The Serious Sam series is back for its third main (though sixth overall)
outing. Running on the new Serious Engine 3.5, Serious Sam 3: BFE serves as
a prequel to the original First Encounter; a fact referenced in the games
title, BFE standing for Before First Encounter. Set in the 22nd century, the
plot revolves around a device known as the “Time-Lock;” a discovery made
beneath the ruins of ancient Egypt, found to belong to an even older yet
technologically advanced civilization known as the Sirians. However this
discovery catches the attention of a dangerous cosmic entity known as
Notorious Mental, who assaults Egypt and seizes the Time-Lock as his own,
abusing its powers to create a horde of cloned beasts borrowed from various
points and places in the universes history to unleash upon the Earth. Various
attempts to retake Egypt and reach the Time-Lock have failed, until a new task
force is sent in with “Serious” Sam Stone on board, and despite being
separated from his team – Sam plows forward with all the weaponry he can find.

Like the previous entries in the series, the game is a simple, arcade-style
shooter that throws back many elements to the early days of the genre with
games such as Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Duke Nukem 3D. When the player chooses
a difficulty, the game applies a score modifier based on difficulty and also
applies score variables on time, saves made, and enemy kills – tallied at the
end of each level. SS3 also continues the trend of having the player fight
large amounts of enemies with any weapon at their disposal. The weapons
themselves range from conventional tools such as a pistol, shotgun, and
assault rifle while also giving players some less conventional weapons such as
a portable cannon, laser-rifle and a new entry to the series – the mutilator.

Outside of the single player mode, there are various multiplayer options that
can be played online with up to 16 players and split-screen with up to 4
players. These modes include cooperative campaigns, survival missions, and a
“beast hunt” mode as well as traditional deathmatch and team deathmatch
options and a new “my burden” mode.

Serious Sam 3: BFE Gold Edition