HeXen II

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 704 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
HeXen II Game Cover
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HeXen II is a first-person shooter game set in a mystical world filled with dark magic and dangerous creatures. Players can choose from four different character classes, each with unique abilities and weapons, to battle through diverse environments and defeat the evil Serpent Riders. With its challenging gameplay, stealth and puzzle elements, and intense multiplayer mode, HeXen II offers an immersive and thrilling gaming experience.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 704 reviews
gameplay28 positive mentions
grinding18 negative mentions
  • Hexen II features improved graphics and level design compared to its predecessor, making it visually appealing for its time.
  • The game offers a variety of classes, each with unique weapons and abilities, enhancing replayability and gameplay diversity.
  • The atmosphere and soundtrack contribute to an immersive dark fantasy experience, making exploration and combat engaging.
  • The puzzles can be extremely convoluted and frustrating, often requiring a walkthrough to progress, which detracts from the overall experience.
  • The game suffers from bugs and glitches that can hinder gameplay, including issues with enemy AI and progression.
  • The lack of a map and unclear objectives can lead to confusion and excessive backtracking, making navigation tedious.
  • gameplay112 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the core mechanics and class-based combat, while others find it repetitive and bogged down by tedious puzzles and backtracking. The lack of variety in weapons and the increase in enemy health can lead to a grind, detracting from the initial rewarding experience. Overall, while the game offers engaging moments and nostalgic value, it suffers from outdated design elements and gameplay flaws that may frustrate modern players.

    • “The gameplay is classic, great and always fun.”
    • “The gameplay tightens up after this first chapter, however, as two more weapons and more dynamic enemies appear in chapter two, creating more satisfying combat variety that lasts throughout the remainder of the game.”
    • “Lush, colorful graphics, great gameplay, cool puzzles and unique weaponry made this game my favorite entertainment of 1998.”
    • “There's only three weapons per class, which makes gameplay awfully repetitive.”
    • “The gameplay on the other hand can only be improved by uninstalling the game and playing something else.”
    • “There's no mouselook despite the game being full 3D, which makes gameplay a painful experience.”
  • graphics110 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered a significant improvement over its predecessors, showcasing a higher resolution and more expansive levels, yet they remain rooted in the late 90s aesthetic, which may not appeal to modern gamers. While some players appreciate the retro charm and vibrant art style, others criticize the outdated visuals and occasional glitches, suggesting that the graphics, though decent for their time, do not meet contemporary standards. Overall, the game's visuals evoke nostalgia for fans of classic FPS titles, but they may deter those seeking modern graphical fidelity.

    • “The graphics, enemies, environments, music, and movement are all great.”
    • “A vast improvement over its hit and miss prequel, the graphics are excellent for their time (arguably better than Quake's) and the overall flow of the puzzles is much easier to understand than its predecessors.”
    • “Lush, colorful graphics, great gameplay, cool puzzles, and unique weaponry made this game my favorite entertainment of 1998.”
    • “As such, it has improved graphics compared to the older Heretic and Hexen titles, but this is still a game from the late 90s, so don't expect graphics up to modern standards.”
    • “Bought it on sale to do what I couldn't finish as a kid, but the outdated graphics, engine, and still confusing maps turned me off.”
    • “Colors and overall graphic design seem bleak and desolate, which might have been intentional back then, but today it just feels empty and unappealing.”
  • music102 mentions

    The music aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over the absence of the original CD soundtrack in the Steam version, which detracts from the overall experience. While some praise the atmospheric MIDI music and Kevin Schilder's compositions, others recommend using community patches or sourcing the original music files to enhance the game's ambiance. Overall, the soundtrack is noted as a significant element that contributes to the game's atmosphere, but its lack in certain versions is a major drawback.

    • “The full experience containing the music is awesomely moody.”
    • “The atmosphere and level design are good, and Kevin Schilder's soundtrack is once again on point, if not quite as iconic as the original game - reusing a handful of themes from the previous game and also Heretic, as well as some nice new bits.”
    • “The environments and enemies bring a gothic and dark feeling, with a great soundtrack that emphasizes the overall grim atmosphere that the game has.”
    • “You are getting ripped off due to this version not containing the music.”
    • “My only complaint is the lack of the CD soundtrack that came with the game back in the day.”
    • “Let's start with the fact that the Steam release doesn't even include the CD redbook audio music, so you might be better off buying this on GOG, on a sale, if at all.”
  • atmosphere58 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its gothic and dark fantasy elements, enhanced by a strong soundtrack and detailed level design. While many reviewers appreciate the immersive settings and the nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic titles like Hexen and Heretic, some note a decline in atmospheric quality compared to earlier entries in the series. Overall, the game successfully creates a captivating environment, though opinions vary on its execution and consistency throughout gameplay.

    • “Gothic medieval Quake with such a gorgeous atmosphere done in the Quake engine, which level design and atmosphere-wise Raven Software always knocks it out of the park.”
    • “The environments and enemies bring a gothic and dark feeling, with a great soundtrack that emphasizes the overall grim atmosphere that the game has.”
    • “Ultimate atmosphere... even better than Quake in my humble opinion.”
    • “While I still like this game, I unfortunately don't think it is as good as either Hexen 1 or Heretic, both gameplay and atmosphere-wise.”
    • “There is no atmosphere, vague hints (if at all) of what needs to be done to advance, running endless empty hallways from one place to another...”
    • “The whole Heretic/Hexen atmosphere is gone by solely using the Quake engine.”
  • story56 mentions

    The story of Hexen II is often described as convoluted and lacking depth, with many players finding it difficult to engage with the narrative, which revolves around defeating the evil wizard Praevus and the resurrection of the serpent riders. While some appreciate the game's atmosphere and the lore behind its characters, others criticize the reliance on fetch quests and puzzles that detract from the overall experience. Despite its shortcomings, the game is noted for its unique blend of RPG elements and classic FPS gameplay, appealing to those nostalgic for the era.

    • “This is an immortal classic, which for the time of release offers unmatched gameplay, story, and world.”
    • “The story is about the evil wizard Praevus, who wants to resurrect the serpent riders, so - obviously - we cannot let him do that.”
    • “Continuing where the original Hexen left off, this game adds some twists in the medieval storyline, expands the Hexen universe, and provides us gamers with an easily digestible narrative.”
    • “But the storyline is incomprehensible.”
    • “Only bad thing about it is the story and the end boss.”
    • “The last boss kept getting stuck and after I defeated him I was unable to read the story's conclusion.”
  • replayability20 mentions

    The game offers considerable replayability due to its four distinct classes, each with unique weapons, encouraging players to explore different playstyles. While some reviews note issues with controls that affect overall enjoyment, the class system and the game's length provide ample opportunities for replay. Overall, players find it more replayable than its predecessor, despite some criticisms.

    • “There are four playable classes to choose from, which increases replayability considerably.”
    • “It's fun to explore and the fact each class has different weapons gives the game some replay value.”
    • “This adds to replayability and it's already a long game if you don't know the levels and enemies.”
    • “Content/replayability: 4/10”
    • “It was more playable than Hexen 1, but still felt nearly unplayable due to a busted control scheme.”
    • “Content/replayability: 4/10”
  • grinding18 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and frustrating, particularly due to excessive enemy counts and hit sponges that detract from the overall experience. While some players acknowledge improvements in dynamic character classes and engaging gameplay, many still find the progression convoluted and the backtracking burdensome. Overall, the grinding can be seen as a significant drawback, though some believe the investment is ultimately worthwhile.

    • “Very tedious and a pain to run properly.”
    • “Extremely tedious game; stuff that would be described as extremely convoluted secrets elsewhere are considered normal progression here.”
    • “Well, it has to do with how boringly tedious things get with the enemy count and the hit sponges you're faced with, which makes it extremely annoying in the end.”
  • stability14 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches reported, particularly during the last boss fight and in specific gameplay segments like the tic-tac-toe puzzle. Players have expressed frustration over the need for troubleshooting and reliance on third-party solutions, detracting from the overall experience despite the game's appealing graphics.

    • “I shouldn't have to do so much troubleshooting, jump through dozens of hoops, and rely on sketchy third-party aid just because the people putting these games up on stores are too lazy to do a proper job in the first place.”
    • “The difficulty and the frustration of that Egypt hub ruined the game a bit for me, and you also have the bugs and glitches throughout the game.”
    • “Boy, was that buggy.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization of Hexen has been criticized as a cheap and lazy cash grab, with reviewers expressing disappointment over the game's incomplete version.

    • “As much as it pains me to leave Hexen a bad review, sadly this is just another cheap, lazy cash grab port and an incomplete version of the game.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is criticized for its simplicity, relying on a basic system of experience gain through combat that only enhances health and mana capacity. The limited diversity among character classes further detracts from a deeper, more engaging development experience.

    • “I'm not talking about four diverse character classes (two beaters, a swift-but-fragile assassin and a ranged, wimpy necromancer) or a very simple character development system that consists of killing enemies, gaining experience, leveling up, and just being able to hold more health and mana at the same time. It's as basic as it gets.”
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