Heretic + Hexen (Switch) Review

Gameplay

Graphics

Audio

Value

Summary: If you have fond memories of either, Heretic + Hexen is another must buy collection from Nightdive Studios.

4.5

Greetings Mortal

Heretic + Hexen is another outstanding package from Nightdive Studios, which elevates and modernises Raven’s cult classics while showing an impressive level of deference to the original titles.

Hot on the heels of System Shock 2 remaster (review here), Nightdive has returned to shadow drop another duo of classic ID Tech1 FPS at Quakecon, following a similar template to last year’s Doom + Doom II, Nightdive’s latest duo of 90s FPS not only includes ports of Heretic and Hexen as they were when they first launched almost 30 years ago (along with their expansions), but brand new episodes developed by Nightdive, with Heretic receiving Faith Revived, and Hexen getting the Vestiges of Grandeur.

Heretic is probably one of the best Doom clones of the era, originally released in 1994 and catching the eye of ID’s own John Romero, who would act as a producer on the title. Heretic is basically a dark fantasy version of Doom, complete with endless hordes of enemies, secret areas, and the never-ending hunt for coloured keys and the exit.

The biggest addition to the formula was the introduction of an inventory, which allowed you to carry health potions and other useful items that you could use in a pinch to turn the tables on the game’s admittedly tough, bullet-sponge enemies.

The best part of this new version of Heretic is how Nightdive has rebalanced the damage output of the game’s weapons and made the legions of demons, wraiths, and other undead nightmares more manageable. This is especially true of the Crossbow, which now hits like Doom’s shotgun. This significantly improves the pacing, makes it flow a hell-of-a-lot better, and smooths out Heretic’s more challenging encounters.

The quality of life improvements don’t stop there, though, with each level receiving some graphical enhancements that not only make them look a little more pleasing to the eye, but also make them a lot easier to navigate, since the plain stonework of the original has been replaced with all kinds of arcane features, flowing waterfalls, and other architectural facets that make figuring out where you are on the map much simpler.

There’s also the usual enhancements you’d expect, like a nice smooth frame rate (60fps on Switch 120fps on everything else), something even half the PCs that attempted to run Heretic and Hexen at the time, struggled to achieve, gyro / dual stick controls and the ability to open up the cheat menu from the off, if you just want to stomp through and decimate anything unlucky enough to get in your way.

Hexen is a curious semi-sequel that is as much a sequel to Heretic as it is to Raven’s first title, ShadowCaster.

Hexen tasks players with exploring vast interconnected levels, as one of three classes: a Fighter, a Cleric, or a Mage, each with different weapons and stats.

But what makes Hexen impressive is that pulling a lever in one level may open a door in another, this on the surface is a very cool idea, but can also be a pain in the arse when you can’t figure out where in the complex levels you need to go next or whether that lever you just pulled has done something useful.

Thankfully, Nightdive is to the rescue again, by adding markers to the maps that point you in the direction of where your next objective is, as well as letting you know when part of a larger puzzle has been completed.

They’ve also added some new lecterns to levels that let you change classes in-game. It’s a small adjustment, but a welcome one, especially if you’re getting tired of smacking everything with an axe.

Multiplayer has also been added to the mix, something that works particularly well in Hexen if you can grab enough friends to play as each of the classes. Finding a game online is easy, and running through each area with a little more help is generally fun.

The new chapters made by Nightdive feel like natural extensions to both games. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought that they were existing add-ons to both games from years ago.

If that’s not enough, you also have access to a slew of mods for both games in a similar vein to Doom + Doom II. Allowing you access to decades of top-tier mods and maps from the community.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shoutout to the music, which features another brilliant series of remixes by Andrew Hulshult, who also touched up the soundtrack for DOOM + DOOM II.

If you’re feeling nostalgic, though, you can still listen to the original soundtracks in all their glory, as well as the FM synth version and MIDI synth versions.

Finally, there’s the Raven Vault, which contains the usual collection of behind-the-scenes goodies, including texture sheets, concept art, and much more besides. If you’re into game history, it’s not the most exhaustive collection, but it’s still a nice little peek behind the curtains.

Final Thoughts

Heretic + Hexen is another impeccable retro collection from Nightdive Studios. It’s a content-rich remaster that enhances the core design of each title with thoughtful and deft changes which make them an absolute joy to play.

It is worth noting, though, that despite the tweaks, these are still shooters from the mid-90s and retain certain design principles that modern gamers may not find quite so endearing. However, for us nostalgic old gits that want to be able to play Hexen on the go, or finally see what a console port of Heretic would look like, it’s another must-buy to add to your ever-expanding collection of retro gems available on the Switch.

About the Author

Gareth Newnham

Heretic + Hexen (Switch) Review