Xbox game Serious Sam 1 is an action-adventure game developed by Raven Software and published by Microsoft. It was released on November 11, 1999, in the United States, and November 18, 1999, in Europe. The game is a sequel to the critically acclaimed 1996 game Serious Sam. The player assumes the role of Sam Fisher, a mercenary who must outwit and outmaneuver enemies in order to survive in a world filled with deadly pathogens and infected animals. The game's environments are based in the fictional United States, and include locations such as Guantanamo Bay, Baghdad, and the Nevada desert. The game's gameplay is based on the twin-stick shooter genre, and revolves around using the player's controller to move and fire weapons. The player is also able to use the controller's buttons to interact with the environment, such as picking up and throwing objects. The game was met with critical acclaim, and has been considered one of the best action-adventure games of all time. It has been awarded several awards, including a Game of the Year award by IGN.