<s>
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
a	O
first-person	O
shooter	O
video	O
game	O
released	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
and	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
the	O
2001	O
video	O
game	O
Serious	B-Device
Sam	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
later	O
made	O
available	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
on	O
31	O
January	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
originally	O
released	O
only	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
,	O
an	O
unofficial	O
Linux	B-Application
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
created	O
and	O
is	O
being	O
handled	O
by	O
Linux	B-Application
Installers	O
for	O
Linux	B-Application
Gamers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Taking	O
place	O
after	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Serious	B-Device
Sam	I-Device
:	O
The	O
Second	O
Encounter	O
,	O
Sam	O
travels	O
through	O
various	O
worlds	O
collecting	O
parts	O
of	O
a	O
medallion	O
in	O
an	O
effort	O
to	O
defeat	O
Mental	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Croteam	O
simultaneously	O
developed	O
Serious	O
Engine	O
2	O
,	O
the	O
successor	O
to	O
their	O
previous	O
game	O
engine	O
,	O
Serious	O
Engine	O
,	O
for	O
use	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
engine	O
is	O
capable	O
of	O
many	O
features	O
of	O
other	O
advanced	O
game	O
engines	O
of	O
the	O
time	O
including	O
high	B-Device
dynamic	I-Device
range	I-Device
rendering	I-Device
and	O
light	O
bloom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
engine	O
supports	O
integration	O
with	O
both	O
Xfire	B-Protocol
and	O
GameSpy	B-Protocol
Arcade	I-Protocol
for	O
multiplayer	O
match	O
finding	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
the	O
only	O
game	O
to	O
use	O
the	O
proprietary	B-Application
engine	O
,	O
though	O
the	O
Serious	O
Engine	O
2	O
is	O
available	O
for	O
licensing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
features	O
the	O
story	O
more	O
prominently	O
,	O
but	O
still	O
maintains	O
the	O
focus	O
on	O
killing	O
as	O
many	O
enemies	O
as	O
possible	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Player-controlled	O
vehicles	O
(	O
such	O
as	O
hover	O
bikes	O
and	O
saucers	O
)	O
were	O
introduced	O
to	O
the	O
series	O
in	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
simplistic	O
gameplay	O
of	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
similar	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
previous	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
but	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
's	O
lives	O
system	O
is	O
a	O
radical	O
departure	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
(	O
which	O
would	O
allow	O
you	O
to	O
resume	O
from	O
checkpoints	O
or	O
saved	O
games	O
an	O
infinite	O
number	O
of	O
times	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
is	O
able	O
to	O
pick	O
up	O
certain	O
objects	O
and	O
manipulate	O
them	O
in	O
a	O
manner	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
effects	O
of	O
the	O
Gravity	O
Gun	O
from	O
Half-Life	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
though	O
without	O
the	O
necessity	O
of	O
an	O
external	O
device	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
prominent	O
feature	O
in	O
the	O
previous	O
Serious	B-Device
Sam	I-Device
games	O
was	O
cooperative	O
gameplay	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
multiple	O
players	O
could	O
play	O
the	O
single-player	O
campaign	O
together	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
focused	O
on	O
this	O
game	O
mode	O
even	O
more	O
than	O
its	O
predecessors	O
,	O
as	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
only	O
multiplayer	O
mode	O
to	O
be	O
included	O
when	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
,	O
although	O
deathmatch	O
was	O
later	O
added	O
in	O
a	O
patch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PC	O
version	O
allows	O
up	O
to	O
sixteen	O
people	O
to	O
play	O
together	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
version	O
allows	O
four	O
players	O
,	O
either	O
via	O
Xbox	B-Application
systemlink	O
or	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
the	O
previous	O
games	O
,	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
support	O
split-screen	O
gameplay	O
on	O
the	O
PC	O
but	O
does	O
not	O
support	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Weapons	O
in	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
were	O
largely	O
remodeled	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
weapons	O
found	O
in	O
the	O
previous	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
Serious	B-Device
Sam	I-Device
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
minigun	O
,	O
a	O
staple	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
also	O
makes	O
a	O
return	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
a	O
weapon	O
of	O
particular	O
significance	O
as	O
it	O
was	O
featured	O
prominently	O
on	O
the	O
cover	O
of	O
the	O
box	O
for	O
many	O
of	O
the	O
previous	O
Serious	B-Device
Sam	I-Device
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
introduced	O
new	O
weapons	O
to	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
including	O
"	O
Clawdovic	O
Cacadoos	O
Vulgaris	O
,	O
"	O
(	O
the	O
name	O
is	O
pronounced	O
in	O
Croatian	O
as	O
Klodovik	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
a	O
reference	O
to	O
a	O
parrot	O
Klodovik	O
in	O
the	O
comic	O
series	O
Alan	O
Ford	O
)	O
a	O
parrot	O
clutching	O
a	O
bomb	O
in	O
its	O
talons	O
that	O
can	O
fly	O
to	O
an	O
enemy	O
to	O
eliminate	O
it	O
,	O
and	O
throwable	O
hand	O
grenades	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
story	O
picks	O
up	O
shortly	O
after	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
Serious	B-Device
Sam	I-Device
:	O
The	O
Second	O
Encounter	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
hero	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
Sam	O
"	O
Serious	O
"	O
Stone	O
,	O
continuing	O
his	O
goal	O
to	O
defeat	O
his	O
nemesis	O
,	O
Mental	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
begins	O
with	O
Serious	B-Device
Sam	I-Device
being	O
summoned	O
before	O
the	O
Sirian	O
Great	O
Council	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
Council	O
provides	O
him	O
with	O
guidance	O
on	O
how	O
to	O
accomplish	O
his	O
goal	O
to	O
defeat	O
Mental	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
the	O
lights	O
come	O
back	O
on	O
however	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
revealed	O
that	O
Mental	O
was	O
n't	O
there	O
at	O
all	O
and	O
it	O
was	O
instead	O
just	O
a	O
speaker	O
attached	O
to	O
Mental	O
's	O
throne	O
,	O
implying	O
that	O
he	O
actually	O
tricked	O
Sam	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
escape	O
in	O
his	O
starship	O
into	O
deep	O
space	O
(	O
in	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
version	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
does	O
n't	O
show	O
this	O
scene	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
began	O
in	O
mid-2003	O
with	O
the	O
decision	O
to	O
create	O
the	O
game	O
on	O
a	O
new	O
engine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shortly	O
following	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
official	O
announcement	O
,	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
featured	O
as	O
the	O
cover	O
story	O
for	O
the	O
June	O
2005	O
issue	O
of	O
Computer	O
Games	O
Magazine	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
later	O
showcased	O
at	O
E3	O
in	O
May	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
time	O
following	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
official	O
announcement	O
,	O
2K	O
Games	O
released	O
a	O
steady	O
trickle	O
of	O
screenshots	B-Application
showcasing	O
the	O
vibrant	O
colors	O
and	O
wide-open	O
spaces	O
that	O
characterized	O
the	O
previous	O
games	O
and	O
helping	O
to	O
build	O
up	O
hype	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
neared	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
11	O
October	O
2005	O
,	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
released	O
for	O
PC	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
,	O
and	O
a	O
patch	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
the	O
day	O
before	O
,	O
bringing	O
it	O
up	O
to	O
version	O
2.064b	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Serious	O
Engine	O
2	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
engine	O
for	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
alongside	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
itself	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
a	O
brand	O
new	O
revision	O
of	O
Croteam	O
's	O
prior	O
Serious	O
Engine	O
that	O
was	O
used	O
for	O
their	O
previous	O
games	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Serious	B-Device
Sam	I-Device
:	O
The	O
First	O
Encounter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
more	O
advanced	O
features	O
of	O
the	O
engine	O
include	O
detailed	O
refraction	O
effects	O
,	O
high-resolution	O
textures	O
,	O
high-dynamic	B-Device
range	I-Device
lighting	I-Device
,	O
and	O
light	O
bloom	O
effects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
most	O
significant	O
change	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
the	O
patch	O
was	O
the	O
addition	O
of	O
a	O
dedicated	B-Application
server	I-Application
for	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
although	O
the	O
patch	O
included	O
various	O
bug	B-Error_Name
fixes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
patch	O
fixed	O
minor	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
and	O
included	O
Serious	O
Editor	O
2	O
,	O
the	O
content	O
editor	O
for	O
Serious	O
Engine	O
2	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
engine	O
used	O
in	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Croteam	O
developed	O
their	O
own	O
level	O
editor	O
,	O
Serious	O
Editor	O
2	O
,	O
and	O
used	O
it	O
for	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
editor	O
has	O
significantly	O
more	O
features	O
than	O
the	O
original	O
Serious	O
Editor	O
that	O
was	O
used	O
for	O
the	O
previous	O
Serious	B-Device
Sam	I-Device
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Serious	O
Editor	O
2	O
allows	O
geometry	O
to	O
be	O
imported	O
and	O
exported	O
to	O
and	O
from	O
third-party	O
3D	O
programs	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
3D	B-Language
Studio	I-Language
Max	I-Language
,	O
via	O
an	O
intermediate	O
file	O
format	O
,	O
thus	O
allowing	O
for	O
plugins	B-Application
to	O
be	O
easily	O
created	O
for	O
any	O
3D	O
modeling	O
program	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
editor	O
also	O
features	O
its	O
own	O
interpreted	O
language	O
,	O
similar	O
to	O
C++	B-Language
,	O
which	O
allows	O
for	O
relatively	O
simple	O
mod	O
programming	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
script	O
editor	O
and	O
debugger	O
,	O
enabling	O
the	O
level	O
designer	O
to	O
control	O
gameplay	O
events	O
more	O
directly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
standard	O
level	O
editor	O
,	O
there	O
is	O
also	O
a	O
mechanism	O
editor	O
for	O
physics	O
and	O
collision	O
setup	O
,	O
an	O
animation	O
editor	O
for	O
modifying	O
camera	O
paths	O
and	O
animation	O
of	O
objects	O
,	O
a	O
skeleton	O
editor	O
for	O
configuring	O
the	O
skeletal	O
structures	O
of	O
characters	O
,	O
a	O
destruction	O
editor	O
,	O
mesh	B-Algorithm
editor	O
,	O
model	O
editor	O
,	O
and	O
font	O
editor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
level	O
design	O
process	O
for	O
most	O
games	O
often	O
requires	O
the	O
level	O
to	O
be	O
modified	O
in	O
the	O
editor	O
,	O
compiled	B-Language
,	O
saved	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
loaded	O
separately	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
where	O
it	O
can	O
be	O
tested	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Serious	O
Editor	O
2	O
allows	O
for	O
levels	O
to	O
be	O
played	O
and	O
tested	O
within	O
the	O
editor	O
without	O
requiring	O
compilation	B-Language
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
its	O
predecessors	O
,	O
Serious	B-Device
Sam	I-Device
:	O
The	O
First	O
Encounter	O
and	O
Serious	B-Device
Sam	I-Device
:	O
The	O
Second	O
Encounter	O
,	O
the	O
first	O
of	O
which	O
was	O
awarded	O
GameSpot	O
PC	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
in	O
2001	O
,	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
received	O
less	O
praising	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
awarded	O
Serious	B-Application
Sam	I-Application
2	I-Application
an	O
8.2/10	O
,	O
summing	O
up	O
the	O
sentiments	O
of	O
many	O
of	O
other	O
publications	O
 '	O
reviews	O
:	O
</s>
