With the night’s drawing in and the temperature dropping, one thing is for sure…winter is on its way. And if you’re looking for some gaming chills to get you in the mood, then Timelock Studio and Croteam have just the thing with Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem.
A standalone expansion to Serious Sam 4, that was first released back in January on the PC but has now made its way to the consoles too.
Seriously Sam
Interesting fact though is that this actually started out as a mod for Serious Sam 4 by Timelock Studio. A house best known for making mods for the series, before Croteam moved it beyond that.
If you’re not a fan of its (some would say outdated) take on FPS gameplay, Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem isn’t going to change your mind, as its very much a case of more of the same. Something that long-time Sam fans will undoubtedly appreciate.
Things kick off with you departing on a boat from oil rig called Stormbringer, once again filling the well-worn boots of Sam Stone – who arrives at the north coast of Russia, aiming to reach Tunguska and put a stop to General Brand once and for all, who has taken possession of the Holy Grail.
Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem is an over-the-top tale told in the series’ signature style. So, expect evermore brisant explosions, as well as an unhealthy number of cheesy one-liners along the way.
Short Rollercoaster
The game is broken into five different levels; all of which can be breezed through in around two hours, depending on how difficult you take it on your first playthrough.
Each level has a number of side missions and once you complete the level, you unlock the ability to replay it with an arcade-style scoring system. Plus, you can team up with a mate for co-op fun.
As for new content there are four new enemy types; though some are cheeky reskins of existing ones from the core game. There are also several new weapons like a sniper crossbow and energy ray gun. As well as vehicle sections that see you driving everything from snowmobiles and tanks, to even a mech – all of which help to break up the endless slaughter.
A Romp
Gameplay is fun and satisfying as you blast everything that moves. Though it does get a little grindy at times in some areas. Once you’ve blasted your way through the horde for the first time, you’ll do it a hundred more times. Not helped in part that the game adds bosses to the general roster of baddies, once you have beat them.
Interestingly though you can switch between first and third person cams in the battle, but Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem looks a bit rough when in third person. The cracks also show on the overall performance front too. A number of areas suffer slow down with the game throwing so many goons at you.
Siberian Mayhem is the best-looking content of the series to date and a step up on the fourth game. Audio does the job throughout with John J. Dick reprising his role as Sam once again.
Read More: The Enduring Legacy of GoldenEye 007
Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem is more Serious Sam with a snow-themed backdrop and a few new ideas. But its biggest issue is the price, £16.74/€19.99 is a bit steep considering the amount of content on show.