Rise of the Triad: Dark War

About

Rise of the Triad: Dark War is a single player action game. It was developed by Apogee Software and was released on May 5, 2014. It received positive reviews from players.

This is the classic, 1995 version of Rise of the Triad. For the 2023 remaster, please see the Ludicrous Edition store page. Tackle incredible game hazards, such as spinblades, gun bunkers, huge boulders, Firejets, pits, Firechutes, Lavawalls, gas grates, and more. "Like DOOM, Rise of the Triad is a high quality, fast scrolling first-person perspective 3D action game. Graphics are on par wi…

Genres & Tags

Action

Play Modes

Single-Player

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84%

Audience ScoreBased on 95 reviews

music12 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

Rise of the Triad offers fun, fast-paced shooter gameplay with a unique 90s retro charm and innovative game mechanics like jump pads, verticality, and destructible environments.
The game features an excellent and memorable soundtrack by Lee Jackson and Bobby Prince, enhancing the overall experience.
Many players appreciate the game's variety of weapons, power-ups (including the humorous Dog mode), enemy types, and the inclusion of multiple characters with distinct stats.

The original DOS version and its Steam release suffer from outdated controls, lack of mouse look, and awkward input schemes that can frustrate modern players.
Level design is often maze-like, confusing, and sometimes frustrating, with invisible triggers and difficult puzzles that impair progression, especially in the Extreme Rise of the Triad expansion.
The graphics and technical aspects have aged poorly, with pixelated visuals and reliance on DOSBox emulation, leading many to recommend playing the Ludicrous Edition remaster instead.

music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
35%
13%
The game's music, composed by Lee Jackson and Bobby Prince, is widely praised as an outstanding, memorable, and energizing soundtrack that greatly enhances the gameplay experience. Many reviewers consider it one of the best and most iconic soundtracks in first-person shooters, often highlighting its catchy, head-bopping tunes and its lasting appeal across gaming communities.
- “The soundtrack is brought to you by the legendary composers Lee Jackson and Bobby Prince, and it is one of the best and most bad-ass soundtracks of all time, with tons of head-bopping tunes to complement your journey!”
- “Rise of the Triad has one of my favorite game soundtracks of all time.”
- “The MIDI soundtrack by Bobby Prince (if you've played the Doom or Duke Nukem series, you know his work) is rousing and pumps you up for combat.”
- “The one redeeming factor to this game is the soundtrack.”
- “Unfortunately, this game doesn't provide OST DLC, which I would really like to buy; it would be worth every ruble (or cent).”
- “It adds no new elements like music or gameplay; instead, it's more like a hack that replaces levels with its own.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The gameplay offers a nostalgic, classic FPS experience with engaging mechanics like vertical level design and trampolines, appealing especially to fans of Wolfenstein. While some praise its fun challenges and retro charm, others find the controls and character movement frustrating. Overall, it balances straightforward shooting and simple puzzles, with occasional cheat codes adding variety.
- “With its retro-style graphics and engaging gameplay, this game truly captures the essence of classic FPS gaming.”
- “Levels have at least 2 tiers of verticality and include trampolines in the environment to 'jump', with an aim up/down mechanic.”
- “Moving walls, tall rooms, and using platform objects add verticality to the gameplay.”
- “For me, the presentation, controls, and gameplay is a turn-off.”
- “The character turns randomly within the first few seconds of gameplay and doesn't stop.”
- “It adds no new elements like music or gameplay, instead it's more like a hack that replaces levels with its own.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics are retro and dated but effectively capture the classic FPS style, with enhanced graphics packs available to improve visuals. The updated "Ludicrous Edition" offers refreshed visuals and a better overall experience while retaining the original content. Overall, the game’s nostalgic aesthetic is well-loved and complements its engaging gameplay.
- “I strongly recommend the new Ludicrous Edition by Nightdive Studios, which features updated visuals and retains all the original content, making it feel better to play than ever.”
- “With its retro-style graphics and engaging gameplay, this game truly captures the essence of classic FPS gaming.”
- “There are enhanced graphics packs available for free, which significantly improve the visual experience.”
- “Graphics are dated but gameplay is just as great.”
- “While I do recommend this version as it is a fantastic game (do not concern yourself with my play time, I played this a lot before Steam's existence), it uses DOSBox and holds up really well; I strongly recommend that you pick up the new Ludicrous Edition by Nightdive Studios from the Steam store instead, as it has all of the previous content from the original releases, updated visuals, and it feels better to play than ever.”
- “If they are, there are enhanced graphics packs available for free.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The story of "Rise of the Triad" is noted for its intrigue and connection to id Software's legacy, offering more engaging plot elements than some contemporary games like Halo 5. However, narrative depth may vary, with specific characters influencing player decisions.
- “There's a very interesting story behind Rise of the Triad.”
- “Because that's what this story is all about – id Software.”
- “Better story than Halo 5.”
- “Because that's what this story is all about – [b]id software[/b].”
- “Morale of story: don't pick Lorelei.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game offers high replayability through five distinct characters with unique playstyles, ensuring varied experiences each playthrough. Additionally, multiple episodes and numerous playable areas across the base game and its addon pack provide further depth and replay value.
- “The ability to choose between five different characters, each with their own playstyle and abilities, enhances replayability and guarantees a fresh experience with each playthrough.”
- “'Rise of the Triad: Dark War' offers 4 episodes with 37 areas (34 playable normally), providing extensive content for repeated playthroughs.”
- “'Extreme Rise of the Triad' addon pack includes 4 episodes with 42 areas (40 playable normally), adding unique elements and new approaches to stages that increase replayability.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is often considered tedious and repetitive, particularly when running out of rockets or dealing with certain gameplay mechanics. While the game showcases impressive technical efforts, some elements of grinding detract from the overall experience.
- “It makes better use of rocket launchers for once, but shooting him down when out of rockets gets tedious.”
- “They are also boring and tedious.”
- “Amazing ideas, trying to push Wolfenstein-era engine to the maximum, but has occasional stupid or tedious things.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by amusing and quirky power-ups that add a fun twist to the action. Additionally, players appreciate unexpected and humorous moments that enhance the overall experience.
- “You have access to a small range of guns and a few rocket launchers to play with - plenty of ways to blast your foes to smithereens (literally blood and gibs everywhere!) and that is not all, you can also find some fantastically funny power-ups to play with too!”
- “What's even funnier, though, is that the same exact thing happened with Tom.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game runs well on its included DOSBox emulator, providing a fun experience, though users note that alternative emulators may offer even better performance.

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