Serious Sam Fusion 2017 (beta) Review Summary

A unified Serious Sam hub with better graphics, performance, and strong mod support, but boring, repetitive combat, new bugs, and uneven difficulty frustrate.

Unified Serious Sam Hub: This package collects all main Serious Sam games and their DLC into one convenient application. Players appreciate having a single place to launch and play entries such as Serious Sam HD: First Encounter, Second Encounter, and Serious Sam 3. It is described as the definitive collection for the series.

Improved Graphics and Performance: Graphics have been upgraded with modern resolution support and enhanced visuals, while performance is smoother and more stable. Serious Sam 3 BFE stands out with beautiful environments and animations.

Extensive Mod Support: Steam Workshop integration and robust modding tools allow for a huge variety of community content, from simple models to full campaigns. The modding community is highly active and continually produces new maps and mods.

Definitive Version: Many reviewers consider this the best or definitive way to experience the classic Serious Sam trilogy. The package bundles TFE, TSE, and Serious Sam 3 with all DLC, providing optimal versions of each game. It is frequently recommended over standalone releases.

Great Game Overall: General sentiment is highly positive, with players describing the game as awesome, fun, and lovely. The collection offers a great overall experience.

Boring and repetitive gameplay: Critics find the gameplay monotonous, with repetitive enemy waves and lack of depth. The game is often described as tedious, especially in later levels.

New bugs introduced: Several reviewers point out that Fusion has introduced new bugs not present in the original standalone versions. Examples include broken enemy AI, projectile issues, and spawning problems.

Unbalanced difficulty and frustration: The game can be frustratingly difficult, with cheap enemy attacks and unbalanced encounters. This is especially noticeable on higher difficulties and in certain levels.

Widespread bugs and instability: Players report numerous bugs, glitches, crashes, and instability across the supported titles. These issues range from minor quirks to game-breaking problems that hinder play.

Poor enemy AI and spawning: Enemy AI is criticized as dumb, with enemies spawning behind the player or getting stuck. This leads to frustrating and unfair encounters, especially on higher difficulties.

Serious Sam title collection: The package bundles Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter, The Second Encounter HD, and Serious Sam 3: BFE along with their DLCs. These titles are presented together as a unified collection for players.

Classic FPS style: The collection is a first-person shooter featuring massive enemy hordes, big guns, and fast-paced old-school action. It emphasizes chaotic battles with waves of enemies and large-scale scenarios.

Co-op up to 4 players: The collection supports cooperative play for up to four players locally via split-screen, and online co-op sessions can accommodate up to 16 players. This makes it easy to enjoy with friends.

Unified launcher hub: The Fusion launcher serves as a central hub for launching multiple Serious Sam titles, allowing players to start any owned game from one interface without restarting. It integrates the games into a single package with a shared UI.

Modern graphics APIs: The game supports Vulkan, DirectX 11, and DirectX 12 rendering APIs, while DirectX 9 has been dropped. It utilizes the Serious Engine 4.5 for improved graphics and performance.

Stable Enhanced Performance: Many players report that the Fusion version runs more stably and smoothly than the vanilla standalone games, with noticeable optimization improvements. Performance is often described as stable even with many enemies and explosions on screen.

Crashes and Instability: Despite overall improvements, some players experience frequent crashes, freezes, and instability, especially during large battles or on certain configurations. The beta status of Fusion is often cited as a cause.

Optimized for Modern Hardware: The remaster includes modern rendering APIs like Vulkan and DirectX11/12, 64-bit executables, and multithreaded rendering. These changes lead to better CPU utilization, higher FPS, and smoother gameplay on modern PCs.

Steam Deck and Linux Support: Several users note that the game runs very smoothly on Steam Deck, even at 4K 60 docked and in split-screen co-op. Linux support is praised, though some report issues with flatpak or Wayland.

Serious Sam 3 Improvements: The Fusion version of Serious Sam 3 shows noticeable optimization and visual improvements compared to the standalone release. Performance is much better, with higher FPS and smoother gameplay.

Strong Recommendation for Series Fans: Many reviewers highly recommend this game specifically for fans of the Serious Sam series. They consider it a must-have for anyone who already enjoys the franchise.

Criticism of SS3 and Standalone Versions: Some reviewers suggest avoiding Serious Sam 3 and sticking to standalone versions for a better experience. Others prefer the original releases over this compilation.

Co-op and Multiplayer Fun: Reviewers highlight that playing with friends, especially in co-op, enhances the experience. Larger groups can make it even more enjoyable.

Modding and Community Support: The game's modding community and Workshop support are praised, adding significant replay value. Many recommend it for modding enthusiasts.

Buy Complete Pack or on Sale: Reviewers suggest purchasing the Serious Sam Complete Pack for the best value. Waiting for a sale is also recommended.

Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00.

Story completion: 40.0h.

Session length: 0.5h.

Endgame: 2.0h.

Serious Sam Fusion often delivers immediate fun through classic chaotic FPS action and co-op, but multiple reports say later levels become repetitive or boring.

Friction: Steep learning curve for series newcomers; Chaotic gameplay can overwhelm new players; The game does not tell you what to do; Linux and local co-op technical issues; Initial skepticism before trying co-op.

Unlock drivers: Playing co-op with friends; Experiencing co-op chaos with a friend; Joining online or split-screen co-op.

Co-op Chaos Seeker: Plays campaign, Survival, and Versus modes with friends, using split-screen or online co-op and often Steam Deck or controller setups. Motivation: To share the series' absurd, high-energy combat with friends in chaotic co-op and versus matches. Stance: buy.

Old-School Hardcore Veteran: Runs the campaigns and Serious difficulty modes solo or in co-op, values old-school FPS challenge, and prioritizes franchise history. Motivation: To relive and master classic high-difficulty horde-shooter combat in a modernized engine. Stance: buy.

Newcomer Collection Explorer: Plays through the bundled campaigns at their own pace, may sample co-op or mods, and values modern graphics and cross-platform features. Motivation: To conveniently enter the Serious Sam series through one upgraded package containing the main games. Stance: buy.

Across the returned Windows cohorts, lower-VRAM systems generally report playable performance with minor hiccups, while a high-VRAM report indicates instability and frequent crashes.

Windows <8GB VRAM: positive. Players report the game runs well overall on lower-VRAM Windows systems, with minor performance hiccups noted.

Windows 16GB+ VRAM: negative. The available report describes frequent crashes and instability on this high-VRAM Windows cohort.

Steam Deck: The audit reveals a mixed Steam Deck experience for Serious Sam Fusion. Many users praise the native Linux/SteamOS support and smooth performance, but a notable segment reports stability issues on specific Linux configurations (Flatpak/Wayland) and controller input problems, including janky aiming and local co-op failures. The game is not officially Verified, indicating some friction. Overall, the experience is playable but requires awareness of potential configuration and input tweaks.

Linux and Proton: The audit finds strong consensus that Serious Sam Fusion and its Serious Sam 2017 titles run natively on Linux and can launch with default Proton, with multiple users reporting excellent performance and official SteamOS/Linux support. Negative evidence is limited to beta-stage crash reports on Linux/Flatpak/Wayland and one isolated report of unplayability with local co-op/input issues. No evidence indicates anti-cheat, DRM, launcher blocking, or required Proton Experimental/GE workarounds. Overall Linux/Proton friction is low, with only minor platform-specific issues.

Serious Sam game hub: Serious Sam Fusion serves as a central hub for multiple Serious Sam games, combining several titles into one unified launcher. It includes Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter, The Second Encounter, Serious Sam 3: BFE, and related content with small improvements.

Free for game owners: Owners of any included Serious Sam game receive the Fusion version of that game for free, and the collection is also given free to owners of HD or BFE. This free upgrade policy is a major incentive for existing fans.

Starting platform for series: Fusion is considered a starting platform for the Serious Sam series rather than a bundle, and it is free for owners of Serious Sam HD: First Encounter. It serves as an entry point for new players.

Still in beta since 2017: Serious Sam Fusion has remained in beta status since 2017, and some users doubt it will receive further bug fixes or a proper release. This prolonged beta state is a recurring concern among reviewers.

Three main games bundled: The package combines three main Serious Sam games: The First Encounter HD, The Second Encounter HD, and Serious Sam 3 BFE, along with DLCs. This offers substantial content in one purchase.