History VideoGame / SeriousSam3BFE

*** In that same secret, Sam can find the Rocket Launcher before he's supposed to do. However, the ammo won't be enough to take down [[spoiler:the Technopolip]], so Sam must still [[spoiler:reach the end of the level]].

** The Serious Minigun can be found in a secret of the sixth level, "The Secret Riddler", before it's properly introduced several levels later. Its power will help you tear down small squads, though in these levels you'll be short on ammo. In this level you can also find the Sniper Rifle, which is even more rare and whose zoomed shots are capable of one-shooting anything from mid-to-lower tiers.

* AuthorAvatar: While more of a publisher than an author, Fork Parker, the financial director of Devolver Digital, appears as a selectable multiplayer skin for those who preordered the game.

* AttackItsWeakPoint: [[spoiler:The Alcor Class Warship]] has hatches from which up to 20.000 enemies are deployed. These hatches act as its only weak point, and are very susceptible to explosive damage.

* AuthorAvatar:
** The secret "fanboy" monsters are Croteam caricatures seen in the secret areas.
** While more of a publisher than an author, Fork Parker, the financial director of Devolver Digital, appears as a selectable multiplayer skin.

** The Adult Biomechanoid is fought in an area with plenty of columns to take cover from its minigun cannons. Later on not only he's quicker and easier to take down, but there are specific weapons such as the C4 Explosives that can bring it down in one hit.
** The Major Biomechanoid is fought in the Ibn Tulun Mosque, and in addition to its increased health, it has the unique ability to sprint. In this battle, the mosque's columns and the central structure are your only covers against the Mecha's rockets, but you'll also have a lot of room to maneuver. Later on, not only the class loses its health and sprinting but also some of its size. Also, like the Arachnoids, certain weapons such as the aforementioned C4 Explosives can bring it down in one hit.
** The Technopolip Helicopter is fought across an area full of coverage areas, and during the initial phase of the attack is immune to your weapons' damage, as you don't have proper weapons against it. Later on you find a Rocket Launcher and can bring it down easily. Later fights against it rely on your explosive weapons and it takes less damage to be brought down.
** The Witch-Bride of Achriman is the squishiest of all the mook "bosses", in spite of its increased health. Even still, they take quite the beating before falling down.

* DestructibleProjectiles:
** Missiles both from Sam and from monsters can be shot down.
** Homing attacks like the Alundran Reptiloids' fireballs can also be destroyed, but non-guided ones tend to be immune to counter-fire.
* DevelopersForesight: Getting into many closed areas in the city levels allow you to escape via either a set of conveniently placed barrels or any other means of escape. [[UnwinnableByInsanity As for the other closed areas...]]

** The Serious Minigun can be found in a secret of the sixth level, "The Secret Riddler", before it's properly introduced several levels later. Its power will help you tear down small squads, though in these levels you'll be short on ammo. In this level you can also find the Sniper Rifle, which is even more rare.

* EarthShatteringKaboom: [[spoiler:The Earth]] gets destroyed at the end of the game, by nothing short of [[spoiler:Mental [[ColonyDrop dropping the moon on it.]] [[FlingALightIntoTheFuture Sam makes it through the timelock though,]] and may be able to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong.]]

** The Scrapjack and Khnum enemies bear a resemblance to VideoGame/{{Doom}}'s [[TheLegionsOfHell Mancubi and Hell Knights,]] both in appearance and attacks. The Cloned Soldiers also bear a resemblance to the Zombiemen, being disposable and weak human enemies with hitscan weaponry.
** The Khnums can also be considered expies of the ''[[VideoGame/SeriousSamTheFirstEncounter TFE]]'' enemy Alundran Reptiloid, Highlander. They look [[http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111129084856/serious/images/thumb/4/4b/Baron_3.png/250px-Baron_3.png vaguely]] [[http://images.wikia.com/serious/images/d/db/Redlizardman_hd.png similar,]] are roughly the same height, are both enemies encountered first as a boss and then as a giant mook, and they both use fireballs as their main attack. However, [[TookALevelInBadass the Khnums are stronger, faster, and do more damage than the Highlanders,]] in addition to [[ImmuneToBullets being completely bullet proof.]]

* InvisibleWalls: In the city levels, disguised as part of the rubble of the ruined buildings.

* KungFuProofMook: Sirian Werebulls, Witch-Harpies, Witch-Brides and Beheaded Kamikazes cannot be melee-killed.
* LastOfHisKind: [[spoiler:Sam is apparently this [[ApocalypseHow for the entire humanity]]]] by the end of the game.

* MarathonLevel: Several later levels can feel like this... but "The Guardian of Time" takes the cake. 1,700 enemies, followed by the final boss fight, make this level not just a marathon, but an ''Ironman triathlon''.
--> Sam: ''[[LampshadeHanging Would you consider attacking one at a time?]]''

* MissionControl: Quinn, the faceless woman who keeps feeding Sam with orders, information, and the occasional snark.

** The Beheaded Kamikaze are introduced in a similar fashion as in ''VideoGame/SeriousSamTheFirstEncounter'': first a lone kamikaze runs from what looks like a hill, Sam kills it, sprouts a one-liner and then several more appear.

** The Major Biomechanoid appears in the arena portion of a mosque as a boss, breaking part of the scenery after Sam disposed of many enemy waves.

* MookMaker: [[spoiler:The Alcor-class Warship]] can summon smaller monsters.

* MultiArmedAndDangerous
** All variants of the Aludran Reptiloids have four arms each.
** [[spoiler:Ugh-Zan IV]] has four arms, two of them [[ArtificialLimbs cybernetic.]]

** The SBC Cannon can be found in the fifth level as a secret, with its proper introduction taking place way much latter in the game.

* EverybodysDeadDave: ''BFE'' wastes no time in offing every RedShirt that shows up, but by the end of the game, [[spoiler: ''everyone'' except Sam, including [[VoiceWithAnInternetConnection Quinn]] and [[NeverFoundTheBody very likely]] [[LoveInterest Hellfire]] is dead. And we do mean ''[[EarthShatteringKaboom everybody'']]]].

** [[spoiler: The Alcor Class Warship]] fights by deploying other races into the battlefield.
** [[spoiler: Ugh-Zan IV]] fights alongside wave after numerous wave of enemies.

** [[spoiler: Ugh-Zan IV]] and, to some extent, many medium-large enemies that attack mainly from long-range like Scrapjacks and Khnums.

* FlunkyBoss: [[spoiler: Rahloom, the Giant Scrapjack]] fights alongside many enemies.

-> '''Gnaar:''' ''It's all over, Sam. You can't win.''\\

** It's possible to find a C4 bunch as a secret in the fourth level. It's needed for another secret, but said secret area has an alternate entrance.

Followed by ''VideoGame/SeriousSam4''.

* AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: [[spoiler:Ugh-Zan IV]] is a colossally huge creature like his predecesor, [[VideoGame/SeriousSamTheFirstEncounter Ugh-Zan III]].

* The Witch-Bride of Achriman is the squishiest of all the mook "bosses", in spite of its increased health. Even still, they take quite the beating before falling down.

* DiscOneNuke: You can get the Single Shotgun about ten seconds into the first level of ''BFE''. The second offers a secret Laser Rifle if you know where to look, which effortlessly shreds the Major Biomechanoid boss from the third level.

** The Major Biomechanoid is fought in the Ibn Tulut Mosque, and in addition to its increased health, it has the unique ability to sprint. In this battle, the mosque's columns and the central structure are your only covers against the Mecha's rockets, but you'll also have a lot of room to maneuver. Later on, not only the class loses its health and sprinting but also some of its size. Also, like the Arachnoids, certain weapons such as the aforementioned C4 Explosives can bring it down in one hit.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Late into ''BFE'', [[spoiler:a Gnaar taunts Sam by claiming that Tah-Um is coming to "moon" him. While Sam initially takes this literally, if you look into the sky you can see the moon clearly visible for the first time in the game.]]

The game is a {{prequel}} set during Earth's final days attempting to repel Mental's invading hordes. Humanity doesn't yet know how to activate the Timelock, and Sam has been sent in with a team of EDF {{redshirt}}s to find a scientist who might know. [[FromBadToWorse Things go rather sour from there.]]

* AwesomeButImpractical: Melee attacks. When in sufficient range of most enemies, pressing the melee button will cause Sam to pull off an awesome OneHitKill, like breaking a Cloned Soldier's neck, pulling the head off a Kleer, stomping a [[TheGoomba Hatchling Spider]], tearing a Gnaar's eye out, or ''ripping a Beheaded Rocketeer's heart right out of its chest''. These moves, while awesomely gory, take a second or two to pull off; this doesn't sound like much, but being immobilized for ''any'' amount of time in a game built around circle-strafing is bad news, leaving you vulnerable to the non-stop ZergRush of all the ''other'' Cloned Soldiers, Kleers, Hatchling Spiders, Gnaars and Rocketeers attacking you at the same time. Plus, all of the enemies that can be killed with melee can also be killed in one hit with the sledgehammer, which doesn't leave you vulnerable while using it. The only enemy against which it's actually useful is the Hatchling Arachnoid Spider, since it has quite some range against them and very low [[{{Pun}} execution]] time.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Sam ends up defeating the powerful Ugh-Zan IV and activates the Timelock, thus traveling back in time for ''VideoGame,/SeriousSamTheFirstEncounter'', but Mental throws the moon at the [[EarthShatteringKaboom Earth causing both to be destroyed]] immediately after]].

* BodyHorror: Both the Cloned and Beheaded soldiers look less like cartoon soldiers like in past games and more like [[VideoGame/{{Quake}} strogg]] (more specifically, like the ''VideoGame/QuakeIV'' Tactical Strogg).

* {{Butterface}}: The Witch Harpies.

* ColonyDrop: [[spoiler:The ending involves [[EarthShatteringKaboom the Moon falling on Earth]] shortly after Sam enters the Timelock.]]

* BarrenFromTheAfterlife: According to NETRICSA, this is the status of the Witch-Bride of Achriman, trapped in the oombo between the shadow world and the real world.

%% * CuteMonsterGirl: The Witch Brides Of Achriman.

* DegradedBoss: Most of the early bosses, with the exception of the first Khnum, are only bosses because you lack more powerful weapons, though they at least have three times as much health as the normal mook versions and you fight them in an area that is tailor-made to teach you how the boss's weapon works. In the case of the second one, the Major Biomechanoid, it also has the unique ability to sprint.

* AntiArmor: Apparently the intention behind the AS-24 Devastator. The grenade rounds fly extremely fast and can [[OneHitPolykill pierce several small enemies in a row]], and while a direct hit hurts ''a lot'', the SplashDamage is extremely weak.

** Surprisingly enough for a genre that adheres to this trope, downplayed, especially in ''BFE''. The .45 ACP handgun deals slightly less damage per shot than the 5.56x45mm assault rifle, which deals half as much damage as the 7.62x51mm minigun, which deals less than 1/10 the damage of the 16mm Raptor anti-materiel rifle. These damage values are all fairly consistent with these weapons' real-world muzzle velocities (or their equivalents). As a result, several weapons are tremendously overpowered.

* AttackItsWeakPoint: [[spoiler:The Alcor Class Warship]] has hatches from which up to 20.000 enemies are deployed. These hatches act as its only weak point, and are very susceptible to projectile damage.

* InterfaceScrew: The Witch-Brides of Achriman will use [[PsychicPowers telekinesis]] to slightly pixelate your screen, slow you down, and if you're close enough to them lift you into the air and throw you around.

%% ** Scrapjacks.

* {{BFG}}: In addition to the returning weapons of Sam's overpowered arsenal, ''BFE'' introduces the Devastator, an automatic grenade launcher that can hold twenty rounds and fires 40mm "high-piercing high-explosive" rounds.
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Sam ends up defeating the powerful Ugh-Zan IV and activates the Timelock, thus traveling back in time for ''TFE'', but Mental throws the moon at the [[EarthShatteringKaboom Earth causing both to be destroyed]] immediately after]].

* CoolShades: This game reintroduces Sam's sunglasses after being chronologically absent during both ''TSE'' and ''II''.

** Pirated copies of ''BFE'' will spawn an invincible Adult Arachnoid. Normally those things are giant boss monsters. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e91q5BtlxK0 Here it's the size of Sam and zipping around like a bee]] while pelting you with machine guns.

* CurbStompBattle: ''BFE'' introduces OneHitKill melee attacks to Sam's arsenal. Among other things, he can [[EyeScream rip the eye out of a Gnaar,]] [[BeatStillMyHeart rip the heart out of a Beheaded Rocketeer]] [[OffWithHisHead or twist the face off a Scrapjack.]] Most of these come with [[HighPressureBlood ludicrous amounts of blood]] sprayed all over the camera. [[UpToEleven If that wasn't enough,]] he can then toss the newly obtained gib at another enemy - [[CherryTapping potentially killing it!]] [[CosmeticAward This nets you the "Useful Trophy" achievement.]]

* DamnYouMuscleMemory: One achievement requires you to refrain from sprinting, aiming down sights or manually reloading for an entire campaign runthrough. If you've played any recent shooter, the temptation is very hard to resist.
* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to the rest of the series. More gore and violence (though that was to be expected), a more serious story and {{retcon}} of the Sirians to be serious. On the other hand, Sam and the in-game jokes help keep the mood surprisingly light for the most part.

** The "secret nuthouse" in the fifth level. Pick up a single 1HP pickup, get ambushed by ''three'' Major Biomechanoids. Keep in mind, this is in an area too cramped to effectively dodge their rockets, one of these was an end-level boss in the third level, and unless you've been grabbing secret weapons, you still don't have any decent weapons against them yet.
* DistaffCounterpart: Hellfire the chopper pilot.

* DoubleEntendre: On being told by Sam that he needs to reactivate the Sirian generators, [[TheOneThatGotAway Hellfire]] responds with this:

* FanDisservice : The Witch-Harpies are topless with detailed breasts and nipples except their face is [[http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/867215957881783431/0A9F664D7B7AEC1097388A4D9E2C5A6B5D439D80/640x359.resizedimage the stuff of nightmares]] (NSFW).

** The Major Biomechanoid appears in the arena portion of a level as a boss, breaking part of the scenery after Sam disposed of many enemy waves.
** In the same level, Sam observes a chopper which was supposed to rescue him being shot down by the aforementioned Biomechanoid. However, after Sam reaches the chopper, it gets invaded by a parasite who Sam must pursue and take down.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Some of the graffiti blames Sam for bringing Mental's hordes to Earth.

* PowersViaPossession: The parasite also appears to enhance the Apache's durability significantly, as its immunity to bullets now extends to anti-material rifles, and it can take multiple rockets before going down.

* PuppeteerParasite: An odd case in "Technopolyps", which infest machines rather than people -- in this case, [[OhCrap attack helicopters.]] The first time you face one, [[ImmuneToBullets you lack weapons that can damage it]] and must use buildings to avoid it until you find a [[StuffBlowingUp Rocket Launcher.]]

* SandWorm: These won't let Sam go into the open desert.

* TooAwesomeToUse: In addition to the Cannon and the Serious Bombs, some of the weapons fall into this as well, due to their pickups giving generally less ammo, encouraging varying weapons more often. Goes double for the Laser gun, as ammo for it can only be acquired in secret areas.

* AndShowItToYou: Ripping hearts out of enemies out is possible.

* ApocalypseHow:
** [[spoiler:Earth itself]] is destroyed by [[ColonyDrop having the moon thrown at it]] at the end. All that's left behind is a cluster of asteroids.

%% ** Junior Arachnoids.

* AttackItsWeakPoint: Alcor-class Warship have weak points to shoot.

* AwesomeButImpractical: Melee attacks. When in sufficient range of most enemies, pressing the melee button will cause Sam to pull off an awesome OneHitKill, like breaking a Cloned Soldier's neck, pulling the head off a Kleer, stomping a Hatchling Spider, tearing a Gnaar's eye out, or ''ripping a Beheaded Rocketeer's heart right out of its chest''. These moves, while awesomely gory, take a second or two to pull off; this doesn't sound like much, but being immobilized for ''any'' amount of time in a game built around circle-strafing is bad news, leaving you vulnerable to the non-stop ZergRush of all the ''other'' Cloned Soldiers, Kleers, Hatchling Spiders, Gnaars and Rocketeers attacking you at the same time. Plus, all of the enemies that can be killed with melee can also be killed in one hit with the sledgehammer, which doesn't leave you vulnerable while using it. The only enemy against which it's actually useful is the Hatchling Arachnoid Spider, since it has quite some range against them and very low [[{{Pun}} execution]] time.

* EarthShatteringKaboom: [[spoiler:The Earth]] gets destroyed at the end of the game, by nothing short of [[spoiler:Mental [[ColonyDrop dropping the moon on it.]] [[BittersweetEnding Sam makes it through the timelock though,]] and may be able to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong.]]

%% * ExplosiveBreeder: The Antaresian Spiders.

* FlunkyBoss: [[spoiler: Ugh-Zan IV]] fights alongside wave after numerous wave of enemies.

* TheGoomba: In addition to the usual examples, the Cloned Soldiers, who are weak, lower tier enemies who fall easily.

* ImmuneToBullets: [[GiantMook Khnums]] and the [[PuppeteerParasite infested attack choppers]] can only be damaged with explosive weapons.

* InstantDeathRadius: [[spoiler: Ugh-Zan IV]] and, to some extent, many medium-large enemies that attack mainly from long-range like Scrapjacks and Khnums. Major Biomechanoids are an interesting variation: at close range, you can't dodge their rockets, and they have ''tons'' of SplashDamage to shred Sam with.

** In the same level, Sam observes a chopper which was supposed to rescue him being shot down by the aforementioned Biomechanoid. However, after Sam reaches the chopper, it gets invaded by a parasite wjo Sam must pursue and take down.
* MookMaker: The Alcor-class Warship can summon smaller monsters.

* PowersViaPossession: The parasite also appears to enhance the Apache's durability significantly, as its immunity to bullets now extends to anti-material rifles, and it can take multiple rockets before going down.

* PuzzleBoss: The helicopter parasite can only be brought down with explosives. So, during the battle, it gains invulnerability until Sam gets a Rocket Launcher.

* RuinsOfTheModernAge: Seen in some of the early levels, set in Cairo.

* ShinySense: In ''Serious Sam 3'', ammo glows yellow, health red, armor blue, weapons green, and key items purple. This was done to compensate the lack of spinning around mid air and sparkling in the previous installments.
* SprintShoes: In addition to the sprint shoes, Sam can sprint at will.

* ThreatBackfire: A Gnaar threatens Sam that he will be [[ExactWords mooned]]. Sam isn't impressed, nor is he when [[spoiler:Mental's daughter, Judy, reiterates the threat]]. Cue [[spoiler:''[[ColonyDrop the moon]]'' [[ColonyDrop falling from orbit]], prompting Sam to leap into the Timelock]].

* UtilityWeapon: Aside from ammo-efficient crowd control, the Syrian Mutilator in ''BFE'' can make large enemies hold still for a little bit, and even be used to make pull-assisted jumps.

-> [[spoiler:'''Gnaar:''' ''It's all over, Sam. You can't win.''\\

'''Gnaar:''' ''It's too late. Tah-Um is coming to moon you.''\\
'''Sam:''' ''Huh? He tries to moon me? I'll shoot his ass off and hang it on my wall. See you in 3000 B.C. bitch, I'm headin' for the Time-Lock.'']]

* EstablishingCharacterMoment:
** The Gnaar, your first enemy, climbs the tower where Sam just landed.
** The Beheaded Kamikaze are introduced in a similar fashion as in ''VideoGame/SeriousSamTheFirstEncounter'': first a lone kamikaze runs from what looks like a hill, Sam kills it, sprouts a one-liner and then several more appear.
** The Antaresian Spiders are introduced in an abandoned research facility/museum. Sam is whistling the ''Comicbook/SpiderMan'' theme while walking across a hall with suspicious organic structures, and after he finishes, these structures hatch and give place to the creatures they've been holding.
** The Major Biomechanoid appears in the arena portion of a level as a boss, breaking part of the scenery after Sam disposed of many enemy waves.
** In the same level, Sam observes a chopper which was supposed to rescue him being shot down by the aforementioned Biomechanoid. However, after Sam reaches the chopper, it gets invaded by a parasite wjo Sam must pursue and take down.

* MookMaker: The Alcor-class Warship can summon smaller monsters.

%% * ExplodingBarrels: Scarce and more dangerous than in previous games.

-> [[spoiler:'''Judy Mental:''' ''It's all over, Sam. You can't win.''\\

'''Judy Mental:''' ''It's too late. Tah-Um is coming to moon you.''\\

* CallForward: Echoing a sequence in ''[[VideoGame/SeriousSamTheFirstEncounter TFE]]'', a lone Beheaded Kamikaze comes running over a hill. After taking him out, Sam utters a BondOneLiner... only for a whole horde of them to come surging over that same hill.

The game is set during Earth's final days attempting to repel Mental's invading hordes. Humanity doesn't yet know how to activate the Timelock, and Sam has been sent in with a team of EDF {{redshirt}}s to find a scientist who might know. [[FromBadToWorse Things go rather sour from there.]]

In order to promote the game, Croteam picked up three indie companies who created SS games: Mommy's Best Games created ''Serious Sam Double D'', a side-scrolling shooter, Be-Rad Entertainment created ''Serious Sam Kamikaze Attack, a PerspectiveFlip where players control a Beheaded Kamikaze hellbent on killing Sam, and Vlambeer created ''VideoGame/SeriousSamTheRandomEncounter'', which is basically SS reimagined as a RolePlayingGame.

[[redirect:VideoGame/SeriousSam]]