When it comes to classic FPS games, there are a few we all know, such as Doom and Duke Nukem. But there were many games that used the Doom engine and did rather interesting things. Take Strife : Veteran Edition for instance, a game that used the Doom engine to make an FPS game that was also an RPG. Now Nightdive Studios has brought the unique classic to the Nintendo Switch with some neat improvements
The game is mostly a 1:1 translation of the original version in terms of content, and does include the demo version as well. New changes include gyro control options and widescreen support, which is extremely nice to have. Strife was ahead of its time is an ambitious game, with NPCs, voiced lines of dialogues, and close ups with unique illustrations for NPCs. There were also shops and a central hub world, as well as narrative building that was not scene in the Doom clones at the time.
Strife: Veteran Edition uses both medieval weapons, melee weapons and more modern weapons, and the combat does play like Doom, albeit with some refinement. A big twist is that in addition to finding weapons and ammo, you can also buy them from shops as well. Combat can also be skipped in some areas via stealth, and you can talk your way out of some situations. Strife feels less like an FPS at times and more a game that has been pushed into an FPS engine, so this may disappoint some just looking for action. You can definitely go in guns blazing though, but that may not be your best move.
Everything in Strife Veteran Edition feels well balanced, and while enemies can be unpredictable and move too quickly, there are numerous options you can take. For those who felt bored by the Doom style of games, this is a welcome treat. You will not become too overpowered either, as the game managed to keep the right level of weapons/equipment to challenge ratio, giving you a good experience throughout. This all being said, the game does feel a bit dated at times, with horrid voice acting, and a sense of “where the heck do I go” being an issue throughout. Older players will not see a problem, but newcomers may feel the objectives are confusing to them, with quests that may not make sense right away.
