Serious Sam Shatterverse : Our Full Review of the 2026 Old School Roguelite FPS

Serious Sam Shatterverse : The Old School Shooter Returns to Smash the Multiverse

We were eighteen, the cybercafé smelled like cold pizza and questionable carpet, and Serious Sam was running on absolutely every rig in the room. No need for a convoluted storyline or a twenty-minute tutorial : you launch the game, you run, you shoot. It was as simple and incredibly satisfying as that. When Devolver Digital sent us a press key for Serious Sam : Shatterverse, developed by Behaviour Interactive and published by Devolver Digital, I felt that good old wave of nostalgia hit me instantly. I first discovered the game live on our Twitch channel, and now, after a few extra sessions to really understand the beast, here is my full and unfiltered review.

Multi-Sam, Multi-Chaos : Welcome to the Shatterverse

The Concept That Could Have Changed Everything

The initial pitch is genuinely exciting : Uber Mental, the recurring big bad of the franchise, has shattered the walls between parallel universes. As a result, alternate versions of Sam Stone emerge from different dimensions and must team up to seal the breaches of the Shatterverse. On paper, the idea of a co-op roguelite FPS for up to 5 players, where each Sam possesses his own playstyle and ultimate ability, is an enticing promise. In reality, the game fulfills a part of that promise, but does not entirely go all the way.

The gameplay loop is clear from the very first minutes : you pick your Sam, run through generated levels mixed with handcrafted rooms, gun down waves of monsters, pick up buffs and weapon upgrades, and face a boss every three levels. If you die, you return to the hub to spend your resources on permanent upgrades, and then you launch another run. It is a classic, well-oiled roguelite formula, without too many frills.

The Sam Roster and Ultimates

What sets this Shatterverse apart from previous entries is primarily the ability to play as five different versions of Sam : Retro Sam, Alien Sam, Orphan Sam, and a few others, each with their own stats and a highly distinct ultimate ability. Alien Sam shoots at four targets simultaneously with his four arms, Retro Sam temporarily clones himself on the battlefield. These differences are enough to vary your approaches, even if we are not going to lie : at a certain point, all the versions end up feeling similar in the heat of the action.

What Works Really Well

The Atmosphere and Environments

Let us be clear on one point : the atmosphere is incredibly solid. The iconic Egyptian environments from 2001 return with the same nostalgic joy, and the game enriches the experience with varied settings : ice, desert, and closed arenas. Familiar enemies, the ones veterans will recognize instantly, fight alongside brand new creatures. The electronic soundtrack is as hyperactive as you could hope for, the kind of music that makes you want to sprint down the hallway smashing monsters without ever taking your foot off the gas pedal. It is exactly what you expect from the franchise, and on this front, no one missed a beat.

Fluidity and Arsenal

Navigation between the central hub and the missions is fast, devoid of tedious loading times. The game brings back the entire classic arsenal of the franchise while bolting on a weapon mod system based on rarity (common, rare, legendary, color-coded in green, blue, purple just like a good old loot game). Certain combinations of weapons and buffs create truly intoxicating synergies, especially in co-op. Weakening an enemy only to finish them off with a melee attack and regain health points is a simple but effective addition, bringing a welcome tactical dimension to what could have remained a mindless shooter.

What Drags, Just a Bit

Permanent Progression and Buffs

Where the shoe pinches is in the permanent progression. The bonuses you unlock between runs are too discreet, too timid. A slight increase in fire rate here, a tiny bonus to mid-air accuracy there. We are far from the feeling of escalating power you expect in this type of game. After a dozen runs, you start wondering if it truly changes anything. This is the main point of friction I felt, and the Steam reviews confirm that I am not the only one who felt this way.

A Game That Speaks Mostly to Those Who Grew Up With It

Serious Sam : Shatterverse suffers from the same observation as franchises like Quake or Duke Nukem when they return : it is a style of game born in an era where hyper-realistic graphics, ultra-complex RPG mechanics, and twisting storylines had not yet taken over everything. The game fully embraces what the franchise has always been, a raw, direct, no-nonsense shooter, and it does it well. However, it might struggle to hook an audience that did not experience the LAN parties of 2001 firsthand. And that is a bit of a shame, because there is real charm in this approach : move forward, aim, shoot, without playing the tactician or the secret agent. Just pure, unadulterated fun.

The VOD of Our Live Discovery

If you want to see the game running in real conditions and hear my initial hot takes, the full Twitch session is available on YouTube. I explain all the mechanics as the game progresses, the surprises, the low points, and the moments where things really pop off.

Where to Buy Serious Sam : Shatterverse and at What Price ?

$19.99 on Steam is a genuinely fair price for this type of game. For this amount, you get a solid chunk of content, highly replayable in co-op, with absolutely no microtransactions or integrated storefront at the time of writing this article. If you want to dive deeper, an "It's Time To Get Serious" bundle groups Shatterverse with 6 other titles from the franchise at a discounted rate. Very handy if you want a complete Serious Sam treatment.

FAQ : Serious Sam Shatterverse in 2026

Is Serious Sam : Shatterverse playable solo ?

Yes, technically. But the game is clearly balanced for co-op with up to 5 players. In solo, the boss scaling is sometimes really erratic, and the feeling of power takes much longer to achieve. If you have nobody on hand, it remains playable, but the experience is far more enjoyable in a group.

Is the game compatible with Windows 11 in 2026 ?

Yes, without a hitch. The recommended specs even explicitly mention Windows 11. The game runs smoothly on mid-to-high-end rigs, completely avoiding the crashes or compatibility issues you might sometimes encounter with older games.

Is it worth buying Serious Sam Shatterverse for $19.99 ?

For a fan of the franchise or a lover of co-op roguelite FPS, absolutely yes. For a player who never clicked with the old school boomer shooter formula, it is a riskier bet. Our advice : wait for a sale or a free trial period if you are not entirely sure.

How many playable characters are there in Shatterverse ?

The game offers 5 different versions of Sam Stone pulled from various universes, including Retro Sam, Alien Sam, and Orphan Sam. Each has a distinct ultimate ability, even if the gameplay differences remain somewhat superficial in the heat of battle.

Is there cross-play in Serious Sam Shatterverse ?

Yes, the cross-platform multiplayer is fully present, allowing you to play with your friends regardless of whether they are on PC, PS5, or Xbox Series X/S.

Our Verdict : 13/20

Official Trailer

Serious Sam : Shatterverse is an honest game that knows exactly what it is and does not try to be anything else. It reinvents nothing, it revolutionizes nothing, but it delivers an effective co-op FPS blowout, highly faithful to the spirit of the franchise, at a fair price. In a session with friends or a weekend LAN party, it is exactly the kind of thing that will generate smiles and noise. If you have known Serious Sam since its beginnings, go for it. If you are discovering the franchise, maybe start with the first episode to grasp the essence before diving in here.

And you, did you play Serious Sam in cybercafés back in the day ? Are you diving back in with Shatterverse or passing on this one ? Tell us everything in the comments right below !