Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition

Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.

Existing fans will feel so well served by this release that there needn't be any hesitation in picking it up. Those dipping their toes for the first time should know that it operates in a way that has aged differently to other classic first-person shooters. Whereas Doom's combat and fluidity remain free and immediate, its axis of movement more realistic and its stage layouts more controlled, Rise of the Triad functions around its own, unique design parameters, where violence and abstraction reign supreme. Learn its maps, the versatility of its weaponry, and how to make best use of its playground elements, and there's a game here with the capacity to enthrall.

If you've never had the pleasure of playing Rise of The Triad before and want to familiarise yourself with it, you're probably better off picking up the 2013 remake. While the remaster retains the spirit of the original, some things haven't aged well, and there are a few things missing.

Rise of the Triad is back, and it makes me happy, but if you didn’t have nostalgia for the series, you might wonder what all the fuss is about. The game hasn’t aged as well as others from its era and sometimes it moves TOO frantically for its own good. Still, I love the era where even the most obscure title can somehow be resurrected, and I am glad it exists. I just don’t recommend diving in unless you have a soft spot for the quirky shooter from its original release.

Rise of the Triad Ludicrous Edition is hands down the gold standard of re-releases. It runs beautifully, it has every single officially released Expansion pack and a brand-new one on top of that. It even has quality-of-life tweaks such as "Nerf the Monk HP" and every version of the soundtrack you need. It is frankly the definitive way to play Rise of the Triad. This is an absolute labor of love and if you are a fan of the older shooters this is an absolute treat. If you were a fan of Rise of the Triad back when it was released or even the remake then you need this game in your life. The love and respect the developers have for the original game just shine through every single pore of this title.

Even if ROTT does not stand the test of time as well as other classics of its day, I’m still happy that Nightdive and New Blood released the Ludicrous Edition. While not without its shortcomings, and honestly these are the same shortcomings its always had, the game remains pretty unique, challenging, and fun more often than not. I love that all three original Campaigns are included, as well as a big brand new one, and that several nice options are included as well that give players a more customized and slightly modernized experience. All of this for a very reasonable MSRP of $20 make ROTT: Ludicrous Edition an easy recommend for anyone that enjoyed it some thirty years ago or those that want to take on an old school, hyper-violent, and challenging FPS.

While old-school gamers like me may remember the name, perhaps there was a reason I didn’t remember much else…

The new version of Rise of the Triad is a good remaster but hasn't necessarily made the original game better in any meaningful way.

An unapologetically old-school shooter that has been brought kicking and screaming into 2023, courtesy of those remaster wizards over at Nightdive Studios, Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition is certainly one for experienced genre fans. This is in no small part thanks to its well-designed, FPS assault course style levels which will challenge even the most itchy of trigger fingers. However, despite the stellar work by porting studio Nightdive Studios, Rise of the Triad's aging tech often ends up betraying itself, often resulting in frustration, while a less than comprehensive feature set makes the PS4 version feel incomplete when compared to its more fully-featured PC counterpart.

Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition is yet another demonstration of Nightdive Studios' distinct aptitude for making quality remasters for historical titles. This time, however, it is the turn of an almost unknown title nowadays, a little gem in FPS history. An impeccable job once again for the development team, thanks to an excellent technical realization and the usual, meticulous care for content (also unreleased). However, it remains a title with a high difficulty, as well as an inevitably second-rate product compared to the classics of the same historical period. For admirers and nostalgics alike.