Image: Devolver Digital

Devolver Digital has revealed that '00s shooter hero Serious Sam is preparing to make (another) comeback, with the release of a teaser trailer for Serious Sam: The Third Encounter, currently in development for PC.

Once again developed by CroTeam, the new game will be a direct sequel to Serious Sam: The First Encounter (2001) and its follow-up, Serious Sam: The Second Encounter (2002). While the destructive, hard-headed hero has featured in a selection of games since (with the most recent being 2020's poorly-received Serious Sam 4), this new release will be eschewing the later entries and returning to the timeline of the early '00s.

Retaining the series' penchant for bullet-spewing mayhem, Croteam promises a galaxy of alien environments to explore, with Sam taking the fight to the nefarious Tah-Um (or "Mental") on its own home turf. Armed with an arsenal of "good old classics and vicious new toys", Serious Sam: The Third Encounter is looking to be unashamedly explosive, putting the emphasis back on the non-stop carnage that the franchise is renowned for.

Given the lacklustre response to recent sequels, Croteam is clearly looking to take Sam back to his rootin' tootin' roots.

No more holding back – this is pure, unfiltered bullet-hell mayhem! Grab your minigun, load up every last round, and show the Notorious Mental just how SERIOUS you are!

Serious Sam: The Third Encounter is in early development at Croteam. No release window was announced, but a Steam page is now live for those looking to wishlist.