Grab your Ethereal Crossbows and ready your spells, retro FPS fans! In a move that sent shockwaves through the classic gaming community overnight, Nightdive Studios and id Software have surprise-released a stunning remastered bundle of the legendary 90s dark fantasy shooters, Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders and Hexen: Beyond Heretic. The bundle, officially titled "Heretic & Hexen: The Return to Shadow", landed digitally on PC (Steam, GOG), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4 just after midnight Pacific Time on August 8th.
This isn't just a simple port. Nightdive, renowned for their meticulous work on classics like System Shock and Turok, has worked their magic again. Both games have been rebuilt using their powerful KEX Engine, delivering significant visual and technical enhancements while fiercely preserving the core, fast-paced gameplay that defined a generation.
What to expect from the remasters:
- Stunning Visuals: Experience the gothic castles, eerie dungeons, and nightmarish realms of Parthoris and Cronos like never before. Expect high-resolution textures, dynamic lighting, anti-aliasing, and modern post-processing effects – all while maintaining the original games' distinct, dark atmosphere.
- Buttery Smooth Gameplay: Rock-solid performance targeting 120 FPS on capable systems and consoles, eliminating the choppiness of the original DOS releases.
- Modern Comforts: Enjoy widescreen support, modern gamepad compatibility with fully customizable controls, an intuitive UI refresh, and accessibility options.
- Enhanced Multiplayer (Hexen): The beloved (and often chaotic) 4-player co-op and deathmatch modes of Hexen are fully restored and enhanced for modern online play.
- Faithful Preservation: Crucially, the core gameplay, level layouts, enemy behaviors, and weapon feel remain untouched. This is the authentic Heretic and Hexen experience, polished to a brilliant sheen.
- All Expansions Included: Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders includes the original episodes plus the expansion content.
The announcement came not with months of hype, but with a thrilling, immediate release. Check out the official announcement details and trailer right here:
- Official Xbox Wire Announcement: https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2025/08/07/heretic-hexen-surprise-release-today/
- Launch Trailer (Bethesda Softworks UK): http://youtube.com/watch?v=IheADxVkpI4&ab_channel=BethesdaSoftworksUK
For many gamers who cut their teeth on these atmospheric, magic-and-steel shooters, this release is a dream come true. Heretic (1994), often seen as the fantasy counterpart to DOOM (also developed by id), introduced verticality, inventory items, and distinct character classes via its expansion. Hexen (1995) expanded the formula dramatically with hub-based level design, three unique character classes (Fighter, Cleric, Mage), environmental puzzles, and a darker, more complex narrative.
"Heretic and Hexen hold a special place in the pantheon of first-person shooters," said a Nightdive Studios spokesperson in the official release. "They dared to be different, blending fantasy lore with id's signature action. Bringing them back with the care and technical excellence they deserve has been a passion project for our team, and we're thrilled to finally share it with fans old and new."
The "Heretic & Hexen: The Return to Shadow" bundle is available now for $24.99, offering both complete, remastered games. Whether you're a nostalgic veteran eager to revisit the dark corridors of your youth or a curious newcomer ready to experience these influential classics for the first time, Nightdive and id Software have delivered an unexpected and incredibly welcome gift to the gaming world. The shadows of Serpent Riders and Korax have never looked – or played – better.
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