Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem Review Summary

With an excellent arsenal plus new weapons and enemies, it outshines Serious Sam 4, but poor optimization, short length, and DLC-like feel hold it back.

Better than Serious Sam 4: Most reviewers agree this game is superior to Serious Sam 4 in nearly every aspect, including polish, level design, story, and performance. It is seen as a clear improvement over its predecessor.

New weapons and enemies: The addition of new weapons like the electric crossbow, microwave gun, and AK-47, as well as new enemy types such as Aludran Jumpers and Octanian Grenadiers, adds variety and excitement to combat.

Excellent weapon arsenal: The weapons feel powerful and satisfying to use, with each weapon providing a huge sense of satisfaction. The arsenal is praised as one of the game's strongest points.

Humorous secrets and Easter eggs: The game is packed with funny secrets, Easter eggs, and references, including many to Russian culture, literature, and music. These add an extra layer of enjoyment for players.

Best in Serious Sam series: Many reviewers consider this game to be the best in the Serious Sam series, or at least one of the best. It is seen as a step up from previous entries and a return to form.

Bad Optimization and Performance: Optimization is widely reported as poor, with FPS drops, micro-stutters, and crashes even on high-end hardware. Performance issues from Serious Sam 4 persist, and some hardware like RX580 struggles.

Game Length Too Short: Many reviewers note the game is very short, with playthroughs often taking only 2-6 hours. The brevity is a common complaint, including for the campaign and story.

Feels Like DLC: Many players feel the game is more like a DLC or expansion for Serious Sam 4 rather than a standalone title, lacking content and creativity. It is perceived as a continuation rather than a full sequel.

Poor Final Boss Fight: The final boss is frequently criticized as frustrating, unfair, and unsatisfying, with fast movements and powerful attacks that kill quickly. The fight feels cheap and anticlimactic.

Outdated Graphics: Graphics are often described as dated, looking like they are from 2010-2012 or even older, and are worse than previous games. This visual quality is a common disappointment.

Shooter with many enemies: The game emphasizes mowing down hordes of enemies in first-person shooter combat. It is described as an old-school shooter with massive enemy waves.

New Game+ mode available: Many reviewers note the inclusion of a New Game+ mode that carries over weapons and increases enemy counts. It often adds weapon upgrades and unlockables for replayability.

Co-op multiplayer supported: Co-op play is widely mentioned, supporting up to 2 or 4 players with drop-in/drop-out functionality. Some note increased enemy counts in co-op.

Drivable vehicles including tank: Vehicles such as tanks and mechs are available for use in certain sections. This adds variety to the combat and exploration.

Standalone expansion to Serious Sam 4: It is a standalone DLC or expansion developed by Timelock Studio with community involvement. It features expanded Siberia missions.

Poor performance optimization: Many players report that the game suffers from poor optimization across various hardware configurations, leading to inconsistent frame rates and stuttering. This is a widespread issue affecting overall gameplay experience.

Low FPS in crowded fights: Frame rates drop significantly during intense combat with numerous enemies and physics effects, sometimes falling to 30 FPS even on high-end systems. This hinders gameplay during the most action-packed moments.

Optimization compared to Serious Sam 4: Opinions are divided on whether optimization has improved or worsened compared to Serious Sam 4. Some find it better, while others think it is worse or requires getting used to.

Performance varies by hardware: Some players achieve high frame rates on specific setups, such as 120 FPS at 4K with an AMD 9070 XT, while others experience lower performance on different configurations. This indicates that optimization may be inconsistent across hardware.

Long level loading times: Levels load extremely slowly, with loading times reported to be five times longer than expected. This waiting time detracts from the overall experience.

Great for Serious Sam fans: Many reviewers strongly recommend the game to fans of the Serious Sam series, especially those who enjoyed Serious Sam 4. It is considered a must-play for veterans and newcomers alike.

Worth buying on sale: Numerous reviewers suggest purchasing the game when it is discounted, as it offers good value for the price. Some recommend buying only on sale rather than at full price.

Strong general recommendation: Many reviewers give a resounding yes without hesitation, encouraging others to buy and enjoy the game. It is highly recommended by a significant portion of players.

Ideal for classic FPS fans: The game is recommended for enthusiasts of first-person shooters, particularly those who enjoy fast-paced action and mowing down hordes of alien enemies. It appeals to fans of classic arena shooters.

Not recommended for non-fans: Players who disliked Serious Sam 4 or are not fans of the series are likely to be disappointed with this game. Some reviewers advise against buying it if you didn't enjoy the previous entry.

Community fair range: $12.00 - $20.00.

Game completion: 6.5h.

Story completion: 5.0h.

Session length: 5.0h.

Players often report immediate fun from fast, brain-off arena action and co-op, but some find later chapters, long levels, and repeat encounters become tedious and pacing-breaking.

Friction: Repetitive arena-shooter formula for non-fans; Little new content compared with Serious Sam 4; Short if rushed; Some parts are boring.

Unlock drivers: Fast movement; Tangible progression; Improved pacing; Better level design; Co-op play.

Old-School Franchise Veteran: High enemy counts, secrets, old-school arena shooting, and repeated playthroughs on higher difficulties. Motivation: To relive classic Serious Sam run-and-gun action and see the franchise continue for longtime fans. Stance: buy.

Co-op Mayhem Enthusiast: Drop-in/drop-out multiplayer, four-player co-op, survival modes, and high enemy-count mayhem. Motivation: To share chaotic, scalable co-op action with friends and other players. Stance: buy.

Hardcore Difficulty & Achievement Grinder: Serious difficulty, enemy multipliers, achievement hunting, survival mode, and repeated attempts at hard maps. Motivation: To prove mastery through hard difficulty, survival grind, and full achievement completion. Stance: buy.

The Windows <8GB VRAM cohort trends negative due to FPS drops and stutter, the Windows 12-15GB VRAM cohort trends positive with only heavy-scene dips, and the Windows 8-11GB VRAM cohort's lone included report is negative.

Windows <8GB VRAM: negative. Reports are mostly negative, with FPS drops, micro-stutters, and poor-feeling performance on Nvidia GPUs despite some playable averages.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM: positive. The cohort is mostly positive: performance is stable at max settings for most play, with only occasional dips in heavily crowded scenes.

Windows 8-11GB VRAM: negative. The single included report describes performance as worse than the previous game, with more bugs.

Steam Deck: The available feedback contains no Steam Deck-specific blockers such as external launchers, small text, battery drain, anti-cheat failures, or crashes. Users report good optimization on Steam Deck and stable Arch Linux performance with almost no stutters. A separate complaint about Nvidia frame pacing appears to concern desktop hardware rather than Steam Deck, so it does not materially raise the friction score.

Improves upon Serious Sam 4: The game is frequently praised as better than Serious Sam 4, fixing issues and improving gameplay, story, and level design. Some consider it the best Serious Sam game after the original encounters.

Comparisons to Serious Sam series: Reviewers compare the game to various entries in the Serious Sam series, with opinions ranging from favorable to unfavorable. It is often seen as a step up from Serious Sam 3 but not as good as the first two encounters.

Considered DLC to Serious Sam 4: Many reviewers describe the game as a standalone expansion or DLC for Serious Sam 4, and some feel it is more of a DLC than a full game. It is often compared to Serious Sam 4 as an addition that expands on the base game.

Gameplay similar to Serious Sam 4: The gameplay mechanics are largely the same as Serious Sam 4, which is seen as both a positive and a negative depending on the reviewer's perspective. Some note it as a refinement of the formula.

Frequent discounts and bundles: The game is often sold at a discount, especially when bundled with Serious Sam 4, which can push the discount up to nearly 70%. This makes it an attractive purchase for owners of the base game.