Serious Sam Titles Become Official

March 4, 2004, 7:06 am EST
Total comments: 10

Games to be released on GameCube, GBA, and PS2 this spring. Budget prices, too!

GLOBALSTAR ANNOUNCES SERIOUS SAM: NEXT ENCOUNTER FOR THE PLAYSTATION®2 AND NINTENDO GAMECUBE

Serious Sam To Also Debut On The Game Boy® Advance With Serious Sam Advance

New York – March 4, 2004 – Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) announced today that its Global Star publishing division will release Serious Sam: Next Encounter for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Nintendo GameCube. Developed by Climax, the all new alien-blasting adventure will feature online play for up to eight players and two-player split screen action on the PlayStation 2, a four-player deathmatch option on the Nintendo GameCube, and two-player cooperative mode for both platforms. In addition, Global Star will also release Serious Sam Advance for the Game Boy® Advance, the first Serious Sam title for the system. Serious Sam: Next Encounter will be available this spring on both the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube for $19.99, while Serious Sam Advance will also debut this spring for $19.99.

Serious Sam: Next Encounter finds Sam gearing up once again to defend the Earth from Mental and his limitless extra-terrestrial hordes. Sam is launched back in time to rid the alien scum from more than 40 levels spread throughout three beautifully rendered, massive new time periods – Ancient Rome, Feudal China and legendary Atlantis. For the first time ever, Sam will have access to vehicles to help him mow down the enemies, and of course he’ll be armed to the teeth with an arsenal that contains old favorites and some high-powered new additions. Throughout it all, Serious Sam: Next Encounter maintains the same hilarious and high speed shoot-‘em-up action that fans have come to love, while introducing loads of new gameplay to keep old hands and newcomers alike coming back for more.

Serious Sam Advance introduces even more original adventures for Sam set in Ancient Egypt and Rome. This new GBA title features the signature fast paced Serious Sam gameplay, including never-before-seen enemies and bosses and up to four-player deathmatch mode via the use of the Game Boy Advance Game Link® Cable.

Talkback

KDR_11kMarch 04, 2004

Looking at the screenshots I can only say: Oh GOD, what have they done to the game?
It looks really ugly! Please, give Sam back to Croteam, they know how to handle him!
Look at that Minigun! Look at those mouth-with-hands-things! Look at the monkeys! Hell, look at the Biomechs! They have defiled the game!
The textures are blurry as hell, damn, are we back to the N64 ages or what?

vuduMarch 04, 2004

what do you expect for $20? just be happy there's no stealth.

mouse_clickerMarch 04, 2004

It's not coming to the XBox? That's surprising, especially considering it's a PC series.

Flames_of_chaosLukasz Balicki, Staff AlumnusMarch 04, 2004

Xbox got the shaft then yay

SearanoXMarch 04, 2004

They got rid of the XBox version? Strange, wouldn't expect that...

Really, I don't see what they did with the graphics, though. They completely ruined them. This game looks worse than the original at this point. Of course, this is done to keep the framerate at a rock-solid 60 at all times, which isn't so easy to do considering you fight one hundred enemies at a time (no exaggeration) and the environments are incredibly large.

I'll still be picking up the PC version, though.

Uncle Rich AiAiMarch 04, 2004

Owww, my eyes!

But I am surprised that GC is getting Serious Sam....

KDR_11kMarch 04, 2004

The XBox got it years ago and this version isn't going to PC, either. The PC will get the Third Encounter with the Serious Engine 2.0, which will bring major graphical enhancements. Next Encounter (Sam 1.5?) and Third/Last Encounter (Sam 2.0) will be different games.

kingvudu: Sam originally retailed at 30, I'd expect them to keep the game at least at the level demonstrated in Second Encounter. It would have taken them less effort to just use the old Minigun, but perhaps the triple texturing Sam does doesn't work with the PS2?

oohhboyHong Hang Ho, Staff AlumnusMarch 05, 2004

For 20 bucks I would still be interested, but those shots better be alphas. A GForce 2 on a 500MHz computer could do better.

SearanoXMarch 05, 2004

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
The XBox got it years ago and this version isn't going to PC, either. The PC will get the Third Encounter with the Serious Engine 2.0, which will bring major graphical enhancements. Next Encounter (Sam 1.5?) and Third/Last Encounter (Sam 2.0) will be different games.

Really? I thought that Next Encounter was the name of the third Serious Sam game. Guess I was wrong.

And I remember hearing something about the Serious Engine 2.0...gotta check out their website to see if there's anything new. From what I've read, it's going to be very promising.

KDR_11kMarch 05, 2004

This Next Encounter probably isn't identical to the third part in the main series. I doubt Croteam would give that away.

Add to the discussion!