Hexen

Developer: Raven Software (PC Original), Software Creations (Port) Publisher: GT Interactive

Released: May 31, 1997 Rated: M 6/10

Hexen joins the ranks of fellow Id Software shooters Doom and Quake on the N64 in between each’s respective release, though sadly we have more of a barebones port for the dark fantasy shooter than the original or console optimized titles surrounding it. The second title in the Heretic franchise (the original subtitle was “Beyond Heretic”), Hexen has players choosing from one of three classes — fighter, cleric, or mage — to determine their proficiencies and play style before diving into a labyrinthian mix of boomer shooter and edgy DnD campaign to take down Korax, the second of the three serpent riders that serve as the big bads of each game in the trilogy.

Although the medieval framework and the initial choice among classes suggests something like a role-playing game, Hexen’s gameplay, built on a modified Doom engine, is pure boomer shooter, through and through. In fact, it might be one of the most extreme representations of the style altogether. With rapid, head-on-a-swivel combat taking place through a deluge of claustrophobic corridors and rooms with a variety of weapons meant to put the fear of god in swarms of demonic enemies, the adrenaline rush of Blood, Quake, and classic Dooms is certainly present here with a fresh look and flavor to it. At the same time, though, it’s such an intense representation of those same titles, mechanically – maze-like level design, countless inherent pitfalls and dangers to keep aware of mid-firefight, and keys, keys, constantly searching for keys!

Hexen’s M-rating is a strong sign that the dark and grimy side of fantasy is openly embraced, giving it an extra kick of flavor beyond the usual swords and sorcery.

Levels are set up as smaller branches off of a series of five hub areas to return to after reaching the end and retrieving the progression item from each one. This does give a little open-endedness in which order players want to tackle each level within a hub, but ultimately the labyrinthian maps in and of themselves can feel a bit tiring and confusing. Fans of the genre can certainly see this as a positive as the boomer shooter style prides itself on such tropes, but if you’re weary of this style, Hexen is only going to feel worse due to its less linear level organization.

Healing items are plentiful on lower difficulties, but a room full of enemies can drop the number down to nothing in an instant.

While the DNA of Hexen might be a little familiar, however, the aforementioned flavor really does give a solid reason to pop this one in your N64 instead of Duke Nukem or Doom. While either of those sprite-based shooters might feel like a slightly stronger experience, depending on your preferences, Hexen’s flavor is a huge hit and can provide a refreshing change from even the best 3D FPS titles on the console, like Turok and Goldeneye. If you’re tired of the classic shotgun, machine gun, pulse rifle rotation in other games, the arsenal of items and weaponry in Hexen, ranging from braindead maces and peashooter magic wands to plasmid-like lightning magic and soulcleaving enchanted swords and axes will definitely give you a jolt, even as they behave like your classic guns and operate on a constant supply of ammunition (“mana”) for ranged or special attacks. The same goes for vital power ups and items like the flight-granting Wings of Wrath and the crowd-dispersing Banishment Device. There is something of a (literal) double-edged sword with the pseudo-variety of initial class options, though, as each of the three characters mainly just has access to their own four weapons, effectively dividing the arsenal by three on each playthrough, while encouraging repeat plays to try each one. And while many fellow shooters do offer something pretty close in terms of a bestiary with demons, zombies, pig cops, and menacing-looking aliens, Hexen does still have its highlights in enemy design with serpents and minotaurs joining the ranks of monsters that all have quite memorable sprite design.

Utilizing the cheat menu to have a more open-ended romp is certainly recommended after your first few brutal deaths.

An intentionally difficult and grinding experience ported competently to the N64 by Software Creations, Hexen is another of the system’s 1997 offerings that prove that while the system desperately needed more games to reach shelves, many third-party offerings were still a little late to be truly effective at filling out the library with meaningful titles. Being ported almost two years after its initial PC release in late 1995, and even a few months later still than its PS1 and Saturn releases, the N64 port is certainly superior to its console competitors, but still less impressive than Turok: Dinosaur Hunter or Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, let alone games like Goldeneye 007 or Star Fox 64 still to come over the course of that summer.

Having a better frame rate (still not great but at least fairly consistent), sprite work, scenery, lighting and overall just a much better graphical effort than other console versions developed by Probe Entertainment was certainly a plus for the N64, though. And while it unsurprisingly lacks FMV or audio quality of any CD version, it does at least retain the co-operative and multiplayer deathmatch modes from the PC for another plus on the N64’s port. Fans of the genre may already be familiar with the Heretic trilogy and arguably its most prolific entry here, but if it’s one that you haven’t tried yet, the N64 will deliver a strong representation with little to no dilution of the source material and is worth picking up.

Continuing Legacy

The trilogy concluded with the 3D-rendered Hexen II on PC in late 1997, with a fourth game, Heretic II, released in 1998 with a third-person perspective. As a derivative of Doom, it doesn’t hold any particular direct influence on the FPS genre not also shared by similar titles, but it’s well-remembered as a whole. Raven Software currently toils in the Call of Duty mines, though their resume boasts such impressive titles as Soldier of Fortune, the X-Men Legends/Marvel Ultimate Alliance series, Star Wars: Jedi Knight II and Jedi Academy, and X-Men Origins Wolverine before being relegated to assistant work after being acquired by Activision in 2010.