Alright, so let’s talk about this throwback to gaming history — Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders and Hexen: Beyond Heretic from the way-back-when days of the ’90s, you know, the era of grunge and flannel shirts. These iconic games are getting a fresh coat of paint thanks to a team-up between id Software and Nightdive Studios. Yep, Heretic + Hexen is back, all spruced up for the new generation. How crazy is that?
I mean, the thought just struck me — like, those were the days when the Doom engine was cutting-edge tech. Anyway — wait, no — let’s focus. Brian Raffel, one of the brains behind Raven Software, shared this surreal trip down memory lane. It was a wild ride, throwing in character classes and vertical aiming, pushing the boundaries like nobody’s business. John Romero and John Carmack from id Software were there too, mixing it up and helping out, and their tech wizardry made it all happen.
And oh boy, when you fire up these games, you’re knee-deep in monster mazes and magic traps. It’s a mishmash of old-school FPS madness with a sprinkle of fantasy magic. Reminds me of those early DnD sessions — all wands and weird creatures.
This is where it gets nostalgic — or maybe I’m just rambling — Mike Rubits from id Software reminisced about this fantasy-meets-FPS combo. Back then, shooters were all about aliens and futuristic wars. And then bam! You’ve got maces and medieval warriors. The character classes idea, John Romero again, really kicked it up a notch, changing the game (literally). It was this insane mash-up of shooter and roleplaying. Unexpected, but it just clicked, you know?
So, what’s the deal with this re-release? Well, it’s got split-screen options, online multiplayer, and even an enhanced soundtrack from Andrew Hulshult. Plus, you get behind-the-scenes goodies in the Raven Vault — it’s like peeking into a time capsule of gaming history. And as a cherry on top, there are new episodes! Faith Renewed and Vestiges of Grandeur, all packed with fresh content.
Now, side note — during development, some of the Nightdive Studios gang, like Xaser Acheron and Samuel “Kaiser” Villarreal, were going full speed ahead, crafting these new maps. Community legends like Not Jabba even tossed in some massive maps. Talk about dedication!
Alright, that’s enough of me going on about it. If you’re an old-school gamer stepping back into Cronos or a newbie getting your first dose of fantasy FPS chaos, the teams at Raven Software, id Software, and Nightdive are pretty much rolling out the red carpet for you. Raffel gives a big shout-out to the fans too. It’s your enthusiasm that’s kept this legacy breathing.
Heretic + Hexen is out now for PlayStation 5 and 4. Go ahead, dive in, and get lost in the nostalgia — it’s all there waiting for you.
