Warning this is going to be an lengthy review blog entry. Please take as many breaks as humanly possible.
Hello everyone I'm XboxClown89, I had a strong gut feeling. Nightdive would follow Doom + Doom II with Heretic + Hexen. Funny enough, shadow dropped at the same convention the following year. They released Heretic + Hexen with if you own older versions on Steam or GOG. You automatically own the newest version plus it's on Game Pass.
Heretic (1994)
Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders (1996)
Heretic: Fate Renewed (2025)
Heretic is virtually a more fantasy classic Doom style game. Just like the first two Doom games. Heretic broken up into five episodes with the later two episodes from it's expansion. I felt there's some rather impressive map designs. Some of them simply blew me away. The enemies to a degree will remind you of several Doom enemies.
The same also can be said for comparing the weapons. Heretic in all honestly isn't that different from Doom. You could even say you're actually playing those with newer, fantasy theme levels. I am not kidding it feels nearly identical. I would even say it's among the best Doom clones I ever played!!! I have reasons to prefer Blood, Duke 3D & Killing Time over this.
You got to find three different colored keys. I really liked each key has a notably different design. This also was among the first FPS games to have aiming if you could believe that. Heretic was created on a modded Doom engine. You can expect a lot of enemies getting often overwhelmed. Some levels are virtually packed with em it's ridiculous.
I may not finished the classic DOS version before playing this. What I did play I can confirm they absolutely nailed it!!! We aren't even talking about mod support done similar to Doom + Doom II either. The maps now featured key items that pops up at you. Now this was a rather nice touch. You likely going to get lost in these levels.
This small change heavily impacts the game play. There's some creativity within the levels. I can confirm it does just enough differently to stand out from Doom. Sure you can expect similar ambushes to occur. Some rather cool secrets you could discover. The bosses do stand out in their own unique way. Like Duke Nukem 3D, some of them later becomes recurring enemies.
I do wanna say Heretic: Fate Renewed is among the best newer campaigns Nightdive done. This is already among my favorites without question. This by itself justifies playing this newer version. Several aspects of it does feel just enough of the older episodes to fit in properly. Heretic is a game better to take slower than then rushing in.
They also added a few new enemies. Both can be rather annoying at times. You get these mummy guys that fire projectiles faster than other enemies. The huge charging club guys are the worst. When you're in a tight area with limited options. Just imagine a small room filled with em be like? Of course modding for these games I wouldn't be surprised someone already done that.
There's a new weapon that's rather hidden. Yes there's an achievement/trophy finding it as well. The boss is virtually the main antagonist again nothing special. I still say check this new Heretic episode out soon. You may be surprised how great this campaign actually is. Some of my favorite maps within Heretic without question.
Simply going slower prevents many bad situations from happening. You also get some traps including ambushes that's difficult to survive. I'm glad this isn't Shadow Warrior or Quake being so critical about those. I am playing this with a controller done perfectly. Plus they even included particular stuff you pick up.
You can customize your controls to directly use that item. Which is pretty amazing Doom + Doom II or none of the previous FPS remasters they done has that!!! Heretic has a good level of challenge that could be overwhelming for some. I would recommend playing on one of the easier difficulties. These games can get rather brutal on harder difficulties especially Hexen.
Some may also carefully follow a video guide. I will confess I barely done that with playing all of Heretic. I also chosen to play all of that without cheats. I wanted to give Heretic more proper respect. I can also say they made sure the enemies aren't too tanky either. For those not familiar with the term don't worry I'll explain.
Some of these older FPS games like Killing Time on harder difficulties. Virtually made enemies have higher health. To the point you could risk running out of ammo trying to kill an handful of enemies. I greatly appreciate they fixed that problem. Heretic is a classic for FPS fans needs to play. I also played with the newer soundtrack absolutely amazing!!!
Hexen (1995)
Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel (1996)
Hexen: Vestiges of Grandeur (2025)
Hexen is technically a bit of an indirect sequel. Although along with Hexen II, these games with their expansions makes up the Serpent's Rider trilogy. Heretic II which isn't currently available on any service takes place after all that. Back to Hexen, you get a choice to play as one of three classes. Each of them has a notably different experience.
For reference I fully played through Hexen as Fighter. Whose the most direct in combat with little to no magic. The other two default classes are heavily magic theme. Maybe I just wanna feel like a beast ripping apart enemies. There's another critical change to help differ it from Heretic. Similar to Quake II and Kingpin: Life of Crime, Hexen broken up into several hubs.
Basically each hub is a few levels that's all connected to each other. Which does allow back tracking through em. After awhile this can get rather tedious. I also felt some of the later hubs ended up being more straight forward. I also felt the enemies differ more than in Heretic. Let's put it this way if you were struggling in Heretic.
Here's something I picked up within a couple hours playing Hexen. One hub felt like two to three episodes of Heretic in scale. In a sense that means Hexen may have fewer levels than Heretic. At the same time, Hexen levels are impressively quite larger. Some of them are some of the most complex levels from the 90s I ever seen!!!
Don't even bother trying Hexen this game can get rather brutal at times. I confessed I played these on one of the easier difficulties. The actual levels are among the finest on Doom engine I ever seen. No really there's some rather impressive level designs here. Keep in mind, I'm only talking about the main game right now.
I also absolutely love the animations. Like when you throw an hammer at a long distance towards enemies. It's so satisfying when they die from that attack. Which also another achievement/trophy I didn't know about before I ended up getting true story. There's a couple bosses with the most being in the final hub no surprise right?
There's some clever puzzles that even puts the finest I seen in Heretic to shame. I won't disrespect Heretic like many people currently doing right now. You easily could confuse Doom II for the original Doom. But here it's impossible to confuse the two games. In all honestly, they do so many things incredibly differently.
The maps are great with key items being a little more notice. Not the same way as Heretic within the same compilation though. Then again you get a larger variety of key items than simply three keys respectively. Hexen is a game that blew my mind the deeper I went into it. This game is truly amazing in what it does.
I also love cut scenes from it's console ports are used. Instead of it's original in game text of what's going on. I should point out Heretic in this compilation it's the first time it's on consoles. This would be the fourth time Hexen gotten onto them. Also being one of a couple games to be on PlayStation 1, Nintendo 64 and Sega Saturn respectively.
There's a huge learning curve I won't sugar coat about that. Even carefully following a video guide. I actually ended up playing a few sections blind. I still ended up finishing the game though. I just missed out on a hidden level in the final hub. Up to a point I thought this was one of the essential levels. Until I found access to the last tomb I needed to explore.
Hexen really put in so much effort to stand out from Doom. It's sorta like Killing Time being more of an open world game. The major difference is Killing Time didn't do the hubs concept. Although this going to feel a lot like that. I do like every major levels has something important you gotta do. Some of them you are going after important key items to help get you closer to the bosses.
The final hub makes you face three bosses oddly similar to the characters you play as. Speaking of your characters, originally which class you chosen that's all you get in a run. Thankfully they added a new feature allowing you to swap between the classes. Which is a rather cool feature indeed. The final boss I gotta be honest was a bit disappointing.
I had more trouble dealing with a lot of enemies than the actual boss himself. His attacks were quite easy to counter as well as predict. Hexen took me a couple hours to get through. I would say a worthy sequel that deserves more respect. This game does nearly everything better than Heretic. At the same time with it's major changes to be more of an unique experience than a Doom clone.
Hexen can get confusing if you are playing all of this blind. I strongly recommend using a great guide written or video. You still may get a little confused though. I sure did at times having to figure out what I missed while watching this video guide I used. Hexen is a game more enjoyable if you use cheats. Without em Hexen can be rather stressful at times.
Just when you thought Heretic gave you a lot of enemies lol. Now that's child's play to the later sections of Hexen. This was a surprisingly ambitious FPS game for it's time. Somehow it held up amazingly well. Hexen can truly be a lot of fun once you know what you're doing. Easily among the best Doom engine games I ever played!!!
Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel felt like Spear of Destiny's Mission Packs. Except it was done way better!!! There's three hubs that felt like the original five shorten but also made tougher. If you were great at the main game. This was meant to challenge your determination. Some aspects of the expansion was used in the 90s console ports.
Like many 90s expansion packs you will face the same bosses again. I actually felt they were made surprisingly a little easier. Not necessary being push overs you still can easily lose em. It's a bit weird the second major boss fight being a lot sooner within the second hub. This also had some of my favorite levels in the compilation by far.
This is among the best 90s expansions for an FPS game I ever played!!! I was mostly playing as Fighter I'm gotten very used to at this point. I have trouble playing the other two classes. The key items are virtually the same as the main campaign. Don't worry this campaign offers plenty of surprises. Don't disturb Eric's Tomb it'll kill ya lol.
I'm actually serious I done that then quick save. Which kept leading to deaths until I realized. Thank god for auto saves indeed. This restart as soon as I reentered this level. Which means I had to do a lot of stuff again. I did end up finishing the second hub not long after that. In every Hexen campaign, your overall time is clocked from start to finish.
I guess it's up to you which you prefer. A lot of levels but each one having their own times or every level counted altogether? Hexen is like more medieval Doom before they actually done that!!! I gotta be honest this was quite an impressive remaster. Hexen was a true challenge but they done a lot of games through KEX Engine.
They just recently announced Outlaws out of no where. Before this was System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster. You can tell how much these games truly made to Nightdive. Of course, a lot of older fans were quite happy with their work. Hexen is easily among the most mind blowing I played. We still haven't talked about it's new episode yet.
The final boss for Deathkings of the Dark Citadel. It turns out to be the three similar bosses to your classes. Plus a lot of enemies within waves while the main section kept going down. Following each wave until you gain access to the final portal. This is among the most challenging sections in the entire compilation game.
Hexen: Vestiges of Granduer is like that but all rolled into one huge hub. It's a bit ridiculous every major key item appears in this new campaign. Somehow these levels are truly amazing stuff. Just when you thought they couldn't do anything more. They kept finding ways to constantly surprise you. This almost fell like you're playing the main campaign within one section.
Obviously you can save then pick it up later. But what I actually meant is you got so much to memorize. I wouldn't blame you if your head already having an pounding head ache. Even prior to attempting this campaign. If you were quite confused before. Well get ready for more of that. This newer campaign is easily one of the finest I ever seen within a newer version of an FPS game.
Even comparing it to Heretic's new episode. This is even better than that I'm not kidding. If Hexen already had you begging for mercy. Don't even bother playing the expansion or this new campaign. Hexen more likely wipe the floor with ya. This also has a lot of back tracking. Thankfully it's just one hub this time around.
You get to face all the bosses again with a few more encounters than I expected. The same final boss of the main campaign. I kinda felt he was a little easier here. This newer campaign really didn't disappoint in the slightest. I'm really impressed Nightdive pulled all of this off!!! Hexen is going to stand out for years to come.
Conclusion
Heretic + Hexen is a worthy spiritual successor to Doom + Doom II. Heretic is virtually just like the first two Doom games. Just more of a fantasy theme with some minor changes. It's not what I personally call they took something. Repainted then called it something else. It just plays incredibly similar to those Doom games.
At the same time, it does just enough to help stand out from them. More true regarding Hexen a vastly different beast in comparison. They heavily expanded on stuff from Heretic. In nearly every possible way Hexen is superior. Heretic is a bit easier to play as well as figuring stuff out. Hexen is more about overwhelming multiple ways.
Testing to see how well you adopt to many situations. The later Hexen campaigns can be quite unforgiving at times. Originally I was going to clearly follow video guides. I ended up figuring stuff out to a degree on my own. Once in awhile I looked them up through guides. Hexen is Heretic on a lot of magic steroids!!!
Heretic can pack in enemies but that's child's play to Hexen!!! This is among the most insane amount of enemies not including respawning enemies. Which I didn't activate that option to clarify. I possibly seen in an FPS game for a long time. It's not very endgame Serious Sam overwhelming though. This felt like one hub could've been an entire classic Doom campaign.
If that doesn't tell you it's a lot of enemies. I'm afraid I don't have anything else. Nightdive really knocked this out the park. Even if I didn't get this free I'll still love this!!! This is currently among my favorites they done. I slightly prefer Killing Time: Resurrected, Doom + Doom II and Quake II respectively.
What this does have over Doom + Doom II is more consistent level designs. It's no secrets a lot of campaigns within that were made by a lot of people. You can clearly tell how their levels differs from each other. All Heretic levels felt just about right. All Hexen levels felt truly amazing possibly mind blowing at best.
I do enjoy the newer soundtrack as well. You get five campaigns filled with greatness!!! Some of the finest 90s levels I ever played within the genre. The two newer campaigns are among my favorites in Nightdive remasters to date. Especially Hexen: Vestiges of Granduer it's a must play. Sure the expansions felt like some concepts get reused.
Somehow you quickly realize the developers had ideas to keep it refreshing. I do love using the maps with Hexen having a lot of key items. It's truly amazing they packed in this much content. It's technically fewer than some of their FPS remasters. But for what this is you already going to spend hours playing.
If I had to pick my favorite campaigns on top of my head. Both the newer campaigns and Hexen's main campaign respectively. To be fair, all of Heretic prior to that new campaign was solid as well. But as soon as you get deep into Hexen you sorta forget about it. The best possible way to explain it is simply experience both of them yourself to witness the changes yourself.
My least favorite campaign was Hexen's Deathkings of the Dark Citadel by far. As an expansion it does live up to the challenge. Just imagine the main Hexen campaign shorten with increased difficulty. You really don't wanna start this compilation with that!!! This expansion can be rather unforgiving. Possibly causing rage quitting to a degree or flat out giving up altogether.
This is a great game to get your anger out in as well. Especially using cheat codes in Hexen just to make yourself feel a little better. Hexen is a major step up from Heretic. Heretic is a great starting point when playing this compilation game. You really don't wanna start things in Hexen you'll be sorry!!! I do have a few notable complaints despite being more minor than anything else.
Parts of saving your process can be a little confusing. I actually had a few times my saves didn't work. Thank god auto saving got me through that. Then auto saves are directly following which save you're currently working on. Let's say you were working between two campaigns. Which I confessed I was regarding Hexen's expansion and newer campaign.
I made the mistake of overwriting my auto save when I didn't want to. The good news I was able to prevent fully losing process with one of those campaigns. The bad news is I ended up starting a new game on the final hub section of the expansion. Which ended up being a huge mistake. As previously stated Hexen doesn't take kindly to you at all.
Back tracking is not as much of the experience for Heretic than it is for Hexen. Some people may get turn off by all the back tracking. Hexen also has some of the most complex maps I ever seen in the genre. You may wanna consider following an guide. Even the biggest maps in Heretic pales to comparison to the smaller sections within hubs for Hexen.
With the possible exception of areas right before you fully enter the hub sections. Which are a bit of a nice size despite things. In Heretic, process is strictly within levels. In Hexen, procession is shared across hubs. Which could end up being very over whelming at times. I also confessed I even gotten burnt out over this.
I took a few days before I came back to finish the last two Hexen campaigns. All these campaigns will take several hours combine to get through without cheating. I really felt in most aspects they done a truly fantastic job with this remaster. I actually wanna play their remaser of Hexen 2 in the near future. I highly recommend checking out Heretic + Hexen.
Bonus
Usually I would've ended by finishing off my review. But I figured since I did predict this remaster coming from the same convention being Quakecon. I felt I should do another prediction on the spot. I kept coming back to Return to Castle Wolfenstein remaster. Which also could include console exclusive content.
My second guess would've been Wolfenstein 3D + Spear of Destiny. Possibly adding more levels on top of that is already insanity. The main reason I felt Return to Castle Wolfenstein being the more likely option. Wolfenstein 3D is currently available on many services right now. Some of those added in Spear of Destiny that includes the two terrible Mission Packs.
If they really wanna wow people this Wolfenstein remaster could be it. Return to Castle Wolfenstein I felt deserves such an treatment. They even brought back PO'ed of all things. Sure why not bring this back too? I really felt with the right changes this could be the greatest Wolfenstein game in years. I don't think it's going to be Quake IV yet.