The game length of this is perfect!

[Zapmaster]

I am seeing a lot of complaints about length of this game in the reviews, and I completely disagree. The 5 levels are massive and packed with small details and secrets, anyone who plays this game solo on hard and does the side missions and explores a bit will end up with 10+ hours. To me this is the perfect length for a Serious Sam game because it doesn't allow the battles to get monotonous. Especially considering most AAA games have single player campaigns of this length at $70 price tags, So I think even from a value stand point this game still delivers. Anyway just wanted to show some support for focus on quality over quantity. Great job Timelock.

[Rico Raccoon]

Yeah the third level especially is freaking massive, easily worth selling this at its own game.
As a DLC it wouldn't fit into the base game.

[puddingtopf]

Nah. It's a good game, but the length is definitely not perfect. Otherwise it would mean that all the other Serious Sam games are too long, which I don't think. The levels in SM are long, but it still felt like the experience was over too fast. It makes sense, since this is an expansion, and it's cheaper (base price should still be €15, not 20).

[V I D A L]

Same here. I did a lot of exploring, found secrets, easter eggs and did all side missions and it took me basically 10 hours to beat. Pretty neat for the price.

[Rico Raccoon]

Took my at least 7-8 hours, and i skipped most side missions.

[PootisMayo]

My first playthrough took roughly 7 hours with over half of the achievements and secrets found.

[Master Blaster]

with the improvements over 4, i wanted many more levels, i actually enjoyed playing this one

[Zapmaster]

Originally posted by puddingtopf:

Nah. It's a good game, but the length is definitely not perfect. Otherwise it would mean that all the other Serious Sam games are too long, which I don't think. The levels in SM are long, but it still felt like the experience was over too fast. It makes sense, since this is an expansion, and it's cheaper (base price should still be €15, not 20).

It's been a long time since I played FE & SE, but aren't they also 8-10h games? SS3 was way too long for me (but I am biased there, as I really didn't enjoy SS3 much). Also I think the older I get the less patience I have for filler content in games as well. With Siberian Mayhem I had a great time the whole game through and I am happy with that. Having 3-4 more levels wouldn't have improved the experience much more for me personally. I feel like they balanced the levels very well escalation wise, and the insanity of level 5 battles was the perfect way to end things.

[puddingtopf]

Originally posted by Zapmaster:

It's been a long time since I played FE & SE, but aren't they also 8-10h games?

I quickly checked all my high scores in Fusion, SS4, and SM. Most of them are from Serious difficulty with all secrets, but some of my individual level high scores in Fusion are from Hard, Mental, or Mental x84 difficulty with missing secrets. However, keep in mind that I'm also much more familiar with the older games, so I can finish them more quickly.

If I've calculated everything correctly, these are my total times per game after adding all the high scores:
TFE - 6:54:26
TSE - 7:30:28
SS3 - 8:27:46
SS4 - 12:39:47
SM - 5:39:37

SM is by far the shortest one, even though I wasted a LOT of time looking for secrets (despite using a guide, lol). And I also completed SS4 and SM with almost no gadgets.

[lucent]

I'm just going on 7 hrs and in the 3rd chapter. Enjoying it too much to rush it.

[Mad_Commander]

SS:SM is a "Cheapesh" expansion to SS:4, ok standalone but it uses pretty much the same engine and what not, just added content so for the price it's length is perfect.

[Mad_Commander]

Originally posted by lucent:

I'm just going on 7 hrs and in the 3rd chapter. Enjoying it too much to rush it.

Amen Brother. That's how games should be played.

[fuegerstef]

Originally posted by puddingtopf:

Otherwise it would mean that all the other Serious Sam games are too long ...

I think they are. In the other SS games you have taken all your weapons away at least (!!!) once, practically starting all over (yes, I know you get your arsenal back faster than getting the weapons in the beginning of the game, but gameplay wise it is only stretching the time until you get to the climatic last levels without adding anything interesting new).
And if they told the quite simple stories over the course of 4 hours instead of 10 it also would increase the "story content per minute ratio" which is very low in the other games.

As someone else above already said: Less filler content would be much welcome (in my very personal opinion).

[puddingtopf]

Originally posted by fuegerstef:

I think they are.

Well, I disagree. I think they are long enough to give you a good amount of content without becoming boring. I don't need something new in every level to have fun, and the locations change often enough to prevent monotony.

[Mad_Commander]

Originally posted by fuegerstef:

Originally posted by puddingtopf:

Otherwise it would mean that all the other Serious Sam games are too long ...

I think they are. In the other SS games you have taken all your weapons away at least (!!!) once, practically starting all over (yes, I know you get your arsenal back faster than getting the weapons in the beginning of the game, but gameplay wise it is only stretching the time until you get to the climatic last levels without adding anything interesting new).
And if they told the quite simple stories over the course of 4 hours instead of 10 it also would increase the "story content per minute ratio" which is very low in the other games.

As someone else above already said: Less filler content would be much welcome (in my very personal opinion).

You want story, wait for Stalker 2, you want hoards of enemies to kill play SS series.
Serious Sam storylines are "Kill Mentals forces from Serious Sam 1 through to Serious Sam 4 (SM). It is that simple. If there was a story we'd have not been fighting Mentals forces for the last 20 years.

[Mad_Commander]

Originally posted by puddingtopf:

Originally posted by fuegerstef:

I think they are.

Well, I disagree. I think they are long enough to give you a good amount of content without becoming boring. I don't need something new in every level to have fun, and the locations change often enough to prevent monotony.

There is a lot more secrets in SS:SM which makes it more fun than SS:4
I agree with you above statement too.