Heretic + Hexen Will get a Wonder Re-Unencumber: How Nightdive Studios Delivered Any other Definitive Model of a Vintage

The FPS increase of the ’90s gave us a humiliation of riches when a number of soon-to-be-iconic franchises started to take form — and gaming hasn’t been the similar since. Along video games like DOOM, Wolfenstein 3-d, and Quake, Heretic, and Hexen helped lay the groundwork for a budding style that has handiest grown in recognition since.

Over the previous few years, identification Instrument and Bethesda have partnered with Nightdive Studios to revisit many of those classics with a degree of care and a spotlight to element that makes returning to those video games immensely stress-free reviews, each as a participant and as an interactive piece of gaming preservation. Nightdive’s contemporary restorations of the very good DOOM I + II, Quake II, and maximum lately Machine Surprise 2: twenty fifth Anniversary Remaster, give the sensation of a studio cementing their popularity for developing definitive variations of a few really iconic video games.

Now they’ve grew to become their consideration to 2 extra video games which can be rooted deeply in identification’s wealthy legacy with the re-release of Heretic + Hexen, introduced at QuakeCon 2025 and to be had nowadays throughout numerous platforms, together with Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X|S, Xbox PC, with beef up for Xbox Play Anyplace and with Recreation Move.

At the beginning launched in 1994 and 1995 respectively, advanced by means of Raven Instrument and produced by means of identification Instrument, Heretic and Hexen was very important items of gaming historical past, particularly inside the FPS style. Via pioneering options similar to a listing gadget, the power to appear up and down, ambient sound results, and plenty of others, each video games would succeed in important acclaim and, later, a cult-like standing among fanatics of the style. They set themselves excluding the remainder of the style by means of dabbling with excessive myth topics, hanging enchanted staves in our fingers, and letting us fight undead knights and different nefarious beings.

Speedy ahead to nowadays, and the Heretic + Hexen enhanced re-release options all that authentic ingenuity, reinforced by means of an incredible collection of enhancements and new options. First off, efficiency has been stepped forward, with as much as 4K answer and 120 FPS on supported {hardware}, plus numerous texture improvements. The sport additionally delivers a remixed soundtrack created by means of Andrew Hulshult (DOOM + DOOM II, DOOM Everlasting: The Historic Gods portions One and Two, Quake Champions), in-game beef up for community-published mods, native split-screen for as much as 4 or 8 avid gamers, relying on platform, and on-line crossplay multiplayer beef up for as much as 16 avid gamers. For the gaming historical past buffs, a host of behind-the-scenes content material is to be had so that you can discover the advance adventure of Heretic + Hexen. And possibly easiest of all, people from Nightdive and identification Instrument have collaborated to create two brand-new episodes to play thru: Heretic: Religion Renewed and Hexen: Vestiges of Grandier.

To be told extra in regards to the paintings Nightdive Studios put into restoring Heretic + Hexen, we talked with Studio Head Stephen Kick, and Builders Matthew Tropiano and Jaemen Moore about bringing those classics again to existence, what new options they’ve carried out, and what new issues they’ve cooked up.

What has it been love to revisit those two iconic first-person shooters, Heretic and Hexen, finally those years?

Studio Head Stephen Kick: Revisiting Hexen and Heretic has been each a nostalgic adventure and a technical problem in the easiest way imaginable. It’s extremely rewarding to offer longtime fanatics a devoted revel in that performs the way in which they commit it to memory — and to introduce a brand new era to the arcane magic and brutal problem of those cult classics.

For individuals who won’t have performed them, or possibly even heard of them, are you able to describe those video games?

Kick: Heretic and Hexen are darkish myth first-person shooters at first advanced by means of Raven Instrument [and published by id Software] within the mid-’90s, the use of the DOOM engine as a basis — however they carved out an overly other identification. As an alternative of shotguns and area marines, you’re wielding enchanted staves, throwing fireballs, and combating undead knights, serpent riders, and demonic cults in gothic, otherworldly environments.

In combination, they helped outline what a gloomy myth FPS may well be — mixing the visceral motion of DOOM with the ambience and mechanics you’d be expecting from a Dungeons & Dragons marketing campaign. They’re cult classics for a reason why, and revisiting them now provides a possibility to revel in that distinctive mix of magic, risk, and mayhem with a contemporary coat of paint.

Is there the rest in those video games that you just’d like to look in fashionable titles?

Kick: Completely. Some of the hanging issues about Heretic and Hexen is how daring they had been in experimenting with mechanics that had been method forward in their time. Hexen particularly took actual dangers: non-linear hub worlds, personality categories with distinctive playstyles, power development between ranges, and environmental puzzles that required precise remark and reminiscence. It requested avid gamers to interact with the arena, no longer simply run and gun thru it.

We’d love to look extra fashionable titles include that roughly design self belief — trusting avid gamers to get slightly misplaced, assume significantly, and uncover issues thru exploration as an alternative of hand-holding. There’s additionally a undeniable tone those video games nailed: that grim, arcane, virtually oppressive environment, the place the arena feels historical, cursed, and alive in some way that’s uncommon even nowadays. Extra video games may take pleasure in that roughly worldbuilding, the place the environment isn’t only a backdrop however a personality in itself.

So sure, whilst the trade has developed in wonderful techniques, there are courses in Heretic and Hexen which can be nonetheless extremely related — about ingenious risk-taking, environmental storytelling, and treating your target market with recognize.

What are a few of your favourite reminiscences from taking part in the unique video games, and what was once it love to revisit the ones moments with those enhanced re-releases?

Kick: The very first thing I be mindful about Heretic is the implausible field artwork representation from [legendary fantasy artist] BROM! That symbol of Corvus blasting a hollow thru a skeletal warrior with an arcane bolt in reality painted an image of what was once to return. I put in a shareware reproduction and was once straight away inspired by means of the artwork course. The oppressive environment, darkish, winding corridors, and gothic structure all labored seamlessly in combination to create a foreboding dread I discovered charming.

One second that at all times caught with me was once the primary time I picked up the Phoenix Rod in Heretic. You pass from flinging magic projectiles to unleashing this fire-spewing personnel that simply melts enemies — and it felt so tough, such as you’d exposed an historical weapon intended only for you. Or in Hexen, that second you know the degrees are all interconnected thru a hub, and also you’re no longer simply shifting ahead — you’re circling again, fixing puzzles, and unlocking new paths. It felt progressive on the time — and in truth, it nonetheless holds up nowadays.

What had been a few of your favourite or notable moments right through the advance of those restorations?

Developer Matthew Tropiano: Certainly one of my favourite moments from doing those  was once attending to revisit a large number of the maps in Heretic and Hexen and seeing what may well be stepped forward from the bottom sport. In Hexen, we had been in a position to place in combination a waypoint gadget of types at the automap in order that avid gamers have an concept of what to do subsequent in case they get misplaced. A large number of effort went into making that gadget a truth, so with a bit of luck it is helping no less than a couple of avid gamers! Making plans and growing a brand-new episode for Hexen was once additionally a significant spotlight for me. I believe avid gamers will revel in being challenged by means of a brand spanking new hub with cool new spaces and puts to discover.

Developer Jaemen Moore: A cultured-up model of Heretic’s authentic maps is one thing I’ve sought after to look for ages — type of a extra totally discovered imaginative and prescient of what the unique builders had in thoughts with their improbable locales (e.g. doubling down at the aquatic/ocean theme for the Dome of D’Sparil episode). I even began a facet undertaking a couple of years again to make that dream a truth… after which this undertaking took place, and I were given the danger to make it for actual. Surreal.

Nightdive Studios’ paintings on FPS remasters, and sport preservation on the whole, has been extremely spectacular lately, from Darkish Forces to Machine Surprise and naturally your paintings throughout DOOM I & II. What are one of the crucial key learnings you’re taking from the ones building reviews right here to Heretic + Hexen?

Tropiano: For me, a lot of what remastering is set is the query of hanging the correct steadiness between what to modify and what to keep. For Heretic + Hexen, we added a large number of new textures and graphics to Heretic that helped flesh out its locales, whilst additionally giving the network extra assets to paintings with when developing new content material. For Hexen, many of the adjustments all in favour of gameplay enhancements. Gamers can nonetheless play the unique video games sans adjustments in the event that they wish to, however we really feel that what we modified improves the revel in of those titles.

Moore: The improved re-release of Quake II proved that it’s value taking the time to look if the core gameplay may also be stepped forward, because the adjustments had been won really well. Thankfully, that is a type of “have your cake and devour it too” moments — the unique maps and gameplay balancing may also be re-enabled by way of menu choices, so other people too can revel in it because it was once again within the day.

The unique video games had been foundational within the FPS style, with integrated options like stock techniques, climate occasions, ambient sound, having the ability to glance up and down, and extra. Are you bringing any further tweaks right here to refine the ones distinctive options additional?

Tropiano: For probably the most phase, merely elucidating the aim of the stock pieces to start with look and permitting the participant to at all times glance up and down with fashionable controls will receive advantages the revel in fairly a bit of. Being slightly cryptic was once an indicator of mid-’90s gameplay, however a large number of that limitation was once because of what I believe was once imaginable with the era and sensibilities that had been prevalent on the time.

Moore: One of the crucial largest additions we made to Hexen is including the power to modify participant characters mid-game (by way of the Hexen Chronicle, a magic tome you’ll be able to to find in every primary hub map). It’s a easy addition, but it surely works wonders in apply. Every personality performs very otherwise, and you’ll be able to now play as all 3 over the process the sport, fairly than being restricted to simply the similar loadout for its entirety.

May you discuss any of the extra high quality of existence and accessibility updates you’re bringing right here to those enhanced re-releases?

Tropiano: Positive! We’ve added a contemporary font way to the sport to make textual content more straightforward to learn for avid gamers who’ve problem with the unique pixel font, at the side of a high-contrast mode for textual content. Gamers additionally be capable of cut back one of the crucial extra intense results and colours within the sport.

Moore: The automap waypoint gadget is value every other shout-out right here. We’ve fastened up some of the extra obtuse portions of the extent design, if that fails, the automap is there to carry you again on target. Or you’ll be able to transfer waypoints off by way of menu choice should you’d like to navigate the old fashioned method.

I perceive there’s going to be an ‘enhanced soundtrack’ right here as smartly. Is that going to be alongside the traces of what we noticed with the soundtrack in DOOM I & II? May you communicate slightly bit in regards to the paintings that went into developing this enhanced Soundtrack?

Moore: Yup, precisely! Andrew Hulshult is again with a brand-new set of remixes, masking each unmarried tune monitor in each video games. Calling it a “remix” isn’t even in reality doing them justice, just like the compositions are insane (the spooky bells initially of Mist, the monitor utilized in Heretic’s map The Cathedral, provides me chills each time). From our facet, the method was once to simply take a seat again and let him paintings his magic, and the effects discuss for themselves. Gamers can decide into the unique soundtrack, in fact, however we’ve put the brand new tracks front-and-center ‘reason they rattling smartly deserve it.

May you percentage some extra information about what the 2 brand-new episodes might be, how they took place, and any notable designers locally you labored with right here? Have any contributors of the unique building crew assisted right here?

Tropiano: There have been degree designers (together with myself) that sought after to paintings on one thing new for Heretic and Hexen. Kaiser (Sam Villareal) took level at the Heretic episode, whilst I treated the Hexen episode. We each enlisted the assistance of network member Now not Jabba, in addition to Heretic + Hexen lead Xaser Acheron for map design, and artist Arthur Biver for added graphic paintings. As for the unique builders — no less than in my case — they “assisted” not directly by means of inspiring one of the crucial spaces within the new episodes. We stand at the shoulders of giants, finally!

Moore: The brand new Heretic episode, Religion Renewed, includes a ton of latest textures or even a few new monsters (the Draugr and the Troll) in response to unused art work unearthed from the Vault. So, in some way, we did collaborate with the unique Raven artists thru time. It at all times amazes me how a lot gold there’s to seek out in those outdated dev assets, and I’m psyched we had been in a position to assist carry a few of this unseen artwork again to existence.

Why was once it essential so that you can release those remasters with beef up for Group-Revealed Mods on day one?

Tropiano: Whilst we’ve got a large number of ability on our facet for the remasters, there’s a number of ability available in the market for folks to discover out of doors of our purview. We would like as a lot get entry to to that paintings as imaginable, and it is helping stay those video games alive with contemporary content material to play!

Moore: It’s additionally value noting that we had been in a position to hold over fairly a couple of modding options from DOOM + DOOM II to this undertaking, since Heretic and Hexen are constructed upon the similar engine. Mods are an enormous a part of what has saved those video games alive for many years, and delivery with out modding options would no longer handiest were an enormous step backwards, however we’d’ve if truth be told had to return and take away options if we didn’t need them to send.

The inclusion of behind-the-scenes content material is a smart addition for sport historical past/preservation. Is there the rest in there that you just had been specifically excited to incorporate, or the rest notable segments that you wish to have to verify readers take a look at?

Tropiano: For me, a large number of the Vault content material I to find attention-grabbing is the concept that art work and the graphics of props and different gadgets that didn’t make it within the authentic video games. Whether or not that was once because of no longer discovering puts for them, or they had been lower for time, who is aware of? Both method, I believe there might be a large number of Vault content material that each avid gamers and the network to find attention-grabbing.

Moore: It’s at all times a bit of sudden what number of “production-quality” belongings finally end up at the slicing room flooring over the process a sport’s building cycle (because of converting designs, closing dates, and so on), and I’ve been thinking about the concept that ever since finding the outdated alpha variations of DOOM. I’m tremendous excited that we were given every other likelihood not to handiest launch those belongings by way of the Vault but in addition incorporate lots of them into each the brand new Religion Renewed episode and the retextures of the unique Heretic ranges.

The shadow-drop throughout such a lot of platforms, from Xbox to Transfer and Cloud, all of sudden will have to were a thrilling and daunting prospect. How did your crew method this problem, and why make a selection QuakeCon to make this occur?

Kick: The Nightdive crew is at all times up for a problem, and due to our familiarity with the identification Tech engine powering each Hexen and Heretic, we had been past ready. This might be our fourth shadow drop at QuakeCon, which has change into an annual tournament for our crew to return in combination and have a good time every other stellar collaboration with Bethesda and identification Instrument.

Heretic + Hexen is to be had nowadays for Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X|S and Xbox PC (as an Xbox Play Anyplace name, and to be had with Recreation Move) in addition to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Transfer, Steam, GOG, and cloud streaming products and services.

Heretic + Hexen

Bethesda Softworks

☆☆☆☆☆
204

★★★★★

$14.99

PC Recreation Move

Xbox Recreation Move

Cast by means of Raven Instrument on a changed DOOM engine, Heretic and Hexen had been launched in 1994 and 1995, pushing first consumer shooters into daring new territory. Those cutting edge cult classics presented groundbreaking options like stock techniques, vertical aiming, and distinct personality categories, reshaping first consumer motion video games for generations to return. This enhanced recovery makes Heretic + Hexen to be had to new audiences and long-time fanatics with expanded accessibility throughout extra platforms and languages than ever prior to. Whether or not you might be returning to those shadowy geographical regions or finding them for the primary time, an epic legacy awaits.

Homeowners Obtain
• Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders
• Hexen: Past Heretic
• Hexen: Deathkings of the Darkish Castle
• Two all-new episodes created in collaboration between people at identification Instrument + Nightdive Studios:
o Heretic: Religion Renewed
o Hexen: Vestiges of Grandeur

© 2025 ZeniMax Media Inc. identification, identification Instrument, Bethesda, Bethesda Softworks, and ZeniMax are logos of the ZeniMax staff of businesses. All rights reserved. HERETIC and HEXEN are logos of Activision Publishing, Inc. HERETIC and HEXEN: BEYOND HERETIC © 1994-2020 Raven Instrument. All rights reserved.