Like a headless bomber screaming out of some unseen bush, Serious Sam 2 has been ambushed by an explosive new update 15 years after its original release.
Arriving as part of the series' 20th Anniversary Celebrations, Serious Sam 2's free 2.90 update is a real big'un. The patch introduces a new BeamGun (based on a concept from the original Serious Sam) and flamethrower, alongside 12 previously unreleased multiplayer arenas. All weapons can now be dual-wielded, while Sam can now sprint and rocket jump around levels, guided by a new radar system.
The update was headed up by modder-turned-Croteam developer Nathan "DwK" Brown, who pitched the update while there was a spare minute during the development of Serious Sam 4.
"I had some downtime after Sam 4 was released and was looking through the Serious Sam 2 Steam forum posts and I thought the game could use a little love," Brown wrote in a short Q&A. "It's a great game. It's the game that really turned me into a game developer. So I suggested a simple patch. I was told to spend some real-time on it, maybe add a few options from my InSamnity! 2 mod."
It's an overhaul that seems to dramatically change how Serious Sam 2 fundamentally plays, and should make the game well worth a revisit. Thankfully, it also comes with a good deal of bug fixes and changes to make the game more appealing in 2021, upscaling UI elements and fonts to be a little less crunchy on modern displays.
Fancy a shot? Serious Sam 2 is currently 20% off on Steam as part of the series' 20th Anniversary sale, with a completely remastered soundtrack set to hit Steam and streaming platforms "soon".
