Serious Sam Stone is a man with a mission.  Having done battle with Mental in two previous encounters he gleefully jumps into the time device and is spirited back to ancient Rome with a nasty itch in his trigger finger.  There, the proverbial screw up occurs and Sam is once again the only line of defense from Mental's coup to re-make history with the human race with nothing more then a faint memory.  

First person shooters used to be the one genre that the console's just couldn't seem to get right.  The mouse and keyboard combination just made things seem so right in terms of tightness and exact control.  But then some interesting innovations occurred about three years ago.  The game was HALO and I'll be darned if the controls weren't spot-on.  So fast forward to today, and we have a game that isn't quite as developed as HALO, but surprisingly controls very well.  Using the GameCube's small tight controller I found that the button configuration, combined with an auto aim feature made for an easily controlled game.  For me, such a nice control configuration really made me want to finish this title.  I can't stand it when some games require a mutated seven finger hand to be able to execute the game's required movements, thankfully this title does not have that and I can  happily report that the easy control configuration and smooth feel is the game's strongest feature.  

You certainly get what you pay for and you can't find a bigger bang for your buck.  All "Sam" games are priced at $20.00 (or less) and have a reputation for dumping the player into incredibly active scenarios involving massive amounts of bad guys coming at you from all angles.  This is certainly true of the latest adventure.  I have played all of the  previous games and found that I invariably find myself smirking at the screen as all heck seems to break loose in front of me and I can't shoot fast enough.  Undoubtedly I was killed numerous times, but since this is as much of an arcade game as it is a first person shooter, I merely waited to respawn and BLAMMO!  There I would be, still with a ton of weapons and ammo and still neck deep in aliens who wanted to do very bad things to me.  Of course with it's sly humor, I'd be laughing all the way.  

The PC versions seem to look better then the GameCube version, especially when an alien would get close to me or I'd run up to the edge of a building or mountainside.  The game suffers from a pixilated look that's grainy when close.  Of course this might not really be of any consequence since there really isn't much time to stop and observe your surroundings, with the constant onslaught of action and sheer pandemonium, some gamers might not even realize that the game is merely adequate.  

Now there is a market for titles like this one, and sadly the GameCube version is the least likely to be purchased by those possessing multiple game systems.  While you can play the game cooperatively split-screen, this version is not online capable, which the PS2 version is and of course the PC versions are.  And while the single player game is a hoot to play, Serious Sam game's are clearly for multiplayer fun.  I couldn't tell you how many nights I spent with my friends online blasting away at Mental's villains while laughing until 3 am.  Yes the single player game is fun, but multiplayer/online is where it's at.  

I absolutely love the insane amount of weapons that this title includes.  It's almost as if the programmers are thumbing their noses at those who would want to abolish the right to bear arms.  The NRA would certainly be impressed with Sam's armaments, rocket launchers, shot guns, chain guns, massive cannons, the game is never at a loss for weapons and ammunition.  As a matter of fact, while playing if you happen upon a large cache of ammunition, you should know that this is usually a precursor of things to come, or should I say many things to come.

Gameplay: 8.4
A smoothly controlled, tightly handled sports-car of a title.  I really enjoyed how this game controlled with the auto aim function assisting ever so slightly but clearly there to make things easier.  I liked the addition of the multi-kill craziness that occurs when Sam takes down 20 bad guys in a short period of time and the fact that this game seems more interested in you achieving a high score.  It certainly is heavy on the arcade feel.  

Graphics: 6.8
The frame rate is certainly impressive as is the game's ability to not experience slowdown when there is 900 bad guys on screen.  But the monsters do look a little sloppy and it clearly is not as sharp as the PC version.  And not by a little bit, it is a considerable difference.  

Sound: 7.5
While Sam's one liners don't seem to pop up as often as I would have like, the voice actor who is Sam seems to be the same guy since it's inception.  A funny growl-like voice that reminded me of Bruce Campbell from the Evil Dead movies.  Those who remember Duke Nuke em' will also think that Duke and Sam may be brothers.  Of course the explosions and gunfire are done well, but no one is surprised by any of the events that occur as the music cues up whenever the action is about to start.  

Difficulty: Medium
Not a particularly challenging game, there are no puzzles, as long as you continue to rack up a good score, you have a ton of lives.  What I found to be the toughest was the  constant button mashing and frantic pace.  Yeah you can beat it in a couple of days, but your hands better be strong, or you will feel it the next day.  

Concept: 6.5
Nothing new here folks.  Run, shoot bad guys, jump over objects when necessary, find hidden areas to get better level grades.  Sound familiar?  It is, but that's not why you bought it now, is it?  The pace is never slow and the action is as much fun as it is constant. 

Multiplayer: 5.5
Only split screen is available, and considering you can go online with the PC and the PS2, this category is seriously lacking.  The GameCube has modem capabilities, let's see Nintendo start using it as much as it's competitors.

Overall: 6.7
I liked the game for what it is, mindless action.  But where the title really fails is it's inability to tap into what made Sam so much fun when it all started, the multiplayer capability. The graphics clearly are suffering, and they shouldn't given what the GameCube has under the hood.  It's a game that cost $20 new.  Clearly better then the other $20 games out there, but clearly not the best Sam title available.