Release Order Recommended
0 / 7 playedPremiere order, HD in place of Classic. Best for a first run.
Chronological Order
0 / 5 playedStory order, best for a second run once arenas feel familiar.
About Serious Sam
Serious Sam: The First Encounter from 2001 and The Second Encounter from 2002 form the Classic run against Mental, with an Xbox blend the same year. Sam II from 2005 is a separate tone shift, not a direct sequel despite the name. HD remakes from 2009 and 2010 replace Classic for new players through the Fusion hub from 2017.
Sam 3: BFE from 2011 is a prequel with Jewel of the Nile DLC in 2012, while Sam 4 from 2020 and Siberian Mayhem from 2022 move earlier still. Shatterverse from August 2026 is a co-op roguelite spinoff. No new mainline had a date as of September 2026. Release order keeps the arena design readable, while story order starts with VR prequels.
Good to know
Start with First Encounter or Sam 3: BFE, and do not play Classic and HD back to back since they are the same levels rebuilt. Treat Second Encounter and Sam II as different games despite the names, because one is Classic part two and the other is its own branch. Play Siberian Mayhem after Sam 4 even though it runs standalone, and treat Shatterverse as a side mode. Jewel of the Nile and Legend of the Beast are short add-ons for after their base games.
