Heretic plus Hexen

Heretic + Hexen is a PC dark-fantasy first-person shooter bundle combining two spell-driven classics with modern controls, widescreen presentation, cross-platform multiplayer, community mod support, and two new episodes. The current storefront name is Heretic + Hexen; the older Heretic + Hexen Pack Collection that grouped the original games with Hexen II is no longer sold as a separate bundle.

The enhanced package is developed by id Software and Nightdive Studios, published by Bethesda Softworks, and preserves the original Raven Software design while adding quality-of-life features for current PC players. It is best understood as a complete dark-fantasy FPS collection rather than a conventional remaster with a single campaign.

Two Different Kinds of Fantasy Shooter

Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders is the more direct of the two games. From a first-person perspective, you move through cursed castles, wilderness areas, and corrupted strongholds while combining magic weapons, conventional movement, environmental switches, and an inventory of usable artifacts.

Its combat is built around weapon selection and resource timing. The inventory system lets you save items for dangerous encounters instead of activating every power-up immediately, while the Tome of Power temporarily changes the behavior of weapons. Enemies attack from open rooms, corridors, ledges, and ambush positions, so movement and spatial awareness matter as much as raw firepower.

Hexen: Beyond Heretic takes the same foundation in a more complex direction. You can play as the Fighter, Cleric, or Mage, with each class using its own weapons and encouraging a different approach to range, damage, and crowd control. The game also introduces a more interconnected structure built around hubs, locked routes, teleporters, switches, and return trips through previously visited areas.

That makes Hexen less like a sequence of straightforward shooting galleries and more like a combat-focused exploration game. Its hub-based level design, environmental puzzles, and backtracking are central to the experience. Players who enjoy dark fantasy action with a heavier emphasis on navigation may prefer Hexen, while Heretic offers the cleaner introduction to the bundle's magic-based FPS combat.

Included Campaigns and New Content

The package includes Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders, Hexen: Beyond Heretic, and Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel. It also adds Heretic: Faith Renewed and Hexen: Vestiges of Grandeur, two new episodes created through collaboration between members of id Software and Nightdive Studios.

Across the included campaigns and multiplayer content, the collection contains 117 campaign maps and 120 deathmatch maps. This is not a short retro sampler. The content is organized around replayable level mastery, secrets, combat encounters, exploration, and learning how each campaign handles its weapons, enemies, and progression.

Existing owners of the original Heretic and Hexen releases on supported PC storefronts receive the enhanced collection as a free upgrade. The original versions remain separately accessible on Steam and GOG, which matters to players who want the unmodified DOS-era editions alongside the modernized release. Original save files are not compatible with the enhanced version, so returning players should treat it as a separate game build.

Combat, Classes, and Exploration

Both games use vertical aiming, interactive environments, magic ammunition, and inventory items to expand on the early FPS formula. The action remains fast, but success is not only about holding the trigger. You need to recognize enemy behavior, manage health and ammunition, select the right weapon, and decide when a consumable is worth spending.

Hexen's class system changes the feel of the entire campaign. The Fighter favors close-range pressure, the Cleric provides a more balanced toolkit, and the Mage relies on a more fragile but potent style of magical combat. The class choice affects weapons, pacing, and preferred engagement distance rather than functioning as a modern skill-tree build.

The enhanced release also includes a game balance toggle, allowing players to switch between original and enhanced gameplay behavior where supported. Quick save and load functions, improved map readability, and modern interface options reduce some of the friction associated with the original versions without turning the campaigns into a guided experience.

PC Features and Multiplayer

PC players receive keyboard and mouse support, modern controller support, remappable controls, widescreen support, and a weapon carousel designed for faster controller-based weapon changes. Supported PC controllers include Xbox controllers, DualShock 4, DualSense, and Nintendo Switch Pro controllers. XInput-compatible third-party pads should also work, although some may require manual button mapping.

The collection supports online co-op and deathmatch for up to 16 players with cross-platform play, as well as local split-screen for up to eight players on PC. LAN multiplayer is also listed on the Steam edition. Single-player campaigns and local multiplayer can be played offline, while online multiplayer and the in-game mod browser require an online connection.

A Bethesda.net account is required for online multiplayer and for browsing or uploading community mods. PC mod uploading is supported, giving players a built-in route into the WAD-based editing culture that has surrounded these games for decades. The enhanced release also includes the Raven Vault, a gallery of development material such as concept art and unused sprites.

Audio options are unusually important here. Players can switch between the original MIDI and FM Synth music composed by Kevin Schilder and the enhanced Tome of Power soundtrack by Andrew Hulshult. Accessibility options cover interface readability, contrast, screen effects, text-to-speech, chat assistance, and input remapping. Text and interface support includes English, French, Italian, German, Castilian Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.

Who Should Play Heretic + Hexen?

This collection suits players who want old-school FPS combat with a fantasy setting, inventory management, class-based weapons, secret hunting, and levels that expect active exploration. It is also a strong choice for groups looking for cooperative campaigns or cross-platform deathmatch without abandoning the structure of classic map-based shooters.

It is less suitable for players who want a modern cover shooter, a persistent character progression system, or a linear campaign with constant objective markers. Hexen in particular expects patience with switches, hub routes, and revisiting earlier spaces. The experience rewards observation and memory more than speedrunning every room on a first attempt.

Where It Fits Among PC Shooters

Heretic + Hexen occupies a distinct space between conventional boomer shooters and action RPG design. Its dark fantasy weapons, vertical aiming, and arena combat connect it to the lineage of gothic first-person shooters such as Quake Enhanced Edition, but its inventory items and class distinctions give it a different rhythm.

Players coming from modern arena combat may also recognize some of the aggressive movement and resource cycling found in high-intensity demon shooters like DOOM Eternal, although Heretic + Hexen is more methodical in its exploration and far less focused on upgrade trees or scripted combat arenas. The closest comparison is therefore not a direct clone, but a shared family resemblance shaped by movement, enemy prioritization, and weapon mastery.

Heretic + Hexen FAQ

What is the current official name of the game?

The current storefront name is Heretic + Hexen. Older digital bundles called Heretic + Hexen Pack Collection are no longer available for new purchase, although previous owners retain access to their original games and the enhanced upgrade.

What games are included?

The package includes Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders, Hexen: Beyond Heretic, Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel, Heretic: Faith Renewed, and Hexen: Vestiges of Grandeur.

Does Heretic + Hexen include co-op?

Yes. Online co-op supports cross-platform play for up to 16 players, while PC supports local split-screen co-op for up to eight players. LAN multiplayer is also available on the Steam version.

Is Hexen still class-based?

Yes. Hexen: Beyond Heretic includes the Fighter, Cleric, and Mage classes. Each class has distinct weapons and encourages a different combat range and playstyle.

Does the PC version support mods?

Yes. The collection includes an in-game community mod browser, and PC players can upload compatible mods after signing into a Bethesda.net account.

Can I play the original versions?

Yes. Steam provides the original versions through launch options, while GOG includes the original DOS versions separately. The enhanced edition should be treated as a separate build because original save files do not transfer.