Lekon
10-23-2011, 12:27 PM
Vlambeer's Previous work, Super Crate Box, is well known for both challenge and hectic fun. It seems strange to see a studio go from a side scrolling single screen shooter to a hybrid RPG, but they've pulled it off marvelously.
Serious Sam: The Random Encounter (http://www.therandomencounter.com/) is not an easy game. If you've played Super Crate Box, then you have an idea of how challenging Vlambeer's games can be.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6047/6272859121_6496d7b552_z.jpg
This is from the easy portion of the game
The game is split into two sections, exploration and combat, much like most turn-based RPGs. The Sams move around the level, collect items/weapons, and trade Sam style quips to each other about the level, their hatred of puzzles, and their plans to solve problems. Mostly problems are solved by shooting things in the face, of course.
Every few steps, you'll encounter enemies. While your party grows to 3 Sams after a short while, even the early battles have you facing off against a few hundred enemies at once. Each "turn" lets you fire your weapon, swap to a different weapon and fire, or use an item. The turns last for 5 seconds, and during that time you can use your keys to move up or down and try and dodge the hail of bullets flying at the Sams as they run backwards and fire.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6212/6273353722_f392b7d619_z.jpg
Not shown: The dozen Scorpion Demons that spawned 2 seconds later
The combat starts simple, but about the time you hit level 2-2, it begins to ramp up.. quickly. Weapons can be swapped each round, but it takes two valuable seconds to swap weapons and begin firing, often messing up whatever aiming line you had setup. Using an item keeps the Sam that uses it from firing for the full turn, thus requiring quite a bit more strategy then is usually thought of with the run and gun of Serious Sam.
Items run the gambit from Serious Bombs (Everything goes boom), Serious Damage (Your team mates get heavily multiplied damage), Serious Speed (Run backwards really fast!). Weapons vary in effectiveness, with some firing constantly throughout the turn (Revolvers, or Miniguns) and some only firing once per round (Sniper Rifle, Rocket Launcher). Soon enough, you're having to juggle which Sam will fire which weapon, and how best you can keep the horde back. And in three or four more steps, you'll be juggling it again. If all of your troops die in battle, you'll be put back on the map with one life lost. Lose all three of your lives in a level, and it's back to the start of that level section. Luckily the levels aren't huge, so you won't be penalized too heavily for messing up a few fights.
If this sounds like a serious challenge, it is. However, the game, despite it's high difficulty in some of the fights, is just plain fun. Much like Super Crate Box, the frustration level quickly melts away when you finally beat the boss or fight that was giving you trouble. Items are dropped often, giving plenty of tools for the fights, and the Sams' health is fully replenished after each battle.
Watch for Serious Sam: The Random Encounter on Steam for $4.99, on 10/24/11. If you enjoy bullet hell shooters, fast paced RPGs, or the thought of mashing up Radient Silvergun and a JRPG along with the oddness of Serious Sam's story line, then by all means, snap this up.
Serious Sam: The Random Encounter (http://www.therandomencounter.com/) is not an easy game. If you've played Super Crate Box, then you have an idea of how challenging Vlambeer's games can be.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6047/6272859121_6496d7b552_z.jpg
This is from the easy portion of the game
The game is split into two sections, exploration and combat, much like most turn-based RPGs. The Sams move around the level, collect items/weapons, and trade Sam style quips to each other about the level, their hatred of puzzles, and their plans to solve problems. Mostly problems are solved by shooting things in the face, of course.
Every few steps, you'll encounter enemies. While your party grows to 3 Sams after a short while, even the early battles have you facing off against a few hundred enemies at once. Each "turn" lets you fire your weapon, swap to a different weapon and fire, or use an item. The turns last for 5 seconds, and during that time you can use your keys to move up or down and try and dodge the hail of bullets flying at the Sams as they run backwards and fire.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6212/6273353722_f392b7d619_z.jpg
Not shown: The dozen Scorpion Demons that spawned 2 seconds later
The combat starts simple, but about the time you hit level 2-2, it begins to ramp up.. quickly. Weapons can be swapped each round, but it takes two valuable seconds to swap weapons and begin firing, often messing up whatever aiming line you had setup. Using an item keeps the Sam that uses it from firing for the full turn, thus requiring quite a bit more strategy then is usually thought of with the run and gun of Serious Sam.
Items run the gambit from Serious Bombs (Everything goes boom), Serious Damage (Your team mates get heavily multiplied damage), Serious Speed (Run backwards really fast!). Weapons vary in effectiveness, with some firing constantly throughout the turn (Revolvers, or Miniguns) and some only firing once per round (Sniper Rifle, Rocket Launcher). Soon enough, you're having to juggle which Sam will fire which weapon, and how best you can keep the horde back. And in three or four more steps, you'll be juggling it again. If all of your troops die in battle, you'll be put back on the map with one life lost. Lose all three of your lives in a level, and it's back to the start of that level section. Luckily the levels aren't huge, so you won't be penalized too heavily for messing up a few fights.
If this sounds like a serious challenge, it is. However, the game, despite it's high difficulty in some of the fights, is just plain fun. Much like Super Crate Box, the frustration level quickly melts away when you finally beat the boss or fight that was giving you trouble. Items are dropped often, giving plenty of tools for the fights, and the Sams' health is fully replenished after each battle.
Watch for Serious Sam: The Random Encounter on Steam for $4.99, on 10/24/11. If you enjoy bullet hell shooters, fast paced RPGs, or the thought of mashing up Radient Silvergun and a JRPG along with the oddness of Serious Sam's story line, then by all means, snap this up.