/ |title=Serious Design |first=Jan Willem |last=Nijman |author-link=Jan Willem Nijman |date=8 July 2011 |publisher=[[Vlambeer]] |archive-date=10 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910163811/http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/07/08/serious-design/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Vlambeer: Serious news">{{cite web |url=http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/03/10/serious-news/ |title=Serious news |first=Rami |last=Ismail |author-link=Rami Ismail |date=10 March 2011 |publisher=[[Vlambeer]] |archive-date=13 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313084323/http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/03/10/serious-news/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Vlambeer: Supermassive">{{cite web |url=http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/09/09/supermassive-blog-post/ |title=Supermassive Blog Post |first=Rami |last=Ismail |author-link=Rami Ismail |date=9 September 2011 |publisher=[[Vlambeer]] |archive-date=27 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027190723/http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/09/09/supermassive-blog-post/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Vlambeer: Trailer 1">{{cite web |url=http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/10/07/random-encounter-gameplay-traile/ |title=Serious Sam: The Random Encounter – Gameplay Trailer! |first=Rami |last=Ismail |author-link=Rami Ismail |date=7 October 2011 |publisher=[[Vlambeer]] |archive-date=22 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022233857/http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/10/07/random-encounter-gameplay-traile/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Vlambeer: Trailer 2">{{cite web |url=http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/10/24/serious-sam-the-random-encounter/ |title=Serious Sam: The Random Encounter |first=Rami |last=Ismail |author-link=Rami Ismail |date=24 October 2011 |publisher=[[Vlambeer]] |archive-date=1 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101065624/http://www.vlambeer.com/2011/10/24/serious-sam-the-random-encounter/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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<ref name="Vlambeer: Update">{{cite web |url=http://www.vlambeer.com/2016/08/announcement/ |title=Announcement! |first=Rami |last=Ismail |author-link=Rami Ismail |date=8 August 2017 |publisher=[[Vlambeer]] |archive-date=9 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809232714/http://www.vlambeer.com/2016/08/announcement/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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}} |
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== External links == |
== External links == |
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* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240206013204/http://therandomencounter.com/|date=6 February 2024|title=Official website}} |
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{{Serious Sam |
{{Serious Sam}} |
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{{Vlambeer}} |
{{Vlambeer}} |
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[[Category:2011 video games]] |
[[Category:2011 video games]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Devolver Digital games]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Indie games]] |
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[[Category:Role-playing video games]] |
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[[Category:Serious Sam]] |
[[Category:Serious Sam]] |
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[[Category:Single-player video games]] |
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[[Category:Video game spin-offs]] |
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[[Category:Video games developed in the Netherlands]] |
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[[Category:Video games set in Egypt]] |
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[[Category:Vlambeer games]] |
[[Category:Vlambeer games]] |
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[[Category:Windows games]] |
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[[Category:Windows-only games]] |
Latest revision as of 13:58, 9 September 2024
Serious Sam: The Random Encounter | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Vlambeer |
Publisher(s) | Devolver Digital |
Designer(s) | |
Artist(s) |
|
Composer(s) | Alex Mauer |
Series | Serious Sam |
Engine | |
Platform(s) | Windows |
Release | 24 October 2011 |
Genre(s) | Role-playing, bullet hell |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Serious Sam: The Random Encounter is a 2011 role-playing and bullet hell game developed by Vlambeer and published by Devolver Digital. It follows Sam "Serious" Stone travelling to the future in search of his nemesis, Mental, teaming up with mercenaries on the way. The player controls Sam and his accomplices through confined levels, engaging in battles through random encounters. These pit the player characters against large waves of enemies, and the player controls the weapons and items each character uses against them in five-second turns.
Announced in March 2011, The Random Encounter was created as part of the Serious Sam Indie Series to promote the release of Serious Sam 3: BFE. Devolver Digital initially envisioned a clone of Vlambeer's Super Crate Box. The studio disliked this idea, drafting a pitch for a turn-based role-playing game instead. The Random Encounter was released for Windows in October 2011 to a mixed reception. The combat system was given a varied response, with some critics calling it innovative. The game's tone, visuals, and sound were well received. Conflicting opinions were expressed regarding the game's arsenal and short duration.
Gameplay
[edit]Serious Sam: The Random Encounter is a hybrid of a role-playing video game with turn-based elements and a bullet hell game.[1][2] The gameplay is split into two parts, world exploration and battle sequences, in a style similar to Japanese role-playing games.[3][4] In the former, the player sequentially traverses nine confined areas, distributed across three thematic worlds.[1][5] Initially alone, protagonist Sam "Serious" Stone teams up with mercenaries Bam and Bim over the course of the game.[3] Every few steps made in these levels, a random encounter occurs, initiating a battle.[3][6] In these, the player characters appear to the right of the screen, while a horde of enemies approaches from the left.[2][5][7] The player chooses for each character to either fire their equipped weapon at the enemies, swap that weapon for another, or use an item.[8][9]
When firing a weapon, the player determines how it should be used. Revolvers aim automatically, while shotguns have an adjustable radius in which they automatically aim, doing more damage to enemies at close range. Several weapons can have their trajectory angled, of which most fire in a straight line; some fire continuously, while others only have limited shots per turn. Grenade launchers can shoot at a specific point on the screen. When a character switches weapons, they lose some time before also firing the newly equipped weapon. Items include additional health or armour for the characters, revivals of dead party members, a "Serious Bomb" that defeats the majority of visible enemies, and a "Kamikaze Bait" that spawns 100 (or more) Beheaded Kamikaze enemies.[1][7][8][10]
In each turn, the player characters perform their selected actions, while enemies also attack. Turns last five seconds, after which the player can assign new actions.[2][5][9] During a turn, the player may also move the entire party up or down to shift their weapons' aim or dodge enemies and their projectiles.[5][6][11] Individual enemies have different attack styles.[7][8] Characters take damage when hit by an enemy or projectile and die when their armour and health are depleted.[11] Should all party members be dead at once, the battle ends, with the party losing a life and being reset to its position prior to the lost battle.[2][11] Should the player lose all of their three lives, gameplay pauses and the active level is reset.[1][3][11]
Battles end normally once all enemies are defeated, although additional enemies may spawn during a battle.[2][3] Battles become progressively more difficult by pitting the player against more enemies.[5] The game includes five boss fights. Through victories, the player gains some experience points that can add up to unlocking a new weapon or item.[1][3] Further items can be found in chests during world exploration. Levels further include some puzzle elements, such as collecting a key, activating a switch or defeating large amounts of enemies, that the player has to solve to progress. Upon completion of the main game, an endless mode is unlocked, in which the player can play for an undetermined time to achieve the highest possible score.[1][5][10]
Development and release
[edit]Serious Sam: The Random Encounter was developed by Vlambeer, an indie game developer composed of Rami Ismail and Jan Willem Nijman. Its previous releases included Super Crate Box and Radical Fishing. After coming across the former, Devolver Digital, the publisher of the Serious Sam series, contacted Vlambeer, asking them to develop a game for the Serious Sam Indie Series. A triplet of spin-offs to be created by small studios to promote the impending launch of the mainline first-person shooter entry Serious Sam 3: BFE, the Indie Series also encompasses Serious Sam Double D and Serious Sam: Kamikaze Attack!.[12][13] Ismail and Nijman had been fans of the series, wherefore they accepted the request.[13][14] However, Devolver Digital requested a copy of Super Crate Box with a Serious Sam theme, which Ismail and Nijman disliked. During a brainstorming session, they instead drafted a turn-based role-playing video game.[12][15] The intent was to place the game in a genre as far away as possible from a first-person shooter, while not sacrificing other core elements of the series.[13][14] From this idea, they crafted a crude drawing, which they scanned and emailed to Devolver Digital, expecting that the publisher would turn down the pitch. As such, the team was surprised when it was quickly approved.[12] The game concept did not change significantly from the pitch thereafter.[15] Ismail stated that Vlambeer had full creative control and would not have undergone the project otherwise.[13]
The visuals for The Random Encounter were produced by Roy Nathan de Groot and Paul Veer.[16] De Groot worked on all static assets, starting with designing the first world and the sprite for Sam. When creating Sam's accomplices, the team intended to use his sister but found that she was already deceased in the lore of the Serious Sam series. Instead, they went through the characters of the series's multiplayer modes and chose the two most "visually attractive": Groovy Gregory and Wild Wyatt. To avoid battle scenes feeling "flat", de Groot added parallax scrolling to their backgrounds. He also designed the cover artwork and, when its files were lost in a crash shortly before the associated deadline, quickly re-created it from a low-resolution version that he upscaled and re-coloured.[17] Veer produced character animations and visual effects. Because Groovy Gregory and Wild Wyatt (now named Bam and Bim) had a shape similar to that of Sam, Veer was able to repurpose some of Sam's animations by applying different colours. For greater variety between them, he added minor cosmetic details and altered a few animations. To fit the action theme of Serious Sam, characters were fully animated, as opposed to the more static style of other role-playing video games of the time.[16] The Random Encounter's soundtrack was composed by Alex Mauer.[18]
The Serious Sam Indie Series was announced by Devolver Digital in March 2011.[19][20] To prepare The Random Encounter in time for its announcement, Ismail and Nijman worked from their hotel rooms in San Francisco while attending the 2011 Game Developers Conference, in the plane back to the Netherlands, as well as at home under jet lag. They took several days off following the announcement.[14] The game was playable for the first time at the May 2011 "Indigo Connected by Ziggo" event in the Netherlands, as well as shown at Fantastic Arcade in September 2011.[21][22] During the development of The Random Encounter, a clone of Vlambeer's Radical Fishing was released by another company for iOS and quickly became successful. Because Vlambeer had itself been working on an iOS version of Radical Fishing (titled Ridiculous Fishing) that had not yet been released, this plagiarism led to demotivation within the studio, resulting in the delay of The Random Encounter and other projects. Ismail had been fully engaged in working on The Random Encounter but shifted to handling the fallout of the controversy, with Nijman taking over the game's development.[23][24]
Two trailers for The Random Encounter were edited by Kert Gartner.[25] Both published in October 2011, the first focused on the game's mechanics, while the other coincided with the launch.[26][27] The Random Encounter was released for Windows on 24 October 2011 and made available for purchase through the Get Games and Steam services.[28][29][30] This marked Vlambeer's first commercial release, as its previous games had been freeware.[31][32] The studio intended to use the revenue generated from it to purchase a Mac computer and create a Mac OS X version of the game.[31] Vlambeer re-iterated its plan for this port in August 2016, also announcing plans to update the existing Windows version and release one for Linux.[33]
Reception
[edit]Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | 64/100[34] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Destructoid | 7/10[1] |
Eurogamer | 8/10[8] |
GamePro | 3/5[9] |
GamesRadar+ | 2/5[10] |
GameZone | 7.0/10[2] |
IGN | 7/10[7] |
RPGamer | 2.5/5[5] |
Serious Sam: The Random Encounter received "mixed or average reviews", according to the review aggregator website Metacritic, which calculated a weighted average rating of 64/100 based on eleven critic reviews.[34] Several critics—including Allistair Pinsof (Destructoid), Eric Neigher (IGN), and Lana Polansky (Kill Screen)—considered the combat system innovative.[1][3][7] Eurogamer editor Christian Donlan described it as "ingenious", while David Sanchez of GameZone labelled it as an "excellent amalgamation of genres".[8] Polansky specifically lauded the battles' design, which she found was akin to a strategic puzzle requiring planning.[3] Conversely, Ryan Hodge, in his review for GamesRadar, stated that these battles were "boring", "repetitive", and "monotonous".[10] Others positively regarded the challenge posed by individual fights.[5][6][9][11]
Donlan and GamePro's Nathan Meunier liked the variety in the available armament, with Donlan calling the individual weapons "endlessly satisfying".[8][9] However, Pinsof and Hodge found that some of them, especially the grenade launcher, only had limited usability.[1][10] Polansky and Hodge dismissed the puzzles in the overworld as "peripheral" and "unchallenging".[3][10]
Pinsof, Hodge and Shacknews's Ozzie Mejia felt that The Random Encounter's concept was a good fit for the Serious Sam series.[1][6][10] Mejia and Sanchez pointed out that the game's humour was well aligned with that of the rest of the series.[2][6] Polansky and Alex Fuller (RPGamer) disliked the lack of a proper plot.[3][5] Pinsof and Hodge noted an overall lack of polish, of whom Pinsof also encountered several bugs.[1][10] Its visuals and sound were considered by Sanchez as apt for the series, with the art described as "pleasing to look at" by Fuller.[5]
Many critics voiced their disappointment about the game's duration of roughly one to two hours, considering it insufficient.[2][5][6][9] Hodge contrarily called it "mercifully short".[10] Sanchez and Fuller consequently felt a sudden spike in difficulty after the first level.[2][5] Polansky observed that later battles had "unpredictable" difficulties.[3] Conversely, Mejia opined that the game had a good learning curve, although he found little replay value.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Pinsof, Allistair (24 October 2011). "Review: Serious Sam: The Random Encounter". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Sanchez, David (4 November 2011). "Serious Sam: The Random Encounter Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 17 November 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Polansky, Lana (16 December 2011). "Review: Serious Sam: The Random Encounter". Kill Screen. Archived from the original on 14 April 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ Kaharl, Jonathan (23 August 2020). "Serious Sam Spin-Offs (Part 1)". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Fuller, Alex (25 October 2011). "Serious Sam: The Random Encounter Review". RPGamer. Archived from the original on 14 April 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g Mejia, Ozzie (3 November 2011). "Serious Sam: The Random Encounter review". Shacknews. Archived from the original on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Neigher, Eric (3 November 2011). "Serious Sam:The Random Encounter Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f Donlan, Christian (17 November 2011). "Serious Sam: The Random Encounter Review". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 9 March 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f Meunier, Nathan (2 November 2011). "Review: Serious Sam: The Random Encounter (PC)". GamePro. Archived from the original on 5 November 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Hodge, Ryan (28 October 2011). "Serious Sam: The Random Encounter review". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Walker, John (25 October 2011). "WIT: Serious Sam – The Random Encounter". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
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External links
[edit]- Official website at the Wayback Machine (archived 6 February 2024)