Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem

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At some point in the past few years we seem to have decided that video games are serious business. We’ve got titles like The Last Of Us and God of War that, while perfectly enjoyable experiences, really want you to Feel Things. Let me assure you: a video game has never made me feel anything other than hungry. Some games are better than others at fulfilling that hunger, one of which is Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem, a standalone expansion to Serious Sam 4 that’s a great snack that really hits the spot. And hits everything else in its sights.

There’s a plot, sort of. Our hero, “Serious” Sam Stone, heads to Russia to battle the alien forces of Mental, same as he usually does. Shoot them! There’s still some over there! Shoot those too! Okay, it’s a little more complicated than that, but not by much. Over the course of five huge levels, you’ll probably stop worrying about why you’re doing what you’re doing and care more about doing it.

via YouTube

What are you doing, you ask? Surely you’ve played Serious Sam. You haven’t? Seriously? Okay, it’s the ur-example of the arena shooter. You play as the titular very serious hero as he lays waste to endless waves (and waves) of baddies. Shoot the guns, grab the ammo, circle-strafe and keep that mouse button pressed so you can unload endless waves of death upon your hapless foes. That’s what Serious Sam is all about, and Siberian Mayhem offers even more of what you’ve come to know and love.

So what’s new here? Well, you’re in Siberia, first off. Expect snow. Snow’s a great backdrop for loads of gore, so that works out. There’s also some new weapons and gear to check out, from your standard pistol and shotgun to more esoteric options like a crossbow, a laser and a handheld black hole that you can throw at enemies with the expected results. You can put these to work against plenty of the usual baddies as well as the odd newbie here and there, such as new beam-wielding buttholes that spend their time lasing you while you’re trying to deal with other foes. You can even collect simple upgrades as you did in Serious Sam 4, allowing you to kick butt in an even more serious fashion.

Generally, though, this is the same sort of crunchy shooter gameplay you’ve come to expect from Serious Sam. If you weren’t a big fan of Serious Sam 4’s more narrative and mission-focused approach to the series you might appreciate that Siberian Mayhem gets going in a much more immediate fashion. You’ll be shotgunning Gnaar before you know it! Given the sort of game we’re talking about here, it’s definitely preferable to acting like there’s a plot…well, there’s a plot, but it takes a backseat to all the carnage, as well it should.

Serious Sam’s always looked pretty good, and given Siberian Mayhem’s running on the same engine that powered Serious Sam 4 it’s no surprise that it looks just as great. Monsters look suitably monstrous right up until you reduce them to their component atoms with your cannon. What more can you ask for? Meanwhile, Siberia turns out to be a great setting for this sort of game – it’s easy to see your enemies when everything else is snow, after all – but there’s something to be said for the variety of areas to check out beyond endless snowfields.

This isn’t going to be one of those games that shows up at The Game Awards and receives fawning adoration for advancing the notion of games as art, but we’ve got plenty of those already if you need to feel ways about stuff. Instead, Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem offers you monsters, guns and plenty of ways to make the two interact. There’s something to be said for that kind of classic gameplay. What, did you want another game about being a dad? Get serious.

About the Author: Cory Galliher