Strife: Veteran Edition

Strife was the last game to use the original Doom engine. It certainly feels similar to Doom. It is not as scary and has more of a medieval science fiction dystopian theme to it.
I enjoyed playing Doom when I was younger and at the time it was the best game for the FPS genre. Apparently Strife went unnoticed by many people due to it being released a month before Quake. It didn't help that it was not released on a console either unlike Doom. I seen someone mention Strife on a forum recently so I figured I would play it.
Early on while playing this I didn't enjoy it that much and I would get confused on what I should be doing. The map is usually helpful as well as the quest log button however at times my task was still unclear. After getting used to playing more Strife grew on me and was more enjoyable. I used a walkthrough for most of the game mainly for help finding secret areas.
I certainly see how this game was ahead of its time. Having a FPS game like this with RPG elements is a formula that has been very popular since and may have started with Strife. There is voiced dialogue for a lot of characters which was actually well done. I thought the 2d artwork pictures during dialogue were pretty neat with their retro cartoon look.
The main complaint with this game would be with trying to shoot enemies that are above you. Apparently the auto aim didn't port over well with the Veteran Edition so it can be annoying to deal with turrets in the ceiling. Usually the best way of dealing with them is to get in close and fire. The assault rifle tends to do a better job vertical aiming from a little distance vs the alternatives.
I planned on playing the game again on Bloodbath to get the mediocre achievement ending as well as the Bloodbath achievement however the game must be finished with the best ending which I already did on Elite difficulty to get the Bloodbath achievement. I like the game but I am not going to beat it 2 additional times. If you are someone interested in getting 100% achievements you should start your initial game on Bloodbath and go for the best path by siding with Macil and not the Oracle. Make a secondary save before the decision and go back to it after completing the game and side with the Oracle next time.
Overall I definitely recommend this if you like the old school Doom engine feel. There have been bug fixes in the Veteran Edition as well as an additional area that was added. You also have the option of playing in Classic Mode which does not have any of the Veteran Edition changes. The game is currently 75% off for only $2.49 which is well worth it.

I love this game. I have a hard time accurately judging things these days because nostalgia is so strong with games I grew up playing. I loved this game when I was a kid, but it was too difficult for me. I finally beat it as an adult and I loved every minute of it. It's a FPS RPG, but it's simple. Games these days are too convoluted for me. This feels more like a classic run and gun FPS, but with a purpose.

it was interesting, reminds me of some old survivalcraft mod story maps because the game takes place in one area and has you going around doing things in different buildings

6/10 - A bit bulky and dusty from today's perspective, but if you want to play the last commercially released id Tech 1 game or one of the first immersive sims (came out before Deus Ex or System Shock!), you can do so with this remaster.
It's just a shame that I didn't play it back then.

The last commercial game made with the Doom engine (one month before a little indie title called Quake), Strife mixes light RPG elements with the usual Doom gameplay, and the result is quite impressive for the time, imho.
The beginning says it all: you escape from a prison cell after punching a couple guards to death, a nearby NPC gives you a crossbow and tells you to kill a prisoner that's going to spill the beans to the Order about the Resistance. Then you turn the corner and see a tavern, a destroyed city hall and a couple shops down the road that sell ammo and supplies. Again, on the Doom engine.
The shooting is what you'd expect, but now you get objectives to complete instead of hitting an Exit button and levels are naturally interconnected.
You can find and earn money to use in the aforementioned shops, there's some rudimentary stealth (only the fist and the poison bolts are considered silent) and you increase your health and accuracy by progressing through the game.
The arsenal is fine and kinda interesting, with a couple weapons also having a secondary ammo type. The most interesting one is probably the Sigil, which evolves and becomes stronger throughout the game, although it using your health as ammo means it can't be used willy-nilly.
There's also a bad ending you can get! It's kinda obvious which choice will lock into it, so don't worry about accidentally screwing your save file. I'd advise not taking it your first time through, since it skip, like, one third of the game.
Nightdive also added one little thing: there are now 3 talismans hidden throughout the game. Collecting them gives you a permanent Berserk effect for your fist, which is a cool reward even if it's only obtainable during the last leg of the game.
As for the negatives, the crossbow sucks: it's slow, not hitscan and the alternative ammo only works on one type of enemy. The sewer level is also annoying, being a confusing maze of gray bricks and green toxic water where it takes a while to get your bearings.
Besides that, it's a fun experience and one last hurrah for the Doom engine. Go for it!

A trail blazing FPS mixing light RPG elements with an intriguing story, side quests, and some rough edges. Recommended if you like action RPGs or classic FPS's, and don't mind pixelated graphics and some sprawling maps.

It may have had a dated engine by the time of its release, yet being more mature now, I can appreciate what they were trying to do. It really feels like going first person in a 16-bit-era RPG, yet with real-time combat. The comic styling helps add to the charm, IMO anyway.

Tips: Save often, don't be afraid to use several slots per mission, and no shame in consulting a map or walkthrough since maps can be tightly packed and confusing. Cheats are included, and can help to explore hazardous areas like the sewer when you're low on env suits, then you can reload a pre-cheat save once you know the way.

Bomb a.. game. It was a banger in the 90's. It played flawlessly. Loved playing it as a kid then, just as much now. As an adult now with a son now the same age as I was when I played it back then, it was cool to see him say "Wow that game looks cool, can I play that?!" A great game that has withstood the test of time. A+ from me