Serious sam HD: The first and second encounter

18 cert, Mastertronic, Xbox (also PC) ***

The Serious Sam games, now re-released in one package, have always taken inspiration from the action heroes of the 1990s, so it's probably apt to use action-movie terminology to describe them. These games are influential and fun, but certainly less polished than their descendants. So think of them as Commandobut not quite Die Hard. Serious Samand its superior sequel ( The Second Encounter) are included here and, once again, they offer fast, unpretentious first-person thrills. The hero (in the mould of Duke Nukem) is a wisecracking muscle-bound gunman who travels the world (from Egypt to South America via Mesopotamia and medieval Europe) dealing with aliens and monsters, including skeletal horses and headless suicide bombers. Along with some handy weapons – from chainsaws to shotguns – there are hints, strategies and other notes in a separate menu, which you probably won't read. The Serious Samgames have been surpassed by the likes of Bulletstorm and Crysis, but for cheap thrills (literally and figuratively) this two-game package offers decent value.