Video summary

LGR - Serious Sam The First Encounter Review

Main summary

Key takeaways

Gaming

Storyline (Serious Sam: The First Encounter)

  • Set during a war involving an ancient, space-faring alien civilization.
  • Sam “Serious” Stone is swept into the conflict and sent back in time.
  • The fight continues through historically styled locations—specifically including ancient Egypt—where Sam must keep battling the alien threat.
  • The narrative is intentionally over-the-top and “cliché,” prioritizing action over writing.

Gameplay Highlights

Core Objective Loop

  1. Move through the level’s paths
  2. Kill enemies
  3. Find/reach exits
  4. Progress until each level’s final boss

“Arena” Structure (Smash TV–like)

  • Enter an area
  • Doors lock → large enemy waves spawn
  • Survive the onslaught → doors open
  • Refill/resupply and move to the next arena
  • Earn points and compete via a high-score table

Campaign Content

  • 13 single-player levels plus 2 secret levels
  • Single-player also includes training/test areas

Combat Feel and Weapons

  • Designed to be relentlessly badass with a satisfying weapon arsenal:
    • Pistols, shotguns, explosive launchers, energy weapons, and machine guns
  • Reloading is mostly not a major concern, making sustained fire viable
  • Movement emphasizes circle-strafing and aggressive positioning to stay effective

Enemy Behavior as the Challenge

  • Monsters follow clear rules:
    • Spawn timing, telegraphed attacks, and known damage/shot requirements
  • Difficulty comes from massive enemy numbers at once, not complicated mechanics
  • Levels vary in arena size and verticality to force you to adjust aim, dodging, and positioning

NETRICSA

  • An in-campaign AI/menu system that provides information
  • In this version, it doesn’t significantly reduce the nonstop waves

Humor / Voice / Pop Culture

  • Sam’s one-liners and pop culture references (including examples shown in the video) are part of the charm

Extra Modes and Replayability

  • Additional player model options
  • “Hippie Mode” turns blood/gore into flowers/goodwill
  • Multiplayer:
    • Full co-op campaign or deathmatch
    • Supports online, LAN, and split-screen
    • Deathmatch includes only one map
    • Modding tools allow creation of custom levels

Key Strategies / Skill Tips Mentioned

  • Master circle-strafing to dodge while maintaining fire
  • Use jump-dodging in tighter or more vertical arenas
  • Learn enemy patterns (spawn timing and required hits), then apply that knowledge under overwhelming wave pressure
  • Expect arenas to “reintroduce” familiar enemies in confined spaces or at different distances/heights—adapt rather than rely on one fixed tactic

Notable Criticisms / Downsides

Some areas can bog down the experience, including:

  • Ugly underwater sections
  • Levels that are too wide open, leading to wandering/boredom

However, these are described as relatively limited compared to the overall experience.

Gamers or Sources Featured (as stated/quoted)

  • LGR (video creator/channel)
  • Richard Gray / “Levelord” (referenced as an inspiration/quote associated with the game’s packaging)
  • Duke Nukem 3D (referenced as an influence; tied to the comparison of “Sam becomes Duke Nukem”)
  • DOOM / DOOM II / Doom (2016) (referenced as gameplay/structural influence and modern comparison)
  • Quake (referenced as an inspiration)
  • Sensible Soccer (mentioned in Croteam’s earlier history)
  • Smash TV / Robotron (mentioned as comparisons for the arena-style gameplay)
  • Unreal Tournament (credited as part of the set of games that helped the reviewer develop shooter skills)
  • Indiana Jones (referenced via an in-game theme/whistling moment shown in subtitles)
  • Gathering of Developers (publisher mentioned)
  • Croteam (developer mentioned)

Original video