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Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter

15 Games like Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter on Xbox that you should try

Games like Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter · Find similar →

We filtered the 45 games similar to Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter down to the 15 that fit the “Xbox” category. Nuclear Throne, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and Paint the Town Red top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

NextGameLike88/ 100

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GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS
Tags
DarkHardcoreSoloMultiplayer
Year 2001Dev Croteam

Quick answer

Within the “Xbox” category, the closest game to Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter is Nuclear Throne — scoring 91/100 on our similarity scale. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and Paint the Town Red follow close behind.

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The best games like Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter on Xbox

15 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter. Each one has been evaluated across 13 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

1

Nuclear Throne

91
NGL89
Nuclear Throne
Closest overall match
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineMeleeRangedHardcoreSci-Fi
Year 2015Dev VlambeerPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Genre puts it alongside Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter, and so does punishing difficulty, melee combat and a sci-fi setting. To that it adds single-player focus. They part company on visuals and setting: this one brings post-apocalyptic world and pixel art.

Released 14 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone74Setting63Visuals0
2

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

88
NGL91
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloCo-opMultiplayerOfflineMeleeRangedDarkHardcore
Year 2014Dev NicalisPlaytime ~31hOn PC · PS · Xbox

It comes from the same genre as Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter and shares dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and single-player focus. The distance is in setting and visuals — its own ground is horror setting and an isometric view.

Released 13 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Genre100Game mode100Tone92Combat84Setting0Visuals0
3

Paint the Town Red

87
NGL82
Paint the Town Red
Closest on tone
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeRangedDarkHardcoreFirst Person
Year 2015Dev South East GamesPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Xbox · Apple Macintosh

It shares the essentials of what Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter does: dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and single-player focus. To that it adds a first-person view. They part company on setting and visuals: this one brings horror setting and an isometric view.

Released 14 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Genre100Combat100Tone100Game mode90Visuals68Setting0
4

Enter the Gungeon

84
NGL87
Enter the Gungeon
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineRangedMeleeHardcore
Year 2016Dev Dodge Roll · Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~6hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Shelved next to Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter for good reason: punishing difficulty, ranged combat and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is setting and visuals: fantasy world and an isometric view.

Released 15 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone70Setting0Visuals0
5

Cuphead

83
NGL91
Cuphead
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineRangedMeleeHardcore
Year 2017Dev Studio MDHR · StudioMDHR EntertainmentPlaytime ~6hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Same family as Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter: punishing difficulty, ranged combat and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is setting and visuals: a cartoon aesthetic and 2D presentation.

Released 16 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Genre100Game mode100Combat85Tone78Setting0Visuals0
6

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

79
NGL88
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
Closest on visuals
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMultiplayerRangedMeleeDarkHardcoreSci-FiFirst Person
Year 2007Dev GSC Game WorldPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Same family as Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter: dark, oppressive atmosphere, ranged combat and a sci-fi setting. The common ground extends to single-player focus and a first-person view. Where the two diverge is setting and game mode: strong narrative focus and post-apocalyptic world.

Released 6 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Genre100Visuals100Combat80Tone66Game mode61Setting36
7

Ultimate Chicken Horse

72
NGL88
Ultimate Chicken Horse
ShooterFPSArena FPS
MultiplayerOfflineCo-opSoloMeleeHardcore
Year 2016Dev NVIDIA Lightspeed Studios · Clever Endeavour GamesPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Xbox

On paper it is what Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter is — punishing difficulty, melee combat and multiplayer gameplay — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. Where the two diverge is visuals and tone: a casual, approachable feel and 2D presentation.

Released 15 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Genre100Game mode78Combat45Tone27Visuals0
8

Condemned: Criminal Origins

67
NGL81
Condemned: Criminal Origins
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeRangedDarkHardcoreFirst Person
Year 2005Dev Monolith Productions · SEGAPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Xbox

Genre puts it alongside Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter, and so does dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and single-player focus. To that it adds a first-person view. They part company on setting and game mode: this one brings horror setting.

Released 4 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Genre100Combat100Visuals100Tone75Game mode28Setting0
9

Ruiner

61
NGL83
Ruiner
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeDarkHardcoreSci-Fi
Year 2017Dev Reikon Games · Devolver DigitalOn PS4 · Linux · PC

On paper it is what Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter is — dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and a sci-fi setting — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. The common ground extends to single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals and game mode: a cyberpunk setting and an isometric view.

Released 16 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Genre100Tone86Combat51Setting43Game mode28Visuals0
10

Borderlands 4

60
NGL72
Borderlands 4
Closest on setting
ShooterFPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opSci-FiFirst Person
Year 2025Dev Gearbox Software · 2KOn Xbox · Switch · PC

The thread back to Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter runs through shooting mechanics, a sci-fi setting and single-player focus. To that it adds a first-person view. Its own ground is deep RPG systems.

Released 24 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Setting100Visuals100Game mode89Genre75
11

DOOM

82
NGL92
DOOM
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opRangedMeleeDarkHardcoreSci-FiFirst Person
Year 1993Dev SEGAOn PC · PS · Xbox

What brings it close to Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter is dark, oppressive atmosphere, ranged combat and a sci-fi setting, and the two track each other on genre, combat and tone. Both also lean on single-player focus and a first-person view. The distance is in setting — its own ground is horror setting.

It predates Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Tone100Visuals100Game mode90Setting67
12

Clone Drone in the Danger Zone

65
NGL94
Clone Drone in the Danger Zone
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi
Year 2016Dev Doborog GamesPlaytime ~5hOn PC · Xbox · Apple Macintosh

The genre is the same as Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter’s, and with it punishing difficulty, melee combat and a sci-fi setting. Both also lean on co-op play. The distance is in visuals and combat — its own ground is a third-person camera.

Released 15 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Genre100Setting100Game mode75Tone69Combat53Visuals0
13

Hotline Miami

59
NGL91
Hotline Miami
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeRangedDarkHardcore
Year 2012Dev Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

On paper it is what Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter is — dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and single-player focus — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. Where the two diverge is visuals and game mode: an isometric view.

Released 11 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Genre100Combat100Tone92Game mode28Visuals0
14

SuperHot: Mind Control Delete

52
NGL83
SuperHot: Mind Control Delete
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiFirst Person
Year 2020Dev SUPERHOT TeamOn Xbox · PS4 · Linux

On paper it is what Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter is — punishing difficulty, melee combat and a sci-fi setting — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. To that it adds a first-person view and single-player focus. They part company on game mode and combat: this one brings strong narrative focus and a cyberpunk setting.

Released 19 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Genre100Visuals100Tone58Combat52Setting52Game mode28
15

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

51
NGL83
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeDarkHardcoreNarrative
Year 2015Dev Dennaton Games · Devolver DigitalOn Xbox · PlayStation 3 · PS4

Shelved next to Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter for good reason: dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and game mode — its own ground is pixel art.

Released 14 years after Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter.

Genre100Tone88Combat51Game mode28Visuals0

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