Serious Sam 4 Reviews
Serious Sam 4 is just fun, and in a time where real life is so very serious its nice to have a game just be fun again.
If you like the idea of running and gunning, feeling well and truly outnumbered but having a chance to defeat the odds then this could well be up your alley. If you require a bit more polish and seriousness (pun semi intended) in your game then this may be more down a dark path.
It may not revolutionize the formula, but the new iteration of the engine allows the game to unleash thousands of enemies at the same time, giving the player levels of chaos and destruction they have rarely witnessed in a video game. I can close an eye on some of the jank when I can blow up dozens of headless kamikazes, with Sam delivering intentionally corny one-liners after, and I suspect other people who grew up on this franchise may be able to do the same.
For those who want a brutally raw retro-styled shooter where constant carnage is the order of the day, Serious Sam 4 will sate the bloodlust of even the most maniacal gamers. Not only that, but it’s genuinely funny and well-written, and the trials and tragedies Sam experiences tugged at my jaded heartstrings far more than I expected them to. Many would not enjoy Serious Sam 4 because gunning down endless waves of slavering aliens and mutants becomes brutally relentless – but if you’re a hardcore shooter purist, that’s exactly what you’re looking for.
Despite the regrets, Serious Sam 4 is indeed a good FPS. Not only does it feature important and classic elements of its series, including action-packed gunfights and plenty of enemies to fight, but it also has extras like co-op mode and interesting dialogue. Unfortunately, these qualities are heavily undermined by poor performance, poorly planned combat stages and bad animations. At the end, is the recommendation for fans of the franchise and lovers of the genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
I declare myself a fan of Serious Sam. I always have been, and not secretly. Croteam has always had in its hands a product that is based on the purest fun that an FPS can offer, shoot your enemies and enjoy it in the best way. And again, they're still exceptional for it. This fourth installment is a dream come true for many, but it could have been much better, because the technical problems with which this console version has arrived, undoubtedly affect the experience. We know that the differences are obvious, but in this stretch of the end of the year where an incredible shooter like Battlefield 2042 is "the worst" of those that have come out in relation to its technical problems, Croteam is not exactly in a good position.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Serious Sam 4 is a fun shooter that can be really challenging at times. However, it’s kinda disappointing that there are so many performance issues, and that the graphics feel a little outdated, despite being on next-gen. If you’re someone who’s looking for a fun, chaotic shooter who doesn’t really mind the performance issues, then I can definitely recommend this to you!
Serious Sam 4 is good, mindless fun, that is unfortunately mired by performance issues. This is recommended for big fans of the series, or for those looking for a nostalgia fix, for back when games were simpler, linear affairs which could be completed in a weekend. It's not a particularly great-looking or running game, but it is also only $39.99 at launch. The full campaign doesn't overstay its welcome, and its many secrets will tempt completionists. Give it a shot if you like your bloody kills combined with quippy one-liners. Just be ready for a bumpy ride.
There is a lot of fun that could be had with Serious Sam 4, however many of its design issues make it a loud, overwhelming, and unbearable mess. There are some really great moments in this game with some entertaining cut scenes and many moments where it becomes a genuine run-and-gun fest. However, it feels like the game takes a good thing and gives you too much of it. While I appreciate all the extra content with the launch, a lot of it feels like unnecessary padding.
Playing Serious Sam 4: Planet Badass can be fun. It’s also clear that the franchise is at a crossroads. It wants to steal from other AAA shooters, to have believable characters, NPCs, and a story. At the same time, it goes all-in with a lame-joke cracking juvenile in a man suit and gameplay that is rote, lacks creativity and is repetitive. Long load times and framerate issues don’t help, either. Twenty years on, Sam isn’t edgy, goofy or ironic. Sam’s schtick, and the gameplay that goes with him, are seriously due for a makeover.
Sadly, as expected, this PS5 version of Serious Sam was a disappointment. There is a really fun shooter buried underneath this pile of glitches, framerate issues and boring story-driven sections, but it’s nigh impossible to overlook all of those setbacks.
I'm not the world's biggest fan of shooters, but I have a soft spot for Serious Sam. It's partly because it exists to make fun of the rest of the genre, and do so in a colourful, easy-going way such that it's the equivalent of a Sunday morning cartoon. It's also all-action, but in the right way. I find more realistic shooters stressful when I'm being swamped from all sides, but Serious Sam does such a great job with the power fantasy that you'll look at a screen filled with 100 ugly beasties... and wish they had brought friends. I enjoyed getting re-acquainted with Serious Sam earlier in the year with the collection. With Serious Sam 4 I have a game that should have done better on the PlayStation 5 hardware, but is a new favourite shooter anyway.
It is a shame that Serious Sam 4 is not able to live up to the series’ legacy. While the franchise has never been associated with particularly groundbreaking or polished titles it has previously been able to offer enjoyable experiences with its own identity and fun gameplay. Serious Sam 4 is too bogged down by questionable design and poor presentation to manage that, and instead feels like a title quickly thrown together with an overnight script than a cohesive product.
If you're a hardcore fan of Serious Sam then this new installment will deliver the same experience that you love but outside the fanbase, Serious Sam 4 is just a massive horde mode single-player adventure.
While fitfully fun and well designed, Sam 4 disappoints as both a sequel and a next-gen product. While it wasn’t particularly optimised on PC it still represents a low for PS5 performance. A compromised port of a game that’s only slightly above average in the first place. A serious shame.
Serious Sam 4 on consoles is a beautifully fun mess. It's more Serious Sam, which isn't a bad thing, but there are performance problems that cannot be overlooked.
Stick Serious Sam 4 in performance mode, then, and while your experience won’t be perfect on PS5, you’ll still have a bloody good time. It’s perhaps the humour and simple premise of the game that will be more divisive; some will love it for its daft one-liners and balls-to-the-wall action, others may find it too repetitive and macho. If you like the idea of butchering an entire army of monsters ranging from vampires to reptilian demons that throw green balls of energy at you, however, then be sure to give it a go. And what other game lets you loose in a combine harvester to up your body count?
Serious Sam is a series that has been around for a long time. Overshadowed by the likes of Doom, Duke Nukem¸ and Goldeneye, the first-person action shooter series never truly felt like a revolutionary game series.
Croteam has yet to surpass its first two Serious Sam games, with Serious Sam 4 basically being one more entry; one that is great fun, but far from an evolution of the series. The flaws are aplenty, although they are rarely very serious (pun not intended), making this fourthquel more disappointing than bad - because, make no mistake, this is very good. Sure, it's not the best Serious Sam game… but still a Serious Sam game. Fans of serious action will understand.
Reader, I'm not going to lie. As a serious Serious Sam fan it's very hard for me to get on board with this installment. I know they tried with some big ideas, but it just feels like every single one of them fell miles short of the intended mark. If you're a die hard fan of the franchise like me, then no doubt you'll want this--but take my word for it and wait for a deep cut or sale. Otherwise, you'll just find yourself frustrated that you've spent upwards of £30 on what feels like a rushed, buggy mess covered in your favourite coat of Sam paint.