Sports Games

In a period in which the first-person shooter seems increasingly hostage to script, linearity, coverage and realism (of course all at the expense of freedom of action and movement), a title like Serious Sam 3: BFE can look almost new and original though it is based on a concept of game mechanics and nothing short of "old". Yet the effect of facing a bully video game like Sam, who this year is coupled with another icon-Cafona as Duke Nukem , is a breath of fresh air after which we missed the last episode of 2005 .

Croteam has finally completed the work on Serious Sam 3: BFE, after four years of development, opting for a classic formula for a prequel and restyling of content but certainly not revolutionary enough to generate the enthusiasm of the fans of the FPS "run and shoot, "so fashionable about fifteen years ago. In fact, excluding the graphics on which we dwell further on, just a few minutes in the desert to find the dynamics of the dear old Sam and all their (simpleton) splendor. The fight against the insanity has little interesting narrative on the side, but the strength of the series and third of this chapter is all in the sudden and massive waves of enemies, in the abnormal size of the bosses, in the absence of any weapons and devastating assets of gameplay outside of the classical formula of the first episode. Intelligence enemy zero, virtually no cover system, continuous movement, armor, medkit and ammo to collect, huge areas filled with enemies, nothing ruolistico and a few puzzles.

A gameplay almost naked and raw, if it's a bit 'hard to fascinate in the early levels (thanks a museum labyrinthine rather boring), begins to excite after the first two / three hours, and then reserve a continuum from one end of more tough and grueling in recent times. Yeah, because even on Normal Serious Sam 3: BFE is quite difficult and challenging: the ammunition are few (with unlimited ammo from the gun shortly after we do a little '), mass and continuous enemy attacks and is not a case if we spent almost no time firing back that to advance. If you're used to today's FPS almost think you were wrong level of difficulty, but basically the good old style of this approach lies in its very nature-like hardcore, but we felt the lack of a true intermediate between that easy (really too easy) and Normal, which is seen as offering a very demanding challenge. The content in the game but do not hit much as a novelty and originality. Sam has lost a bit 'of enamel and craziness, there are very few new weapons (where the chainsaw and flamethrower?), Enemies call for better or worse than the first episode a decade ago and even the location, including city streets in ruins, palaces and desert areas, they will not say much to longtime fans.

The main campaign took us for about thirteen hours, but we imagine that opting for the most difficult level in absolute good and exploring in depth the levels can overcome this count to twenty hours, without forgetting the other game modes. That Survival (fun and "punishment" at the same time), unfortunately, offers only two maps, but it is especially in multiplayer Serious Sam 3: BFE manages to shoot her best cartridges and to forget the limits (and the frustrations) of single component. Competitive challenges, unfortunately not played (it's really hard to find populated servers at this time), nine modes offer something for everyone including Deathmatch, CTF and Last Man Standing, but especially with the co-op up to sixteen players that campaign Main takes on greater depth and fun, especially if you opt for the highest level of difficulty (to put it mildly masochistic, single). The customization options are also lots of matches, the servers are full of players co-op and the vastness of the maps is a further incentive to jump in online battles. Not that the single player campaign does not give satisfaction (indeed, anything), but the conformation of the levels (very similar to huge arenas) and the impressive number of enemies seem made for multiplayer.

On this side short Croteam has done great things and also at the bottom of the graphics can get. The Serious Engine 3.5, which features among other things, effective routine physical-destructive, not a feather to run best with our hardware configuration, but if we think of the vastness of the levels and certain large groups of enemies, some compromises (especially in terms of texture) was inevitable. The patch in early December has also arranged several things at the level of fluidity, the first very shaky. Micro-stuttering and slowdowns in open areas are still there, but not as disturbing in the pre-patch version (for many dell'ingiocabile the limit) and in any case, the graphics options are so numerous that with a little 'patience and attempts everyone can find the most suitable configuration. In any case, the optimization of Engine is not exactly state of the art and there is room for improvement, but we doubt that anyone who has downloaded the game from Steam did so to enjoy a visual spectacle of the highest order. For what, after all, there are always 2 Crysis and Battlefield 3 .