The graphics, and sound suck and the controls take some time to learn, but this is a fun game
User Rating: 8.7 | Serious Sam: Next Encounter PS2
Serious Sam: Next Encounter is a complete nonsense first person shooter for the Ps2 that wasn't received too well. I honestly think that this is a great game that is worth the budget price to anyone that is a fan of first person shooters and owns a Ps2. Whether it is the ability to play through the game co-op with a friend, or the insanely huge enemies that are constantly being thrown at you, this game never stops being fun and exciting. First off there is really no story to speak of in this game. You just go around shooting aliens in multiple levels based off of real life locations like ancient Rome or in China. The cutscene graphics are atrocious and look a lot like something from the Nintendo 64 era, even though the in-game stuff looks about right on for the time that this game came out. The sound effects are pretty much crap, and if you could hear Sam's sarcastic quotes I bet you would laugh, but they are just too fuzzy to even make out. The control scheme takes a while to get used to, because for some reason you use the L2 button to fire your gun. So what does Serious Sam have going for it then? Well that answer my friend is the insanely huge fun factor that comes with this game. Blowing the crap out of huge aliens never seems to get old and the multiplayer is a blast online or off. Not to mention that even though the story is really no where to be seen the story mode itself is pretty lengthy if you play in thirty to sixty minute increments. Serious Sam may not be the fix that realistic shooter fans are looking for, but it is a nice break from the serious squad combat games like Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon (this coming from a huge Tom Clancy). This game proves that you don't need the story, sound effects, and awesome graphics that most shooters these days are all about. This game shows that all you need is a good old insanely high fun factor. In a world where Duke Nukem is no where to be found Sam "Serious" Stone is king in the nonsensical alien shooter genre.
