When Rise of the Triad was released, the first thing I noticed was its graphical realism. Enemies are humans made after digitized actors, which makes the game look closer to our universe than Doom and its monsters, for instance. Sprites are much detailed.
The game's second and correlative quality is its extreme violence. Deaths are painful and very bloody. ROTT is the archetypal politically incorrect game that you want to play if you wish to shock those watching your screen above your shoulder. Foes look like nazis, which makes the game look even more controversial.
Sounds are fantastic, too.
A stress is laid on powerful missile weapons with devastating effects.
Unfortunately, in spite of undeniable qualities, a charm of its own and some great ambiance, I find this game rapidly boring because of its repetitive level design. The engine does not allow floors nor stairs, a shortcoming that is not satisfactorily compensated by those weird flying platforms. I did not feel exploring a universe with its logic. I felt roaming square rooms lacking variety in shapes and textures. Finding one's way through this flatness can be as hard as annoying.
ROTT could have rivaled Doom but its level design dooms it to remain a somehow enhanced version of Wolfenstein 3D. For me, it offers a great experience as a shareware but not enough to keep a player entertained any longer.