Heretic + Hexen Gets a Surprise Re-Release At this time: How Nightdive Studios Delivered Another Definitive Version of a Classic

The FPS growth of the ’90s gave us a humiliation of riches when a number of soon-to-be-iconic franchises started to take form — and gaming hasn’t been the identical since. Alongside video games like DOOM, Wolfenstein 3D, and Quake, Heretic, and Hexen helped lay the groundwork for a budding style that has solely grown in reputation since.

Over the previous few years, id Software program and Bethesda have partnered with Nightdive Studios to revisit many of these classics with a stage of care and a focus to element that makes returning to those video games immensely pleasant experiences, each as a participant and as an interactive piece of gaming preservation. Nightdive’s latest restorations of the wonderful DOOM I + II, Quake II, and most just lately System Shock 2: twenty fifth Anniversary Remaster, give the sensation of a studio cementing their status for creating definitive variations of some actually iconic video games.

Now they’ve turned their consideration to 2 extra video games which are rooted deeply in id’s wealthy legacy with the re-release of Heretic + Hexen, introduced at QuakeCon 2025 and accessible in the present day throughout a selection of platforms, together with Xbox One, Xbox Collection X|S, Xbox PC, with help for Xbox Play Anyplace and with Recreation Move.

Initially launched in 1994 and 1995 respectively, developed by Raven Software program and produced by id Software program, Heretic and Hexen turned important items of gaming historical past, particularly inside the FPS style. By pioneering options reminiscent of a listing system, the flexibility to lookup and down, ambient sound results, and plenty of others, each video games would obtain essential acclaim and, later, a cult-like standing amongst followers of the style. They set themselves other than the remainder of the style by dabbling with excessive fantasy themes, inserting enchanted staves in our arms, and letting us battle undead knights and different nefarious beings.

Quick ahead to in the present day, and the Heretic + Hexen enhanced re-release options all that authentic ingenuity, bolstered by a great quantity of enhancements and new options. First off, efficiency has been improved, with as much as 4K decision and 120 FPS on supported {hardware}, plus a selection of texture enhancements. The sport additionally delivers a remixed soundtrack created by Andrew Hulshult (DOOM + DOOM II, DOOM Everlasting: The Historic Gods elements One and Two, Quake Champions), in-game help for community-published mods, native split-screen for as much as 4 or 8 gamers, relying on platform, and on-line crossplay multiplayer help for as much as 16 gamers. For the gaming historical past buffs, a bunch of behind-the-scenes content material is obtainable so that you can discover the event journey of Heretic + Hexen. And maybe finest of all, people from Nightdive and id Software program have collaborated to create two brand-new episodes to play by: Heretic: Religion Renewed and Hexen: Vestiges of Grandier.

To study extra concerning the work Nightdive Studios put into restoring Heretic + Hexen, we talked with Studio Head Stephen Kick, and Builders Matthew Tropiano and Jaemen Moore about bringing these classics again to life, what new options they’ve applied, and what new issues they’ve cooked up.

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What has it been wish to revisit these two iconic first-person shooters, Heretic and Hexen, in spite of everything these years?

Studio Head Stephen Kick: Revisiting Hexen and Heretic has been each a nostalgic journey and a technical problem in one of the simplest ways potential. It’s extremely rewarding to present longtime followers a devoted expertise that performs the best way they keep in mind it — and to introduce a new technology to the arcane magic and brutal problem of these cult classics.

For individuals who could not have performed them, or maybe even heard of them, are you able to describe these video games?

Kick: Heretic and Hexen are darkish fantasy first-person shooters initially developed by Raven Software program [and published by id Software] within the mid-’90s, utilizing the DOOM engine as a basis — however they carved out a very completely different identification. As a substitute of shotguns and area marines, you’re wielding enchanted staves, throwing fireballs, and battling undead knights, serpent riders, and demonic cults in gothic, otherworldly environments.

Collectively, they helped outline what a darkish fantasy FPS might be — mixing the visceral motion of DOOM with the environment and mechanics you’d count on from a Dungeons & Dragons marketing campaign. They’re cult classics for a purpose, and revisiting them now provides a probability to expertise that distinctive mix of magic, menace, and mayhem with a recent coat of paint.

Is there something in these video games that you simply’d wish to see in trendy titles?

Kick: Completely. One of probably the most hanging issues about Heretic and Hexen is how daring they had been in experimenting with mechanics that had been approach forward of their time. Hexen particularly took actual dangers: non-linear hub worlds, character courses with distinctive playstyles, persistent development between ranges, and environmental puzzles that required precise commentary and reminiscence. It requested gamers to interact with the world, not simply run and gun by it.

We’d like to see extra trendy titles embrace that sort of design confidence — trusting gamers to get a little misplaced, assume critically, and uncover issues by exploration as an alternative of hand-holding. There’s additionally a sure tone these video games nailed: that grim, arcane, virtually oppressive environment, the place the world feels historical, cursed, and alive in a approach that’s uncommon even in the present day. Extra video games may gain advantage from that sort of worldbuilding, the place the setting isn’t simply a backdrop however a character in itself.

So sure, whereas the trade has advanced in superb methods, there are classes in Heretic and Hexen which are nonetheless extremely related — about inventive risk-taking, environmental storytelling, and treating your viewers with respect.

What are some of your favourite reminiscences from taking part in the unique video games, and what was it wish to revisit these moments with these enhanced re-releases?

Kick: The very first thing I keep in mind about Heretic is the unimaginable field artwork illustration from [legendary fantasy artist] BROM! That picture of Corvus blasting a gap by a skeletal warrior with an arcane bolt actually painted a image of what was to return. I put in a shareware copy and was instantly impressed by the artwork route. The oppressive environment, darkish, winding corridors, and gothic structure all labored seamlessly collectively to create a foreboding dread I discovered charming.

One second that all the time caught with me was the primary time I picked up the Phoenix Rod in Heretic. You go from flinging magic projectiles to unleashing this fire-spewing workers that simply melts enemies — and it felt so highly effective, such as you’d uncovered an historical weapon meant only for you. Or in Hexen, that second you notice the degrees are all interconnected by a hub, and also you’re not simply shifting ahead — you’re circling again, fixing puzzles, and unlocking new paths. It felt revolutionary on the time — and truthfully, it nonetheless holds up in the present day.

What had been some of your favourite or notable moments through the improvement of these restorations?

Developer Matthew Tropiano: One of my favourite moments from doing these  was attending to revisit a lot of the maps in Heretic and Hexen and seeing what might be improved from the bottom recreation. In Hexen, we had been capable of put collectively a waypoint system of kinds on the automap in order that gamers have an concept of what to do subsequent in case they get misplaced. Loads of effort went into making that system a actuality, so hopefully it helps at the very least a few gamers! Planning and creating a brand-new episode for Hexen was additionally a main spotlight for me. I believe gamers will take pleasure in being challenged by a model new hub with cool new areas and locations to discover.

Developer Jaemen Moore: A elegant-up model of Heretic’s authentic maps is one thing I’ve needed to see for ages — type of a extra absolutely realized imaginative and prescient of what the unique builders had in thoughts with their incredible locales (e.g. doubling down on the aquatic/ocean theme for the Dome of D’Sparil episode). I even began a facet venture a few years again to make that dream a actuality… after which this venture occurred, and I bought the prospect to make it for actual. Surreal.

Nightdive Studios’ work on FPS remasters, and recreation preservation typically, has been extremely spectacular just lately, from Darkish Forces to System Shock and of course your work throughout DOOM I & II. What are some of the important thing learnings you’re taking from these improvement experiences right here to Heretic + Hexen?

Tropiano: For me, a lot of what remastering is about is the query of hanging the suitable steadiness between what to alter and what to protect. For Heretic + Hexen, we added a lot of new textures and graphics to Heretic that helped flesh out its locales, whereas additionally giving the neighborhood extra sources to work with when creating new content material. For Hexen, most of the modifications targeted on gameplay enhancements. Gamers can nonetheless play the unique video games sans modifications in the event that they need to, however we really feel that what we modified improves the expertise of these titles.

Moore: The improved re-release of Quake II proved that it’s value taking the time to see if the core gameplay might be improved, because the modifications had been acquired very nicely. Thankfully, that is one of these “have your cake and eat it too” moments — the unique maps and gameplay balancing might be re-enabled by way of menu choices, so people may expertise it because it was again within the day.

The unique video games had been foundational within the FPS style, with included options like stock methods, climate occasions, ambient sound, having the ability to lookup and down, and extra. Are you bringing any extra tweaks right here to refine these distinctive options additional?

Tropiano: For probably the most half, merely elucidating the aim of the stock objects at first look and permitting the participant to all the time lookup and down with trendy controls will profit the expertise fairly a bit. Being considerably cryptic was a hallmark of mid-’90s gameplay, however a lot of that limitation was attributable to what I really feel was potential with the expertise and sensibilities that had been prevalent on the time.

Moore: One of the most important additions we made to Hexen is including the flexibility to alter participant characters mid-game (by way of the Hexen Chronicle, a magic tome you’ll find in every fundamental hub map). It’s a easy addition, nevertheless it works wonders in apply. Every character performs very in a different way, and now you can play as all three over the course of the sport, quite than being restricted to simply the identical loadout for its entirety.

Might you discuss any of the extra high quality of life and accessibility updates you’re bringing right here to those enhanced re-releases?

Tropiano: Positive! We’ve added a trendy font choice to the sport to make textual content simpler to learn for gamers who’ve issue with the unique pixel font, together with a high-contrast mode for textual content. Gamers even have the flexibility to cut back some of the extra intense results and colours within the recreation.

Moore: The automap waypoint system is value one other shout-out right here. We’ve fastened up a few of the extra obtuse elements of the extent design, if that fails, the automap is there to deliver you again on monitor. Or you’ll be able to change waypoints off by way of menu possibility in the event you’d desire to navigate the old school approach.

I perceive there’s going to be an ‘enhanced soundtrack’ right here as nicely. Is that going to be alongside the strains of what we noticed with the soundtrack in DOOM I & II? Might you speak a little bit concerning the work that went into creating this enhanced Soundtrack?

Moore: Yup, precisely! Andrew Hulshult is again with a brand-new set of remixes, overlaying each single music monitor in each video games. Calling it a “remix” isn’t even actually doing them justice, just like the compositions are insane (the spooky bells at the start of Mist, the monitor utilized in Heretic’s map The Cathedral, provides me chills each time). From our facet, the method was to simply sit again and let him work his magic, and the outcomes converse for themselves. Gamers can choose into the unique soundtrack, of course, however we’ve put the brand new tracks front-and-center ‘trigger they rattling nicely deserve it.

Might you share some extra particulars about what the 2 brand-new episodes shall be, how they happened, and any notable designers in the neighborhood you labored with right here? Have any members of the unique improvement workforce assisted right here?

Tropiano: There have been stage designers (together with myself) that needed to work on one thing new for Heretic and Hexen. Kaiser (Sam Villareal) took level on the Heretic episode, whereas I dealt with the Hexen episode. We each enlisted the assistance of neighborhood member Not Jabba, in addition to Heretic + Hexen lead Xaser Acheron for map design, and artist Arthur Biver for added graphic work. As for the unique builders — at the very least in my case — they “assisted” not directly by inspiring some of the areas within the new episodes. We stand on the shoulders of giants, in spite of everything!

Moore: The brand new Heretic episode, Religion Renewed, options a ton of new textures and even a couple of new monsters (the Draugr and the Troll) based mostly on unused art work unearthed from the Vault. So, in a approach, we did collaborate with the unique Raven artists by time. It all the time amazes me how a lot gold there’s to seek out in these previous dev sources, and I’m psyched we had been capable of assist deliver some of this unseen artwork again to life.

Why was it essential so that you can launch these remasters with help for Group-Revealed Mods on day one?

Tropiano: Whereas we’ve got a lot of expertise on our facet for the remasters, there’s a lot of expertise on the market for folks to discover exterior of our purview. We would like as a lot entry to that work as potential, and it helps maintain these video games alive with recent content material to play!

Moore: It’s additionally value noting that we had been capable of carry over fairly a few modding options from DOOM + DOOM II to this venture, since Heretic and Hexen are constructed upon the identical engine. Mods are a large half of what has saved these video games alive for many years, and delivery with out modding options wouldn’t solely have been a large step backwards, however we might’ve truly had to return and take away options if we didn’t need them to ship.

The inclusion of behind-the-scenes content material is a welcome addition for recreation historical past/preservation. Is there something in there that you simply had been notably excited to incorporate, or something notable segments that you simply need to ensure readers take a look at?

Tropiano: For me, a lot of the Vault content material I discover fascinating is the idea art work and the graphics of props and different objects that didn’t make it within the authentic video games. Whether or not that was attributable to not discovering locations for them, or they had been minimize for time, who is aware of? Both approach, I believe there shall be a lot of Vault content material that each gamers and the neighborhood discover fascinating.

Moore: It’s all the time a bit shocking what number of “production-quality” belongings find yourself on the reducing room ground over the course of a recreation’s improvement cycle (attributable to altering designs, deadlines, and so forth), and I’ve been fascinated by the idea ever since discovering the previous alpha variations of DOOM. I’m tremendous excited that we bought one other probability to not solely launch these belongings by way of the Vault but additionally incorporate many of them into each the brand new Religion Renewed episode and the retextures of the unique Heretic ranges.

The shadow-drop throughout so many platforms, from Xbox to Change and Cloud, suddenly will need to have been an thrilling and daunting prospect. How did your workforce strategy this problem, and why select QuakeCon to make this occur?

Kick: The Nightdive workforce is all the time up for a problem, and because of our familiarity with the id Tech engine powering each Hexen and Heretic, we had been past ready. This shall be our fourth shadow drop at QuakeCon, which has change into an annual occasion for our workforce to return collectively and rejoice one other stellar collaboration with Bethesda and id Software program.

Heretic + Hexen is obtainable in the present day for Xbox One, Xbox Collection X|S and Xbox PC (as an Xbox Play Anyplace title, and accessible with Recreation Move) in addition to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Change, Steam, GOG, and cloud streaming providers.

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