Overview

Soldat delivers an adrenaline-fueled 2D shooting experience that has captured players' imaginations for years. This freeware gem combines lightning-fast gameplay with surprising depth, creating chaotic battles where every jump, roll, and shot matters. While its pixelated soldiers might seem simple at first glance, the game reveals layers of strategic possibilities through diverse weapons, physics-driven movement, and endlessly replayable multiplayer. The sheer enthusiasm from its dedicated community speaks volumes – this isn't just another shooter, but a precision-crafted arena where skill and reflexes reign supreme.

Prepare to become so addicted that you start having spasms.

William

Pure Adrenaline Combat

Soldat's core brilliance lies in its perfectly tuned movement and gunplay. The controls create a dance of destruction where soldiers jetpack through arenas, dodge-roll behind cover, and unleash devastating weapon combos. Each of the 18 weapons feels distinct – from the chainsaw's brutal buzz to the minigun's satisfying roar – creating personal playstyles that evolve over time. The ragdoll physics turn every kill into a spectacle, with bodies tumbling through air or dangling from parachutes in slow-motion glory. This isn't mindless shooting; it's a ballet of bullets where positioning, timing, and weapon knowledge separate rookies from veterans.

The six game modes ensure constant variety. Capture the Flag becomes a high-speed chase across vertically designed maps, while Rambomatch turns everyone into unstoppable powerhouses. Infiltration mode's asymmetric objectives add tactical depth, proving Soldat offers more than just deathmatch chaos. Even against AI opponents, the bots put up a clever fight, though as many note, the real magic happens online where human unpredictability creates unforgettable moments.

Endless Customization & Community

What elevates Soldat beyond typical shooters is its extraordinary modding ecosystem. The built-in map editor empowers players to design intricate battlefields, leading to obstacle courses, racing challenges, and co-op experiences beyond the developer's vision. Weapon mods completely transform gameplay – imagine miniguns firing rockets or entirely new arsenals. This creative freedom fosters a thriving community where player-made content constantly refreshes the experience.

Online play remains Soldat's crown jewel, with servers hosting everything from competitive "realistic" modes (limited health, no jetpacks) to wild custom mods. The registration fee unlocks hosting privileges and cosmetic options, but the free version still delivers the full core experience. Finding matches is effortless, and the skill-based community ensures endless growth – just be prepared for the learning curve when facing seasoned veterans.

You can spend hours trying all the maps in one mode, then spend hours in other modes... it's hard to explain how great this game is.

Paranoia

Surprisingly Polished Presentation

For a 12MB package, Soldat's audiovisual design impresses with thoughtful details. Bullet casings clink realistically as they hit the ground, weapons have distinctive reports that echo through corridors, and grenade blasts create temporary deafness effects. The 2D sprites exhibit surprising fluidity – soldiers lift guns when crouching behind cover, dog tags sway with movement, and blood splatters paint the terrain after explosive kills.

While not graphically cutting-edge, the art direction shines through environmental diversity. Jungle maps feature destructible foliage, industrial zones have conveyor belts to ride, and icy arenas make traction precarious. The option to add custom music via registration enhances immersion, though the default combat tracks effectively fuel the action. Performance remains smooth even on older machines, making it accessible to all.

Minor Stumbles in Perfection

A few pain points emerge amid the praise. Setting up LAN games confuses some players, and rare crashes occasionally disrupt online sessions. The gore, while celebrated by many, lacks a toggle option for sensitive players. Newcomers face a steep skill curve against online veterans, though bots provide excellent training grounds. Some wish for additional weapons like pistols or SMGs, but the existing arsenal's balance prevents this from feeling lacking.

The registration model causes minor friction – while completely optional, premium features like advanced customization remain tantalizingly locked behind a paywall. Still, considering the completely free base game offers hundreds of hours of content, this feels more like supporting developers than a restriction.

Verdict

Precision 2D shooter with addictive multiplayer chaos

STRENGTHS

92%

Combat Flow95%

Weapon Variety90%

Multiplayer Depth95%

Modding Support90%

Performance Value100%

WEAKNESSES

15%

Learning Curve70%

Premium Features40%

No Gore Toggle30%

LAN Setup20%

Community Reviews

20 reviews

The True Gamer

Trusted

Never in my gaming life have I found a game quite like Soldat. As a gamer, my favorite genres are platforming and shooter, and online play is a must for me. Soldat manages to combine all three of my loves of gaming, and still be fun in the process. The maps are awesome! It surprised me how strategic this game was, and, for the first time in a side-scrolling shooter, I had to actually think about what was happening and how to best deal with the situation. This layer of strategy makes the game replayable to infinity... and beyond! The weapons system is easy to use and understand. You may want to charge in with your shiny minigun, but that may not be the best idea. You have to find a weapon that works for you, and this is something that even some retail games fail to do. Although playing against real people online is definitely better, bots can be fun too. So, if you're new to this game, the bots can help you and be fun at the same time. Again, something many retail games fail to do. The graphics are OK, but aren't important to the game. Lastly, the controls are spot-on, from movement to shooting to flying, making the gaming experience all the better. Great controls are, for the third time, something that many retail games fail to do. Character customization is included, and it includes everything. While not the best ever, being able to change the look of your character is a feature that some retail games fail to include (man I sound like a broken record here.) If you haven't figured it out yet, I really like Soldat. So much, in fact, that I can safely say that it's one of my favorite games I've ever gotten freeware. And I've gotten a lot of freeware games. I can also say that this game is better than a lot of games on the market today. So, if you're looking for an addicting game that you can pour your life into, get Soldat.

Hugh

This is one amazing game! Awesome modes, great music (and you can input your own and do tons of other stuff for about nine or ten dollars). Though I would say it isn't really worth it. It has great sound effects too, like the explosion of a grenade launcher and the sound of a planted machine. Also there's no idiots online insulting you when there getting fragged. Though the bots are kinda dumb even on higher levels, though they'll get in a few frags unlike most games in this genre. Now here's the game info. You basiclly play one of six different game modes. There is Rambomatch, Deathmatch, Hold the Flag, Capture the Flag, Infiltration, Pointmatch and Teammatch. Pick one of four teams, set up how many bots you want and pick one main weapon and one secondary weapon. After that you try to complete the game modes objective while competing against the other team(s). There's also online and Lan play to frag your fellow Soldat players. So thats what I have to say about Soldat. It's a good game - get it! I give it a Excellent out of Excellent!

TrustMyWords

Basically, this game is bout a few guys who decide to kill each other for no particular reason. These guys are perhaps soldiers. This game doesn't have a storyline. It's like you just choose a type of game, your oppenents, your mates (bots) and start fighting violently. You've got quite a few weapons to choose from. These weapons are used by soldiers at this time (I wrote this in 2006) 'cept bow and chainsaw. Each weapon got its own strength and weakness. The graphics are quite nice. I don't call it 3D - it's a side-view shooting game. The gameplay is what you will enjoy very much. It's fun, realistic, violent, fast, and energetic. There's no lag, but there are a few bugs which at least not annoying. You can even play online with other guys! This is your chance to show 'em who you are - a noob or a master. The ONLY bad thing I found in this game is it will bore you if you play it like everyday. It gets more and more boring the more you play it. Overall, this game deserves to stay in your hard drive.