 "Strife" added some role-playing game elements to the classic first-person shooter formula, such as allowing players to talk to other characters in the game's world or improve the protagonist's abilities.Contemporary reviews praised these innovations and the story, but also criticized the quality of the graphics and the obsolete engine.Years after its release, the game was retrospectively considered to have been underappreciated in its day, and described as a precursor to games such as "Deus Ex".