EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair vs Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter
Which one is worth buying now, with today's prices and each game's recommendation.
EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair wins 10 of 15 head-to-head metrics. Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter is $3.23 cheaper.
Metric by metric
The winner of each row gets a ✓. No row weighs more than another; the recommendation is calculated separately.
| Metric | EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair | Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter |
|---|---|---|
| GameValio scoreRecommendation: Worth It × Maybe | 70 | 64 |
| Quality | 90 | 83 |
| Value | 67 | 67 |
| Popularity | 32 | 31 |
| Current Best Price (USD) | $6.91 | $3.68 |
| Steam Review Score | 95.8% positive | 93% positive |
| Average Concurrent Players (14 days) | 109 | 37 |
Where to buy
The 3 cheapest stores for each game
EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair
Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter
GAMIVO Cheapest Key marketplace$3.68−75%Buy 
Loaded Authorized reseller$4.69−69%Buy 
Kinguin Key marketplace$7.52−50%Buy Side by side over time
EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New DespairSerious Sam HD: The First Encounter
Details and requirements
| Item | EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair | Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter |
|---|---|---|
| Release date | July 18, 2016 | November 24, 2009 |
| Developers | SANDLOT | Croteam |
| Publishers | D3PUBLISHER | Devolver Digital |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| OS (minimum) | Windows 7 64bit, Windows 8.1 64bit Windows 10 64bit | — |
| Processor (minimum) | 3.2GHz 4Core | — |
| Memory (minimum) | 8 GB RAM | — |
| Graphics (minimum) | AMD Radeon HD 7970 / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 （3GB Model or higher） | — |
| DirectX (minimum) | Version 11 | — |
| Network (minimum) | Broadband Internet connection | — |
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair or Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter?
EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair won the comparison against Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter based on the head-to-head metric breakdown. Check the metrics table above for a full side-by-side analysis.
How is the comparison calculated?
The comparison winner is determined objectively by counting which game wins more individual metrics in the head-to-head table. No weighting is applied. The GameValio Recommendation shown separately is our own suggestion for each game, based on a weighted score that combines quality (reviews), popularity (player counts), and affordability (price vs value) into a score out of 100. These are two different things: the comparison is objective, the recommendation is GameValio's opinion.
Is EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair worth buying over Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter?
Based on the metrics, EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair won the direct comparison. However, also check the GameValio Recommendation for each game and the price comparison table to make the most informed purchase decision.
Which game has better player reviews?
Review score trends and volume over time are shown in the charts section above. The game with consistently higher positive ratios has stronger community reception.
Which game offers better value for money?
The affordability score and price comparison table above highlight the best deals. Too close to call currently scores better on value relative to its quality and price.
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Analysis updated: Oct 24, 2026, 02:09 PM UTC