Xbox One Critic Reviews

Despite its issues, it's easy to love I Hate Running Backwards. Playing it brings nothing but joy, even when you're dying time and time again. It's fast-paced, frantic and fun, just how a shooter should be. And it's got the brilliant sense of humour that runs though all Serious Sam games.

I hate running backwards is a good game if you like games that challenge you and give you a good level of replayability due to its random level creation system and the large number of characters and weapons.

Serious Sam lovers will like seeing their beloved characters (and enemies) in a new game genre, but the good gameplay ideas quickly evaporate in a too repetitive and unevenly difficult experience.

Intended to be a fast and frisky, the game falls in almost all its goals. With a protagonist who is supposed to be charismatic, its Minecraft style graphics makes you feel that every character is the same. Luck has more incidence in the game than your skill, and that makes you feel that doesn't matter what you do, will always depend on the world you are in.

This game is the definition of okay. It’s not boring, there’s definitely enjoyment to be had, but what enjoyment there is is hindered by poor decisions.

It’s packed full of destruction and most definitely builds adrenaline, and they are the two real big draws, but I’d be hugely impressed if you were still playing it on a consistent basis a week or two down the line.

I Hate Running Backwards’ deep pool of characters, weaponry, power-ups and unlocks will no doubt capture the attention of fans of the genre. Its procedural generated content ensures that subsequent runs, for the most part, remain fresh and engaging. It’s a shame, however, that most of this is almost completely undermined by its repetitive foundation, steep difficulty curve and lack of evolving gameplay functionality.