Both episodes were remade using Serious Engine 3. The original plan was to release both The First Encounter and The Second Encounter in one package, but the decision to split them into two games so that Croteam could focus on The First Encounter and see how well it sold before continuing development on the The Second Encounter remake.Ĭroteam took their publishing rights from 2K Games to new startup Devolver Digital, after 2K Games became uninterested in Serious Sam, waiting for their long rival Duke Nukem Forever to finish.
Serious Sam HD was announced by Croteam on June 25, 2009, and was published for the PC by cDV and Majesco for the Xbox 360. XOP Flamethrower ( Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter only).Static Cannon ( Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter only).Rotating Cannon ( Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter only).RAPTOR Sniper Rifle ( Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter only).P-LAH Chainsaw ( Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter only).Zumb'ul ( Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter only).Zorg Mercenary ( Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter only).Zorg Commander ( Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter only).Ugh-Zan III (Boss) ( Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter only).
Scorematch has been removed for unknown reasons. Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter has single-player, cooperative and deathmatch game modes. This makes online gameplay smoother and more consistent for those with modern connections.
The HD remakes also have improved net-code that fully takes advantage of modern internet connections unlike Serious Sam 1, which was built around modems. The inverted-gravity effect in The First Encounter and The Second Encounter has been removed and Scythian Witch-Harpies can no longer carry Beheaded Kamikazes due to issues regarding the engine. Not everything has been kept in the remakes. Gameplay-wise, Serious Sam HD functions pretty much the same as it does in the old games. The level layouts have been kept, but nearly all of the graphics, textures, models, lighting and special effects have all been updated. Serious Sam HD consists of high-definition remakes of Serious Sam: The First Encounter and Serious Sam: The Second Encounter using a newer version of the Serious Engine: Serious Engine 3.