Strife: Veteran Edition

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.

When I first played Strife, it was as though I time-travelled. Not in a cool, futuristic way.
For a new game, it looked ancient. In 1996, the same year Quake shook up the FPS genre, Strife was still using the Doom engine – the last commercial game to do so. At a time that hardware acceleration was just beginning to become a thing, it seemed that Strife didn’t get the “3dfx revolution” memo.
Then I noticed something weirder. Strife actually made me… talk to people? And collect money? Why is an FPS making me negotiate with sketchy characters and collect cash like some sort of RPG?!
I was used to FPS games instantly putting you into the action, guns blazing. No pre-amble, no chit-chat, just carnage. But Strife wanted me to “make friends” and “gather intel”. What was this, Doom: The Social Experiment?
But then something changed. After awhile, I got it. This wasn’t just a mindless shooter. It was was an FPS in disguise, smuggling RPG aspects across the border. I was dealing with factions, ne’er-do-wells and rebels, and making decisions that actually mattered. When I went on a quest, it advanced a story – giving me a level of immersion I hadn’t yet experienced with a game like this.
When I finally go to shooting, the stakes seemed higher. Every pull of the trigger carried weight. An hour into Strife, I was hooked.
And what a story! Strife has to deal with a comet that falls on a planet, unleashing a plague, killing millions of people. The plague resulted in people mutating, hearing the voice of a god. And these mutants enslaved the rest of the population.
You got a mission: stop the mutants, end the oppression, and, naturally, clean up everyone else’s mess.
This was epic.
While the graphics weren’t cutting edge, there was voice acting. And while the acting sounded like dudes shouting into a tin can, it was a step above the grunts and growls of similar games. The fact real people were talking as characters put this over and above the standard FPS. The music and sound effects were decent as well.
Because this is based on the Doom engine, it largely controls like Doom too. That means directional keys for movement, ctrl to shoot, space to interact with objects.
In 2014, the legendary Nightdive Studios released The Original Strife: Veteran Edition, which is an enhanced version of Strife – giving it a needed facelift. While the original DOS version comes included with the game, you also get a modernized version in widescreen that has updated HD graphics, better controls that utilize WASD for movement as well as mouselook, and a map that actually tells you where to go.
I prefer Veteran Edition because, playing the DOS version on a big monitor, it gives me motion sickness. And as nostalgic as I am for the DOS version, WASD for movement and mouselook is way better than the original controls. Nevertheless, having the two options available in one package is fantastic. Nightdive Studios, you absolute legends.
Looking back, it’s clear that Strife was highly influential for later FPS games. I doubt that Half-Life and Deus Ex would be what they are if Strife didn’t pioneer those game mechanics first. Having an FPS where the story elements are mostly told through the game action, not cutscenes – that was revolutionary.
And honestly, back in the day, I was being a snob about the Doom engine. It’s an absolute classic – people still make games with it. While Strife didn’t wow with graphics, it gave us a game that made you think and shoot.
If you’re into classic games that blend brains and brawn, Strife is it. Just remember: you’ll have to talk to people. But in this game, it’s worth it.

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 it 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 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 as well.
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 at vertically 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 that decision and go back to it after completing the game and side with the Oracle the 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.

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!

Nightdive Studios <3
Hailed as the original FPS-RPG game that spawned countless imitators, Strife: Veteran Edition is a love letter to the classic from 1996.

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

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.