Surprising news coming direct from QuakeCon 2012: Apogee Software has announced the return of cult PC classic shooter Rise of the Triad, in the form of a modern remake at the hands of Interceptor Entertainment (Duke Nukem 3D: Reloaded).

Initially released all the way back in 1994, Rise of the Triad channelled the iconic run-and-gun fun of classic PC shooters like Wolfenstein 3D. Players were tasked with bringing down a post-World War 2 cult uprising, battling soldiers and occult members with an assortment of real-world and fantasy weapons. Dual pistols or Excalibat? You decide. Oh, and it was really gory, like a lot of games back then.

Rise of the Triad proved to be quite popular, not just for its enjoyable single player romp with several playable characters, but also for its eleven player multiplayer mode with multiple gameplay types. It was a big thing, for the era.

Built in Unreal Engine 3 with all the modern graphical trimmings gamers have come to expect, the remake looks to retain the spirit that made the original Rise of the Triad so appealing, right down to the memorable weapons and crazy modes. Yep, Dog Mode returns. Twenty single player levels across four episodes will be accompanied by a full multiplayer mode, along with a robust level creation toolset that will allow gamers to share their own stages via Valve’s Steamworks platform. Oh, and as a nod to the original game’s incredible soundtrack, the Rise of the Triad remake will allow players to swap between the original game sounds and the soundtrack remade in heavy metal.

The official Rise of the Triad remake website is live here, and it looks like they’re after beta testers, so get clicking. The game itself is set to launch on Steam sometime later this year. Check out the first screenshots on the website, and the announcement trailer below.

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