When I look back on my first experiences with first person-shooters, most of my memories revolve around two titles developed by id Software, Wolfenstein 3D and Doom. The games were fast and brutal, unlike anything I had ever played, and I wanted more. The two titles shaped my understanding of the FPS genre, spawned countless clones, and most importantly, laid the groundwork for the genre to become the powerhouse it is today.
One of the most notable “clones” was Rise of the Triad. Originally developed as an expansion to Wolfenstein 3D, Rise of the Triad was released as a stand alone game by Apogee Software after id Software pulled the plug on the expansion project. Despite using the Wolfenstein 3D engine, it was a watershed game and is responsible for a series of improvements to the genre, including simulated dynamic lighting, partially destructible objects, and level-over-level environments. This last point helped to push the genre forward in terms of level design.
Gaming has moved on from that time. First person shooters today are more complex than ever, featuring advanced AI, improved hit detection, and drool worthy visuals that make the early 90s games look like they were from the stone age. And going back to play those original standard bearers is actually quite difficult to do these days. Yet Interceptor Entertainment asks us to do just that with its modern day remake of Apogee Software’s Rise of the Triad.
Following the same premise as the original, the HUNT team (High-risk United Nations Task-force) heads out to San Nicolas Island to investigate strange cult activity around an ancient monastery. Things go south quickly though as they are spotted and their boat is destroyed, leaving them with no option but to fight their way through the evil cult and stop their destructive plans. All this information is presented as part of a motion comic with full voice work and is as gloriously ridiculous as it sounds.
However, once the game got going, I found the charm of the absurd setup quickly wore off. The opening areas excessively dull, and while they do become more visually appealing as the game progresses, they don’t put their best foot forward. While the environments are acceptably detailed, the area is a mess of gray that blends into everything, including some of the enemies. The enemy character models don’t add a whole lot of detail, and it’s hard to tell one from another. I understand that this is a remake of a classic 90s shooter and that this is just a visual representation of the level and character designs of the time. Yet while that will resonate more with some than with others, I personally expected a bit more than what is on offer.
I can’t say the same about the gameplay, though, as Rise of the Triad offers exactly what I was expecting. The gameplay is fast (really, really fast) and mindless. Enemies would run right at me, and I’d line up sites and blow them into squishy bits. It’s all great fun for the first level, then it begins to feel like overkill. I longed for something outside of corridor shooting and switch-flipping. Fortunately, Rise of the Triad does offer up a palette cleanser of sorts. Unfortunately, it leaves a slightly bad aftertaste.
Accompanying the shooting bits are some first person platforming segments that can range between smartly developed to utterly frustrating. Often, they are a mix of the two. Figuring out the rhyme or reason behind a room filled with fireballs? Entertaining. Navigating a tower complex with itty bitty moving platforms? Frustrating. Determining the best route to take in a room filled with rotating pillars of sickels that move on a track? Super fun. Trying to jump between a path of pillars? Rage inducing.
For as aggravated as the game’s inconsistency made me feel, all of this is a stellar recreation of the original’s gameplay. Unfortunately, while I thought this trip back to 1990s era gameplay was what I wanted, once the ride hit 88mph I realized it wasn’t. For some though, it will be exactly the ride they want, and I urge them to jump on board and relive history with a new coat of paint.
Note: This review was written with material received from the publisher. For more on our review process, please read here.
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