Serious Sam: The Random Encounter

Serious Sam: The Random Encounter is a turn-based role-playing game with retro-inspired graphics and chiptune music. It is one of the three commercial indie games created by different teams to promote the release of Serious Sam 3: BFE. The Random Encounter pitches Sam and a gang of mercenaries against large hordes of monsters. Sam travels over different world maps from a top-down view where he can collect items or approach bosses. At random intervals, an encounter with monsters is triggered. At that moment the game switches to a side-view and offers gameplay similar to the early Final Fantasy games. In turns the player selects commands through a menu for Sam and his comrades to execute. This involves choosing a specific gun, swapping weapons or using an item. After the command is chosen, shooting or using an item is executed automatically while the monsters approach from the left side of the screen. After a while, the turn is over and new commands can be chosen until all monsters have been defeated.

Although the attacks are performed automatically, the player can influence the action through various ways. The first is the choice of weapons. There is a minigun that fires in a straight line and at a constant rate, a rocket launcher that fires once, or a laser rifle that pushes back enemies. The direction can be adjusted through a line (only during the planning phase) or for the shotgun for instance the radius can be altered; a large one is used for many, weak enemies, a small one for a strong opponent. While the actions are being executed, it is possible to interfere right away and move the characters (all at once, not individually) up and down, to avoid bullets. Items include more armor, health, or reviving a falling comrade. Special attacks for instance are Kamikaze Bait and a Serious Bomb that damages all opponents on the screen. New items are collected after defeating bosses or by opening chests on the world map. Additional experience, health and armor are awarded after each battle.

After completing the main campaign, an endless mode can be unlocked.