/vr/ - Retro Games

Catching up on some Serious Sam maps, first on the list is the City of Memphis
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2726425148
There's a vanilla TSE copy somewhere on the internet but I genuinely don't remember where I got it so I'll just drop that too:
https://mega.nz/file/xVYVBCrC#BdD3DwaBZ2jPgwmXf7hH_YwYpcyJkJjJ-1e8RUFZ4pE

The map is supposed to take place in First Encounter after the metropolitan area map. It's enormous, with 952 enemies. Bigger ain't always better if you don't have a good grasp of good combat. The first city city block you're locked in doesn't have a lot going on in the way of encounters. In fact it might exemplify something Sam detractors dislike about these games: The long flat maps with nothing really going on punctuated by moments of enemies teleported in. I love that about Sam, I really do, but after the fifth time the author spawns in a minor bio mechanoid with several gnaar and headless, as a Sam veteran, you're waiting for the shakeup.

The second city block, while smaller, shakes it up a smidgen; finally some kleers, one of the best enemies to grace all of shooters. But you're introduced to them in the same breath as the double shotgun. You don't really appreciate a double shotgun in Sam until you've had to deal with hordes of kleers without it. Still, it's always fun to use, and I actually dropped below half health in that fight.

There's also some failure to really capitalize on area space as in pic related. This really cool raised area before you enter the third city block, and I was totally expecting a fight here. Nope. There are a few other areas like that in the previous blocks.

I have to take a break at this third block (seen in the left of pic related), but for all my nitpicks, I love Serious Sam and this feels like coming home.