Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem
Standalone expansion set in an alternate timeline of Serious Sam 4.
Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem is a first-person shooter released in 2022. It was developed by Timelock Studio and Croteam, and published by Devolver Digital. As a standalone expansion to Serious Sam 4, it launched for Windows on January 25, 2022, and for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on October 6, 2022.
The game includes five levels and introduces several new weapons. Its story takes place in an alternate timeline within Serious Sam 4, occurring between two of that game's final missions. The setting is deep Siberia, Russia. After the events of the "The Package" mission, Sam "Serious" Stone lands on Russia's north coast. His goals are to reach Tunguska, stop General Brand—who has taken the Holy Grail—and destroy a portal used by Mental's forces to invade Earth.
After failing to contact headquarters, Sam infiltrates an oil refinery with an SOS signal on a transmission tower. He meets a survivor who is killed. There, he hears a radio message from Igor Ledov, leader of a local partisan squad. Ledov knows of Brand's betrayal and has ordered all armed units to shoot down Brand's plane. He asks Sam to meet his squad in the village of Kalinovka. Earth Defense Forces soldiers shoot down Brand's plane. Sam travels through Siberian tundra and forests, finding an abandoned village surrounded by Octanian troops. There he meets One-Eye Olga, a legendary Russian sniper believed dead during the storming of the Tunguska portal. She reveals she faked her death and was responsible for shooting down Brand's plane.
Sam continues south to Kalinovka, meeting Ledov's squad: Ivan, Natasha, Vlad, and Ledov himself, a former rock musician. Ledov explains there is an abandoned railway depot with a working locomotive that can take them to Ustinov, and from there to Tunguska. After fighting through Kalinovka and reaching the depot, they board the train. On the journey, they recall the recently killed Father Mikhail and listen to Ledov's songs. Arriving at Ustinov station, Ledov says they must cross the town to a hydroelectric dam, then use boats to reach the mouth of the Tunguska River. They find the remains of another partisan group, killed with unusual cruelty. Sam suspects a trap. Octanian raiders bomb the town, and General Brand appears in monstrous form, grabbing Ivan and trying to convince Sam to join Mental. Ivan refuses and is killed.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem
- Developer
- Timelock Studio · Croteam
- Publisher
- Devolver Digital
- Series
- Serious Sam
- Platforms
- Windows · PlayStation 5 · Xbox Series X/S
- Released
- Windows · 25 January 2022 · PS5, Xbox Series X/S · 6 October 2022
- Genre
- First-person shooter
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem takes place in Russia, in deep Siberia, within an alternate timeline of Serious Sam 4, between two of the last levels from the main game. The story begins directly after the 'The Package' mission, with Sam 'Serious' Stone arriving on the north coast of Russia to reach Tunguska, stop General Brand (who has taken the Holy Grail), and destroy a portal used by Mental's forces. Sam encounters a partisan squad led by Igor Ledov, meets the sniper One-Eye Olga, and travels through villages, a railway depot, and a hydroelectric dam. The plot involves Brand's betrayal, the death of partisans, and a final confrontation where Brand stabs himself with the Grail and transforms, but is defeated. A time portal then appears, from which a future Sam and Olga emerge, giving Sam a new mission to go to 1352 BC.
Reader's Guide
Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem was developed by Timelock Studio, a Russian group of long-time Serious Sam modders, under Croteam's oversight. The team had previously worked together as testers for Serious Sam 4 and felt the game's Russia-set levels had unexplored potential. They compiled an 80-page design document submitted to Croteam in September 2020, which was initially greenlit as a three-level DLC but expanded into a standalone expansion as it outgrew typical DLC scope. The development introduced the modders to deadlines, marketing, and localization. The game features five levels and several new weapons. It was teased via a 34-second YouTube video in December 2021, announced on 10 January 2022, and released on 25 January 2022 for Windows, with a 25% discount for Serious Sam 4 owners. Console versions followed on 6 October 2022. Reception was 'mixed or average', with a Metacritic score of 70/100 based on 25 critic reviews.
Did You Know?
- The game was developed by Timelock Studio, a Russian group formed from long-time Serious Sam modding community members.
- The developers submitted an 80-page design document to Croteam in September 2020, which was initially approved as a three-level DLC before expanding to a standalone expansion.
- The game's story includes a time portal from which a future Sam and Olga emerge, sending Sam on a mission to 1352 BC.
- Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem received a Metacritic score of 70/100, indicating 'mixed or average' reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem?
It is a standalone expansion for Serious Sam 4 that adds five new levels and several new weapons to the series. The project was developed by Timelock Studio and Croteam and published by Devolver Digital.
When and on which platforms was Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem released?
The title launched on Windows on January 25, 2022, and arrived on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on October 6, 2022. It is available exclusively on those three platforms.
How does Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem fit into the Serious Sam 4 storyline?
The campaign unfolds in an alternate timeline of Serious Sam 4, slotted between two of that game's final missions. The action takes place in the remote wilderness of deep Siberia, Russia, following the events of the 'The Package' mission.
Who developed and published Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem?
Timelock Studio and Croteam handled the development work, while Devolver Digital served as the publisher. The game was sold as a standalone expansion rather than a free downloadable add-on.
What can players expect in terms of content and scope?
The expansion delivers a five-level campaign set entirely in Siberia, introducing several new weapons alongside the classic Serious Sam arsenal. Critics gave the game a Metacritic score of 70 out of 100 based on 25 reviews.
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