Serious sam second encounter is an incredible shooter in every way.
Just like in the first game, you play Sam "Serious" Stone and he's still on his quest to find Mentor, the evil genius who sent hordes and hordes of monsters your way in the first game. Just like in the first game, you'll face even more monsters with more weaponry and more fun, memorable moments. Although Serious sam second encounter isn't very story driven, the story itself is well put together, despite the rather odd cliff-hanger at the end.
Serious sam second encounter has some very cool looking monsters. You'll face everything, from robots to monsters with two heads. It's really not your normal shooter and is great if your tired of those boring puzzle shooters that make you think, beause this game does not. Serious sam second encounter also features some larger than life boss fights, especially the end fight against mentor again, which is just as great as the first.
Serious sam second encounter's level design is very well done. You'll visit everything from the ancient Aztec temples to the ruins of the Myans. Although not remarkable, it is a bit distinct and nice to visit three different ancient empires instead of just ancient Egypt like in the first Serious sam.
Serious sam second encounter has some bright and colorful graphics. Everything is very well detailed and you just have to love the level of detail on each monster, even if their animations are quite stiff. The graphics engine has been totally re-done and it looks flat out fantastic, especially in how hordes and hordes of enemies surround you at all times. It's a breathtaking adventure from the time you start to the time you finish.
Some new weaponry has also been addded to the mix. You now have thirteen different weapons, which is a nice step up for a sequel. The weapons are all very useful, including your ten from Serious sam first encounter. The three weapons that have been added are the: chainsaw, sniper rifle, and the flamethrower. All of them are useful as I said, but some are way more satisfying than others. The double barrel shotgun for instance, is great because of the physics engine that send enemies flying, but the flamethrower is also satisfying if you have hordes of enemies coming at you.
The formula of Serious sam second encounter works something like this. You run into a huge arena that is so big you can't even go from one end to the other, hordes of enemies come at you, after you kill them all you then get ammo/health/armor that drops, then you either repeart or move on. Although this sounds very repetitive and not much fun on paper, It's actually some of the most intense moments I've ever had with a video game, espeically with all the difficulty settings, this game can be accessible to just about everyone. You can also turn off blood if that makes you a bit un-easy, so there's really no reason not to play this killer shooter.
The biggest and coolest thing about Serious sam the second encounter is that it's only retailing for a wopping $20. That's an absolute steal, I mean the single player campaign is well worth that price for admission, but then throw in some fun mulitplayer/LAN co-op and you have one fun shooter.
Serious sam second encounter's audio is pretty impressive. Music starts up whenever monsters surround you, which is almost always and the music is pretty well done. The voice acting is a bit cheesy, especially Sam's voice, but it's meant that way for a reason, since this game, despite it's name, does not take itself seriously be any means. The weapons sounds are all unique, although the machine gun noises are a bit muffled. Still the audtio department is solid, but the graphics and fast paced shooting is what will draw you into this thrill ride.
Serious sam second encounter has a lot of fun moments in it. If you like shooters or games like Painkiller, Doom, or Quake, you simply must play this game. If you missed out on Serious sam first encounter, then don't miss out on this little gem again, at $20 price tag and a wealth of difficulty options and even the ability to turn off blood, there is no reason and no excuse not to play this game.