Fast-paced, fun, explosive and splatter! That's what it looks like Serious Sam, one of the most popular FPS series of all time. A series that has lasted for almost twenty years and that has four main titles and various spin-offs and expansions that have been able to entertain and amuse fans from all over the world. By popular demand, after the release of Serious Sam 4 (of which you can find our review at the following link), Devolver Digital e Croteam they finally brought the first three chapters up Nintendo Switch, the hugely popular hybrid console from Nintendo, with Serious Sam Collection, a collection that contains Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter, Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter, Serious Sam 3: BFE and the two expansions The Legend of the Beast and Jewel of the Nile.
Sam Stone against everyone!
Talking about the plot, the Serious Sam series certainly does not enjoy an incredible narrative, but this Serious Sam Collection still manages to defend itself well. The story, set in the future, revolves around the story of Sam "Serious" Stone, an intrepid hero who is sent back in time to try to stop the invasion of Earth by Mental, a mysterious entity at the head of an army of extraterrestrials. It is therefore Sam who has to resolve the situation and he will do so by facing hundreds and hundreds of hordes of aliens. It is also important to point out that, while Serious Sam: The Second Encounter is a direct sequel to The First Encounter, Serious Sam: BFE is in effect a prequel to the series.
As anticipated, the plot is told, especially in the first chapter, through very long database pages which, if on the one hand they manage to exponentially enrich the lore of the series, on the other they are synonymous with a narration slow and at times boring, punctuated by some sporadic footage. This is a problem that especially afflicts the first chapter and that is gradually resolved in the second and third, with the latter in particular that manages to show off a decidedly more homogeneous and pressing rhythm. However, this is not a very serious problem, as to be the master in this series is certainly the gameplay that will entertain and amuse you for approximately about thirty hours (about 8 hours for each chapter, plus the two expansions).
If we were to describe the gameplay of Serious Sam Collection with a single word, this would be without a shadow of a doubt “explosive”. The FPS series developed by Croteam boasts a play system that is as simple as it is satisfying and, in certain situations - most in reality -, downright tedious. Yes, because if on the one hand we talk about the classic first person shooter, on the other hand we have to deal with a continuous crescendo of difficulties, thanks to the huge amount of enemies that will clash against the player. You will repeat some situations over and over again and this may annoy some players, but the sense of satisfaction you will feel when you have the better of entire enemy armies is indescribable. The weaponry available to Sam are many, as are the types of enemies. You will notice, however, that, especially by playing all three titles one after the other, the novelties between one iteration and the other are very few and, apart from some slight filings here and there, there is no real sense of improvement . Not bad actually, because as mentioned before the series formula works, entertains and entertains, and that's exactly what it's supposed to do. Also present are some extra modes, such as Survival and the hilarious co-op component!
Serious Sam on Switch!
How does the Croteam trilogy fare on Nintendo Switch? Beautifully! The Collection allows you to choose between two graphics modes: Graphics, in fact, and Performance. The first will increase the graphic detail of the game, while the second will focus everything on a more fluid gameplay and a greater number of FPS. Which one to choose? This is up to you, but for our part we can say that playing Serious Sam at 60 FPS priceless! However, it must be said that the 60 FPS are not always fixed and indeed, they tend to dance a lot, especially in the most animated situations, both in portable mode and when the Switch is connected to the TV via the dock. About portable mode, trust us when we tell you that the ability to play comfortably, in any room and in any position, alone is worth the price of the ticket.
Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter and Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter are versions remastered in HD of the original titles and do not feature any improvements for this switch to Switch. Not bad actually, given that despite the years on their shoulders, both still look very good. What is certain is that we are still talking about titles from almost a decade ago and one cannot expect too much from this point of view. As already mentioned, we are talking about a discreet technical work, with well-made textures and equally good polygonal models. The particle effects, to be honest, are those that are most affected by the years, but are still passable. The sound also behaves very well, with the energetic OST of the three titles that beautifully accompanies the gameplay. The sound effects are recognizable and well crafted, as is the dubbing, available only in English. Thankfully though, all Serious Sam Collection titles are subtitled in Spanish.
