- Serious Sam The Third Encounter Kamikaze is expected to return as a headless, bomb-carrying suicide rusher from Mental's horde.
- Signature behavior: screaming charge straight at Sam, exploding on contact for heavy area damage.
- Best counters: mid-range automatic weapons and the Double Shotgun up close; never let them close a crowd gap.
- Audio is your radar: the iconic scream warns you before the Kamikaze becomes visible.
- Co-op danger: chain detonations can wipe a clustered team, so keep firing lanes spread out.
Kamikaze Overview: Who Is the Screaming Bomber?
The Kamikaze — known across the series as the Beheaded Kamikaze — is one of the most recognizable enemies in Serious Sam history, and it is fully expected to reappear in Serious Sam The Third Encounter as part of Mental's forces. This enemy is a headless, reanimated soldier with two bombs strapped to its hands, sprinting at full speed toward Sam while emitting its infamous, unmistakable scream.
Because The Third Encounter is still in early development with a TBA release date on its official Steam page, exact stats, health values, and damage numbers have not been officially confirmed. Everything in this guide is built on the enemy's long-established role in the series and the run-and-gun, large-scale encounter design Croteam has confirmed for the sequel.
Specific Kamikaze health, speed, and explosion damage values for The Third Encounter remain unconfirmed until Croteam publishes official gameplay data. Treat this guide as a series-informed strategy framework, not final stats.
Kamikaze Profile at a Glance
| Attribute | Expected Behavior (Series-Based) | Threat Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Faction | Mental's forces | Rushing suicide unit |
| Movement | Fast, straight-line sprint | Rarely strafes or stops |
| Attack | Self-detonation on contact | Heavy area damage |
| Warning | Loud continuous scream | Audible before visible |
| Weakness | Fragile, no ranged attack | Falls quickly to gunfire |
| Group behavior | Spawns in packs | Chain explosions possible |
Attack Patterns and Threat Assessment
The Kamikaze's danger comes from simplicity. It does not shoot, hide, or flank — it runs directly at you and detonates. That single-minded behavior makes it predictable one-on-one but lethal in combination with other enemies.
Lone Kamikaze
- Low to moderate threat
- Easy to shoot mid-sprint
- Detonation can still hurt at close range
- Best answer: any fast weapon
Kamikaze Packs
- High threat
- Multiple screams from different angles
- One explosion can stagger you into another
- Best answer: crowd-control weapons
Mixed Waves
- Very high threat
- Kleers and Werebulls mask the scream
- Kamikazes arrive while you dodge melee
- Best answer: positional discipline
Threat Comparison Within Rushing Enemies
| Enemy | Approach Speed | Damage Type | Audio Cue | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamikaze | Fast | Explosive area | Continuous scream | Very high |
| Kleer Skeleton | Fast charge | Melee + jump attack | Rattling hiss | High |
| Werebull | Long charge | Impact melee | Hoof sounds | High |
| Gnaar | Moderate | Melee rush | Growl | Moderate |
Train yourself to react to the scream before you visually confirm the target. In large arenas, the audio cue is often the only reliable warning that a Kamikaze has spawned behind the main enemy wave.
Best Weapons to Counter Kamikazes
Weapon choice against Kamikazes is about killing them before contact range, not out-damaging them. Any weapon works if you land hits early; the difference lies in how efficiently each one handles packs.
| Weapon | Tier vs Kamikaze | Range | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assault Rifle | ★★★★★ | Short to medium | Fast automatic fire drops sprinters reliably |
| Tommy Gun | ★★★★★ | Short to medium | High rate of fire melts approaching packs |
| Double Shotgun | ★★★★ | Close | One blast often clears a close runner |
| Sniper Rifle | ★★★ | Long | Picks off distant spawns before they matter |
| Rocket Launcher | ★★ | Medium | Works, but explosion risk near yourself |
| Devastator | ★★★ | Medium | Great for packs, avoid friendly-fire zones |
Never use the Sledgehammer or Knife against a Kamikaze. Melee range is detonation range — the explosion will deal full damage before your swing connects.
Key principles for weapon discipline:
- Shoot at medium range, not point-blank, so the explosion never reaches you.
- Prioritize Kamikazes over Kleers when both charge — the Kleer hits you, the Kamikaze deletes you.
- Save explosive weapons for packs that are tightly clustered, far from your position.
Step-by-Step: Surviving a Kamikaze Rush
Identify the Threat Early
React to the scream immediately. Turn toward the sound and confirm how many Kamikazes are inbound and from which direction before they cross half the arena.
Open Space Behind You
Backpedal or strafe toward open ground. Never fight Kamikazes with your back against a wall or corner — the detonation has nowhere to go except into you.
Fire at Medium Range
Use the Assault Rifle or Tommy Gun and shoot while retreating. The goal is a kill at a distance where the resulting explosion is harmless.
Thin the Pack in Order
Kill the lead runner first. Leading Kamikazes absorb your fire and trailing ones path around the explosion, so stagger your target priority left to right.
Reset Position After the Blast
After a detonation, immediately reposition. Delayed spawn waves frequently send a second pack through the smoke while you are still recovering.
Distance is armor. A Kamikaze killed ten meters away is free score; a Kamikaze killed at arm's length still costs you health.
Co-op Teamplay and Combat Checklist
In cooperative play — online or split-screen, both confirmed on the Steam listing — Kamikazes become a team-wiping threat when players cluster. One detonation in a grouped squad can stagger everyone long enough for the follow-up wave to finish the job.
Co-op role suggestions:
- Assign one player as the Kamikaze caller, announcing spawn directions by compass or landmark.
- Keep at least one player on mid-range automatic fire dedicated to sprinters.
- Avoid stacking in the same corridor; spread so a single explosion can only threaten one player.
Kamikaze Combat Readiness:
- React to the scream before visual contact
- Keep open ground behind you during rushes
- Kill sprinters at medium range, never point-blank
- Prioritize Kamikazes over melee chargers
- Spread out in co-op to avoid chain detonations
FAQ
Q: Is the Kamikaze confirmed for Serious Sam The Third Encounter?
Croteam has not published a confirmed enemy roster yet since the game is in early development. However, the Beheaded Kamikaze has appeared in every mainline Serious Sam title and is widely expected to return. Official confirmation will come from the Steam page and Croteam channels closer to release.
Q: What is the best weapon against a Serious Sam The Third Encounter Kamikaze?
Fast automatic weapons like the Assault Rifle and Tommy Gun are the most reliable counters because they drop sprinting Kamikazes at safe medium range. The Double Shotgun works at close range, and the Sniper Rifle handles distant spawns in open arenas.
Q: Can a Kamikaze explosion hurt other enemies?
In previous Serious Sam games, Kamikaze detonations deal area damage that can affect nearby units. Whether The Third Encounter keeps this behavior is unconfirmed, but if it does, letting Kamikazes detonate inside enemy clusters can be a valid — if risky — tactic.
Q: Why do Kamikazes seem more dangerous in co-op?
Co-op encounters scale enemy counts, and clustered teammates turn one explosion into a team-wide stagger. Spreading out, calling spawn directions, and dedicating a player to automatic fire on sprinters keeps the threat manageable.