🧙♂️ Hexen: Beyond Heretic – Three heroes against the last Serpent Riders.
Hexen: Beyond Heretic is the direct sequel to Heretic and expands the popular fantasy FPS formula with a dark atmosphere, magical weapons, and brutal enemies. Released in 1995 and developed by Raven Software (using the Doom II engine), Hexen delivers a much more advanced and challenging gameplay experience.
Here you can play as one of three unique character classes — Fighter, Cleric, or Mage — each with its own playstyle and arsenal. Together (or solo) you face the two remaining Serpent Riders who seek to conquer the world. It’s darker, bloodier, and more complex than any other fantasy FPS of its time.
⚔️ Three classes, three playstyles
Choosing your class is central in Hexen:
- Fighter – strong melee, high resilience
- Cleric – a mid-range class with support and area attacks
- Mage – weak in melee, but deadly at range with powerful magic
This creates excellent replay value and forces you to adapt your tactics and playstyle based on who you choose.
🌀 Gameplay and structure
Hexen stands out with:
- Hub-based worlds where you travel back and forth between areas
- Puzzle solving and backtracking to activate keys and portals
- An inventory system with power-ups, health, and magical artifacts
- More advanced enemies with unique attack patterns
It’s still a first-person shooter, but with more puzzle elements and progression that demand attention and exploration.
🖤 Atmosphere and graphics
Hexen is darker than Heretic:
- Gothic environments, shadowy catacombs, grim temples
- The graphics are nicely upgraded and more detailed than in Heretic
- Music and sound effects build an intense, foreboding mood
The environmental design and effects are impressive — especially by 90s FPS standards.
🕹️ Multiplayer and accessibility
Hexen offers:
- Single-player and co-op multiplayer via LAN/modem
- PvP options in deathmatch
- Playable via DOSBox, and also via GZDoom for modern graphics and controls
Easy to jump into today — and still incredibly satisfying.
Download Hexen – Beyond Heretic