Man, 1994 and 1995 were wild times for games! Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders and its buddy, Hexen: Beyond Heretic, really shook things up in the FPS world, didn’t they? The whole “Heretic + Hexen” thing going on now with id Software and Nightdive Studios—it’s like seeing a couple of old friends dressed up for a comeback tour.
Oh, and speaking of old-school vibes, there’s this rad video floating around (totally check it out if you haven’t—it’s a nostalgia trip), about revamping these legendary titles. Now, I remember playing these back in the day, slaying monsters and dashing through creepy, trap-filled corridors. Those were the times when your heart raced like a hamster on a wheel every time a door creaked open.
And get this—Brian Raffel, one of the original dudes from Raven Software, finds it all pretty surreal. He talks about the crazy stuff they experimented with on the Doom engine. Like, they were tossing around vertical aiming and character classes like confetti! His fondness for those days is tangible, almost like you can feel a tear of nostalgia rolling down his face.
I remember stumbling through monster-ridden hallways, thinking to myself, “Why do these things always jump out at the worst times?” And let’s not forget—Mike Rubits from id Software reminisces about the fantasy elements in these games. Maces and wands in a world where everyone’s talking sci-fi? Bold move, fellas. But it stuck—kind of like that one catchy song you keep humming without realizing.
Character classes in Hexen? Thanks, Romero! It turned out to be this crazy mix of FPS and RPG that just clicked. I kept getting into these intense moments where choosing the wrong class made me feel, well, a bit like a headless chicken. But it was the fun part, right? The blend of different playstyles kept the world feeling rich and intricate. People still adore that today, maybe because it felt kind of like assembling a wonky, magical jigsaw puzzle.
Anyway, about Heretic + Hexen now. Wow, local split-screen, cross-platform online multiplayer… the works! You can even toggle that “Tome of Power” soundtrack and dive into archives at the Raven Vault. Plus, they’ve thrown in new episodes—“Faith Renewed” and “Vestigues of Grandeur”—crafted with such passion. Thinking of making maps for fun, like what Samuel Villarreal did, sounds like a dream job, honestly. It’s amazing how the developers just dove deep, almost magically pulling maps out of their hats.
So, for those returning to Cronos or entering its shadowy corridors for the first time, you’re in for quite a journey. The folks at Raven Software, id Software, and Nightdive Studios are passing on the torch, really. Raffel even gives a shout-out to fans, old and new. It’s the community vibes that keep it all lively, you know? Imagine keeping a world alive with sheer enthusiasm.
And hey, Heretic + Hexen is available right now for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. Go snag it if you’re up for some retro FPS fun. Thanks to the team’s efforts, it’s like unearthing an old treasure chest—only to find its contents gleaming brighter than ever.
