The WhatsNext verdict
Soldat remains a superb choice for players who want fast, skill-heavy multiplayer action with jetpack movement and endless room to improve. Its rough presentation and punishing learning curve are part of the package, but the combat flow still carries it.
What it does best
Jetpack movement turns every firefight into aerial footwork
A relentless 2D firefight where every second becomes improvisation
A deceptively deep arena shooter built for mastery
What might put you off
Sparse, blocky visuals
A steep multiplayer learning curve
The setup
What you are walking into
Soldat (meaning "soldier" in Italian, German, Russian, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, French, Catalan and Romanian) is a Polish 2D multiplayer game for Windows. It is a side-scroller inspired by Liero and Scorched Earth, combined with elements from Counter-Strike and Worms. The game is shareware. Registration unlocks extra aesthetic options, such as colored jet flames and custom interfaces. Version 1.5.0 also includes a minimap and changeable screen resolution for registered users. Soldat is written and maintained by programmer Michał Marcinkowski, who started working on the game in November, 2001. It is coded in the Delphi programming language using the JEDI libraries. Though Marcinkowski is the primary developer, he works with a few others on the dedicated server and lobby, in addition to a small beta team which aids in testing prior to new releases.
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