Serious Sam: Shatterverse Reworks the Series as an FPS Roguelite

What we know

Behaviour Interactive has introduced Serious Sam: Shatterverse, a new entry developed for Devolver Digital that turns the series’ classic formula into a first-person roguelite shooter. The game is currently listed as available for $19.99.

The studio has built from hallmarks of Serious Sam: run-and-gun combat, constant backpedaling while firing, enormous enemy waves, and boss encounters. Its goal was to recreate that feel in Unreal Engine while modernizing it, with The First Encounter and The Second Encounter serving as key development references.

The major change is the run-based structure. Each attempt can involve destructive weapons, unlockable boons, and gameplay-altering modifiers. Death is not the end of progression; further runs create new strategic options. Hand-crafted arenas are paired with procedurally shifting runs, alongside anomalies, hidden portals, and high-risk opportunities that may either supercharge a run or end it on the spot.

A conflict across universes

The campaign places Sam Stone in the middle of a multiversal crisis. Uber Mental has shattered the barriers between universes, forcing different versions of Sam to work together and repair the Shatterverse. As part of the Serious Program, a multidimensional force opposing Uber Mental, players will travel through shifting universes and finish fights that other Sams could not.

Progress requires taking down Mental’s five lieutenants, each positioned as a major boss. The enemy roster combines familiar foes from the series with new creatures under Mental’s command.

Co-op designed to last

Behaviour Interactive aimed to make the game approachable for established fans and players who have never tried Serious Sam, an FPS, or a roguelite. At the same time, its systems are intended to offer depth for people who want to master them and replay missions in pursuit of secrets or higher scores.

For multiplayer, Shatterverse uses peer-to-peer connections rather than dedicated servers. It also includes an offline solo mode. The studio says this approach is meant to keep the game playable years from now, rather than having it vanish if it does not become a large-scale live-service success.

The release is intended to be a complete standalone experience that does not require live-service updates to be enjoyable. However, the team has built support for expansions, DLC, and additional content should players want more, without replacing or cutting into the game they have already bought.

Development also included several beta playtests, and Behaviour Interactive says it continued to adjust and polish the experience in response to community feedback.