Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter

The glorious high-definition (HD) chaos continues in Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter, the highly anticipated arcade action FPS sequel to the Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter.

Although by no means as serious as cancer, this Croteam remake of its demented 2005 sequel certainly means business. Following on from last year's superb remake of the original, The Second Encounter continues in the same vein, with the entire game remade using the glorious Serious Engine 3.

It's the same relentless 'Doom on steroids' brand of non-stop action that proves to be a welcome antidote to the excesses of a genre that generally takes itself far too seriously. The irony isn't lost on us.

There's rarely a second to catch your breath before another gaggle of gigantic suicidal beasts home in on your six, and it's a formula you'll either get into the spirit of or tire of very quickly. For the stalwarts, it's an absolute feast, with a ton of new features which make it near-as-dammit an essential purchase.

Easily the most significant of these are the new co-op modes, allowing you to play both the campaign and survival mode with up 15 of your pals. Yes, 15. Fans of old school deathmatch can also rejoice, with eight new maps, while the new Beast Hunt and My Burden modes add more spice to the competitive multi-player. With new team modes thrown in for good measure, this is fan service at its best.

The jackhammer gameplay won't necessarily win over new converts, but for everyone else, this silky remake is a must buy.

Stay Serious