Heretic + Hexen

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Heretic + Hexen is a single player and multiplayer role playing shooter game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by id Software and was released on August 7, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

Heretic + Hexen offers a definitive re-release of two dark, spell-casting shooters that innovated first-person action games with inventory systems, vertical aiming, and character classes. Set in shadowy fantasy realms, players explore immersive worlds filled with magic and combat. This edition includes classic content plus all-new episodes, delivering an epic legacy to both new and returning fans.

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94%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,130 reviews

music56 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The remaster includes both Heretic and Hexen along with their expansions, providing a comprehensive package for fans.
Quality of life improvements, such as map markers and rebalanced weapons, enhance the gameplay experience, making it more accessible for new players.
The remixed soundtrack by Andrew Hulshult is a standout feature, adding a fresh take on the classic music while still honoring the originals.

Some players have reported bugs and glitches, particularly with level transitions and secret areas, which can hinder progress.
The vertical look feature causes visual warping, which can be disorienting for some players.
The save system in multiplayer is lacking, as players cannot save their progress, making it frustrating for cooperative play.

music
169 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
64%
3%
The remastered versions of Heretic and Hexen feature a standout new soundtrack by Andrew Hulshult, which has been widely praised for its modern take on the original compositions, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the games. Players appreciate the option to toggle between the remixed soundtrack and the original MIDI tracks, allowing for a customizable audio experience. While the remixed music has received some criticism for not fully capturing the essence of the originals, it remains a highlight for many, contributing significantly to the enjoyment of the remaster.
- “The new soundtrack is amazing and creates an even better atmosphere than the game itself.”
- “The remixed soundtrack by Andrew Hulshult is a particular standout, and the new campaigns are fantastic.”
- “The remastered soundtrack is great (there's an option to use the old one too).”
- “Finally, the remixed music is god awful!”
- “Unbearable to listen to the new music!”
- “Despite having enough bass to push my neighbor's house into the river, the music now sounds like a generic soundtrack from a history channel documentary.”
gameplay
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
73%
4%
The gameplay in the remastered versions of Heretic and Hexen has been praised for its fluidity, enhanced mechanics, and modern quality-of-life improvements, making it a definitive way to experience these classic titles. While some players appreciate the rebalancing of weapons and the introduction of new features like class-switching and parrying mechanics, others express concern that these changes can alter the original gameplay experience, particularly in cooperative modes. Overall, the remaster successfully combines nostalgia with innovative updates, though players can opt to revert to classic mechanics if desired.
- “Very polished gameplay, detailed map design, dynamic levels, the works.”
- “The gameplay is much faster, which is a blessing for higher difficulties, as the enemies were always a tad too spongy.”
- “Overall, Heretic + Hexen is another fantastic remaster by Nightdive, updating the original games to run right out of the box with modern quality of life improvements, as well as optional gameplay tweaks that mostly improve the experience.”
- “Having most of the options that switch the gameplay between the classic settings and the new remastered settings hidden only on the difficulty selection screen is annoying.”
- “Otherwise I strongly suggest watching 10 minutes of gameplay first, because the 'what-door-did-this-switch-open' play is something that may annoy you.”
- “Nonetheless, all these improvements do not help when the core gameplay sucks.”
graphics
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
68%
5%
The graphics in the remastered versions of these classic titles evoke nostalgia with their old-school aesthetic, though some players may find them jarring or limited in customization options. While the visuals maintain a retro charm, many reviews highlight improvements such as smoother textures and enhanced effects, making the experience more enjoyable on modern displays. Overall, the remasters successfully balance respect for the original art style with necessary updates, though opinions vary on the effectiveness of these changes.
- “The updated graphics look great, and the game now includes local split-screen play and cross-platform multiplayer, which is a bonus!”
- “Gotta say, the remaster of the graphics, gameplay, and music was phenomenal.”
- “The game has some great looking environments and the graphics are well designed and laid out.”
- “The graphics are not updated, and despite the crispy HD screen before the episode selection, the game and main menus are still low-res.”
- “I do not have a big problem with that (though a few people reported feeling dizzy); however, when I play a full-fledged modern remaster, I want to have proper 3D visuals, even if the freelook angle is limited.”
- “It is still obviously 1995 graphics, just much smoother and more polished.”
atmosphere
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
43%
14%
The atmosphere in the remastered collection of Heretic and Hexen is widely praised for its gothic charm and immersive qualities, enhanced by an impressive new soundtrack that some feel may overshadow the original. Players appreciate the game's ability to maintain its oppressive and haunting ambiance while introducing contemporary polish, though opinions vary on the effectiveness of the new DLC and remixed music. Overall, the titles successfully evoke a strong sense of exploration and challenge, making them enjoyable for fans of classic shooters.
- “The new soundtrack is amazing and creates an even better atmosphere than the game itself.”
- “This remastered collection brings together Heretic and Hexen: Beyond Heretic, both originally created by Raven Software using the id Tech engine that powered Doom, and reimagines them with contemporary polish while maintaining their distinctive gothic charm and arcane atmosphere.”
- “The audio has been faithfully restored, and the atmospheric music—equal parts ominous and triumphant—retains its haunting presence.”
- “The only weak point is the new DLC, which doesn’t match the quality or atmosphere of the original episodes.”
- “Graphics managed to capture the old dark atmosphere, where I feel like ZDoom/GZDoom are too polished and shiny.”
- “Mood and atmosphere were reduced significantly to accommodate faster gameplay.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The story in this collection of classic games, including Heretic and Hexen, revolves around an elf survivor seeking revenge against powerful serpent riders who decimated their race. While the narrative can be convoluted and lacks modern conveniences like quest logs, the updated version enhances exploration and gameplay through improved mechanics and environmental storytelling. Players appreciate the interconnected level design and the ability to switch classes, though the overall plot remains secondary to the action and maze-like gameplay typical of the genre.
- “The story follows an elf survivor of the massacre orchestrated by an evil trio of serpent riders, powerful mage-like entities that slaughtered your friends, family, and entire race.”
- “Pardon the cliché but, it feels souls-like / metroid-esque, with interconnected shortcuts, sensible reuse of areas, and plenty of environmental storytelling.”
- “Marked items and objectives make the exploration less boring and prolonged, the ability to change class in the hub lets you try all three without having to play the game three times, improved weapon and enemy mechanics make the combat less tedious, updated maps make some puzzles less unintuitive and unobvious, the cutscenes taken from the console ports are meant to make you more engaged in the story.”
- “Honestly, this story is kind of hard to follow in-game as it is basically different varieties of intriguing levels jam-packed with monsters, fiends, traps, and secrets.”
- “They can be a bit confusing for modern players, as there are no quest logs or markers telling you what to do, or even anything telling you what door opened where when you press a button or switch.”
- “Objective markers in this game were needed; it's such a complex level design and mission design that without it, I never managed to see half of the game, well for Hexen that is, I am discovering the others.”
replayability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
65%
21%
The game offers a solid level of replayability, primarily through its diverse character classes and weapon systems, which provide varied gameplay experiences. While it may not reach the eternal replayability of classics like Doom or Quake, the inclusion of mod support and improved controls enhances its longevity and enjoyment. Overall, players find it more engaging and replayable than previous versions, making it a worthwhile experience.
- “By having different characters to play as, each playthrough has a different feel, offering more replayability.”
- “This adds replay value, variety, and new solutions if you're having a hard time navigating or defeating enemies with your chosen class.”
- “They are not as eternally replayable as the original Doom or Quake, but still classics nonetheless.”
- “Having the option of playing as 3 different classes also gives Hexen a large amount of replay value, while some combat scenarios feel like a slog depending on what class you use. I don't have a problem with this as it means that things are generally well balanced and doesn't mean that there's one 'super class' that can steamroll through the game.”
- “Mod support with an in-game browser brings endless replay value and creativity.”
grinding
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
93%
Overall, reviews indicate that while grinding in games like Heretic and Hexen has been improved with quality of life upgrades, enhanced weapon mechanics, and better pacing, some players still find elements tedious, particularly in later levels. The introduction of marked objectives and class-switching features has made progression less monotonous, but certain aspects, especially in Hexen, can still lead to frustration and confusion. Despite these improvements, there remains a consensus that further refinements could enhance the overall experience.
- “The optional rebalance options from the Wayfarer's Tome mod have made grinding feel more rewarding, as weapons like the ethereal crossbow are now more powerful, encouraging players to invest time in upgrading their gear.”
- “Grinding in this game has become less tedious thanks to the improvements in enemy mechanics and weapon effectiveness, making each session feel more engaging and worthwhile.”
- “With the new features like the homing projectiles of the hellstaff and the reliable stunlock from the gauntlets of the necromancer, grinding for resources and upgrades has transformed into a more strategic and enjoyable experience.”
- “The normal playthrough is as grindy as ever.”
- “I really wish I could give a neutral thumb here; Heretic is fun, but Hexen can really become tedious, and Deathkings of the Dark Citadel makes you want to rage quit every fifteen minutes—that is how bad it is.”
- “The level design is very claustrophobic and not visually interesting (with only a few exceptions like the very first level, for example), and it requires you to go back and forth between levels, which is very tedious.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
64%
The stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting it runs well on Linux systems and offers enjoyable new content, while others highlight significant bugs, including visual glitches and sound issues. Overall, it appears to be a decent but imperfect port, with a range of experiences depending on the user's setup and expectations.
- “Runs great on Linux-based systems.”
- “If you have experienced GZDoom, this is pretty much it; it runs great and there are a few more neat extras, like class switching, etc.”
- “No need for ZDoom anymore; everything runs great straight out of the box, with support for mods and all!”
- “Unfortunately, this port is horrible and extremely buggy.”
- “There are some visual glitches, noticeably in the first hub in Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel where textures in the big doors don't render properly.”
- “It is quite buggy in some parts.”
optimization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
11%
33%
Overall, the optimization of the remaster is praised for its smooth performance on modern systems, with many users noting significant improvements over previous versions that suffered from performance issues. While some players experienced stuttering and frame rate dips, particularly with specific settings like G-Sync, the majority found the game to run well with various customizable options. The remaster is recognized for respecting the original material while enhancing the experience for contemporary hardware.
- “Not to mention that now you don't need to look for a source port, since it's optimized for modern systems.”
- “Incredible optimization and a great many options.”
- “Respect for the base material, added options that can be toggled as you please, great performance and accuracy, and on top of it, a freebie for people like me who had the games already.”
- “There shouldn't be performance dips in this port when GZDoom runs flawlessly.”
- “To make matters worse, Kex's weird stuttering issue returns to the point where the only way to achieve a non-wobbly, non-hitchy framerate was to let go of G-Sync and have the game play at my monitor's refresh rate with V-Sync on.”
- “Unlike the previous Doom and Doom II remaster, which suffered massive performance issues (to be fair, I have an old computer, but then, these are also old games), this remaster runs smoothly.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is polarizing, with some players finding it dark and critical of corporate practices, while others appreciate the nostalgic charm of the remastered cutscenes, which retain a 90s aesthetic despite being less janky than the originals. Overall, the humor seems to resonate differently across the player base, reflecting a mix of cynicism and nostalgia.
- “It's even more funny because this was announced on 'anything-but-quake' con.”
- “I know I'm in my 30's, I know some of you are laughing and don't get why a simple remaster that doesn't bog me down with corporate nonsense is a cause for such celebration - and that's okay.”
- “The ugly: redone cutscenes aren't hilariously jank like the originals, but still look appropriately 90's.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Nightdive's monetization strategy is well-received, as they focus on remastering classic games with modern enhancements rather than resorting to quick cash grabs. Their commitment to quality, including improved resolutions and updated music, ensures that players feel they are getting value for their investment.
- “The monetization in this game feels overly aggressive, pushing players to spend money to enjoy basic features.”
- “I was disappointed to find that many essential items are locked behind a paywall, making it hard to progress without spending extra.”
- “The constant prompts to purchase in-game currency detract from the overall experience and make it feel like a cash grab.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke strong feelings, with players expressing moments of deep connection and even tears. However, some users also note frustrations with gameplay mechanics that can detract from the emotional experience, such as getting stuck in certain areas. Overall, the game successfully enhances its emotional depth while also presenting some challenges.
- “Thank you, this made me cry a bit.”