Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

Serious Sam doesn't try to be anything more than a gory, adrenaline-fueled shooting gallery. For many, that is all that is required for a good time. It does get repetitive, though. There are definitely cheap thrills to be had here but don't expect the substance that modern first-person shooters like Half-Life and BioShock offer. If you just want to kill some stuff, Serious Sam will certainly do.

As such it feels a little dated compared with modern releases. It's undoubtedly fun and relentless in its strive for all-out action, but with a recommended retail price of £18, it feels a bit light. For nostalgia alone, die-hard fans will get a lot out of this HD remake, but gamers who have been spoilt by current genre favourites will find Serious Sam HD a bit too simple for its own good.

Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter is a great purchase for both fans of the series and newcomers. Those who have grown up on modern shooters may find the primitive design and simplistic objectives a bit jarring, but the purity of the gameplay simply has to be respected. It looks really good for what it is, and the hardcore, old school shooting action is just as robust as ever.