Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Heretic + Hexen Collection revives a golden era of first-person fantasy shooters, blending fast-paced combat with explorative level design. In Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders, players wield cursed tomes and wand weapons to blast hordes of undead, feeling every impact with satisfying feedback. Hexen introduces class-based play—Fighter, Cleric, and Mage—each with unique weapons and movement abilities that add strategic depth to every encounter.

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HeXen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel expands on its predecessor’s hub system, offering non-linear progression and interconnected levels that encourage backtracking and secret-hunting. This expansion’s new puzzles and enemy variants keep veterans on their toes, requiring more than just trigger-happy reflexes. Meanwhile, Hexen II refines the formula further with vehicular segments, trigger-based events, and a more cohesive hub-and-spoke map design, making each dungeon crawl feel like a hand-crafted adventure.

Across all four titles, the melee and projectile weapons sports gratifying weight and variety. From Heretic’s fireblast staff to Hexen II’s masterful crossbows, each tool serves a distinct purpose. Multiplayer modes in Heretic and Hexen (up to eight players) retain their chaotic charm, while community patches modernize netcode and add quality-of-life features like customizable crosshairs and an improved HUD.

Graphics

Though these games originally launched in the mid-to-late ’90s, the updated source ports in this collection bring them back into sharper focus. Sprite-based enemies and hand-crafted environments retain their gritty, gothic atmosphere, now running smoothly at widescreen resolutions with higher framerates. Lighting effects—especially in Hexen II—cast dynamic shadows that heighten the sense of creeping dread in dark hallways and candle-lit catacombs.

Texture upgrades breathe new life into stone walls, wooden planks, and eldritch altars, accentuating the grotesque details that define the series. Water reflections, volumetric fog, and particle-based spell effects are subtle enhancements that integrate seamlessly with the original art style. While true 3D models give way to classic sprites, modern shader techniques ensure that each monster and trap looks crisp and menacing.

The user interface, too, has been polished for today’s standards. Inventory screens, map overlays, and on-screen prompts have higher-resolution assets and scalable fonts, making it easy to plan your next move. Load times are minimal, and quick-save features mean you can experiment with different routes or face off against secret bosses without fear of losing progress.

Story

Heretic’s narrative plunges you into Parthoris, a dark realm governed by the twisted Serpent Riders. The plot unfolds through environmental cues and cryptic texts, immersing players in a mythos that feels both ancient and malevolent. Boss battles are more than mere skill checks; they’re punctuations in a tale of rebellion against godlike tyrants.

Hexen expands the lore, weaving the fates of three distinct heroes as they band together—sometimes reluctantly—to thwart the evil warlock Korax. The class system not only diversifies gameplay but reflects the characters’ personal struggles: the Fighter’s brute determination, the Cleric’s unwavering faith, and the Mage’s thirst for forbidden knowledge. Puzzles and NPC dialogue deepen the narrative, making exploration feel purposeful.

Deathkings of the Dark Citadel and Hexen II take the story further by exploring the ramifications of meddling with dark magic. The expansion adds layers of political intrigue, presenting rival factions vying for control of the same arcane power you’re desperately sealing away. In Hexen II, the Serpent Rider legacy resurfaces in new forms, tying together plot threads in a satisfying conclusion that feels earned after dozens of hours spent battling through shadowy dungeons and ruined keeps.

Overall Experience

The Heretic + Hexen Collection is a love letter to 1990s fantasy shooters, wrapped in a modern shell that respects its origins. Whether you’re revisiting these classics or discovering them for the first time, you’ll appreciate the balance of nostalgia and innovation. The compilation’s seamless integration of all expansions and community fixes creates a cohesive package that feels greater than the sum of its parts.

Customization options—from field-of-view adjustments to keybinding flexibility—ensure that both purists and newcomers can tailor their experience. Cooperative and deathmatch modes extend replay value, while the breadth of levels and secret-filled realms offers dozens of hours of exploration. Even the hardest-shelled veteran will find new challenges in remixed maps, harder difficulty tiers, and speedrunning leaderboards.

Ultimately, this collection stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of high-fantasy shooters. Its gripping gameplay, atmospheric graphics, and layered storytelling deliver an engaging odyssey through dark, magical worlds. Fans of retro shooters or anyone craving a break from conventional modern FPS titles will find themselves enchanted by the arcane horrors and heroic triumphs within Heretic + Hexen.

Retro Replay Score

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