Heretic and Hexen Return with Modern Flair, Including Online Multiplayer

In 1994, Heretic broke new ground in the first-person shooter genre, combining fast-paced action with dark fantasy and light RPG elements. A year later, Hexen followed suit, both created by Raven Software and published by id Software, They were ahead of their time to say the least. Bethesda and Nightdive Studios have now recreated these classics, improving on the originals while introducing new content and current themes. The Heretic + Hexen package, which is available on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Game Pass, is a nostalgic delight with enough new elements to appeal to both old and new gamers.

This re-release has everything fans of the original games could want and more. Included are Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders, Hexen: Beyond Heretic and Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel, plus two brand new episodes: Heretic: Faith Renewed and Hexen: Vestiges of Grandeur. That’s 117 campaign maps and 120 deathmatch maps for hours of exploration and combat. Nightdive has also fixed many of the bugs from the original DOS versions so the experience is smoother than ever. If you already own the digital versions on Steam, GOG or the Windows Store the upgrade to this enhanced edition is free, a nice gesture to longtime fans.

Visually, the games have been optimized to run at up to 4K resolution and 120 frames per second on capable hardware like the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S or a powerful PC. But the textures are untouched, so the pixelated charm of the originals is preserved. Some might wish for updated visuals, but Nightdive’s choice keeps the games’ retro look intact so you can enjoy the blocky gothic environments that defined the era. These landscapes span current monitors thanks to widescreen compatibility, and the ability to switch between Kevin Schilder’s classic MIDI music and Andrew Hulshult’s improved version adds to the nostalgic feel.

Multiplayer may accommodate up to 16 players in co-op or deathmatch modes, and cross-platform play allows players from different platforms to compete. A simple room code system makes joining lobbies easy, though some platforms may require you to enable cross-play in the system settings. For local play split-screen supports up to 4 players on most platforms, with Xbox Series X|S and PC supporting up to 8. Mixed input options – controllers, keyboard and mouse – are supported on all platforms, including consoles, so you can play with whatever playstyle you prefer. Gyroscopic aiming and vibration are supported on DualShock 4, DualSense, Nintendo Switch Pro and Xbox controllers, but not the Steam Controller.