gamesbriefs
10:22in productionCh. 1 · Choose Your Weapon, Then Your Weakness/ 10:22 · ceiling 15 min
Shooter · RPG

Hexen: Beyond Heretic

Raven Software · 1995

Hexen doesn’t let you play the same game twice—but it won’t tell you why each class matters until you’ve already died trying.

Hexen: Beyond Heretic is a 1995 first-person shooter with action-adventure and action role-playing elements. It is the second entry in the 'Serpent Riders' trilogy. It is set in the dark fantasy world of Silverspring. It runs on a modified Doom engine.

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Chapters & takeaways4
  1. 1:19
    Choose Your Weapon, Then Your Weakness

    Your class isn’t cosmetic—it defines your movement speed, durability, weapon range, and how items behave.

  2. 2:47
    One Object, Three Rules

    A single item can poison, freeze, or ignite depending on who picks it up.

  3. 4:32
    Hubs Are Puzzles, Not Checkpoints

    You don’t advance by killing bosses—you advance by solving geography.

  4. 6:16
    Silverspring Is a Machine, Not a Mood

    It’s a fantasy FPS that treats setting as infrastructure—not backdrop.

Worth your time?

Yes. Play the whole thing.

3.5/ 5
What works
  • Class choice is consequential from minute one.
  • Hub-based progression forces deliberate revisiting and environmental reading.
  • Inventory manipulation and item-class interactions deepen engagement with objects.
  • Vertical looking and jumping expand spatial awareness beyond Doom’s flat plane.
What does not
  • The hub structure creates backtracking without strong spatial memory aids.
  • Class differentiation fades in later levels where enemy density and damage output overwhelm tactical nuance.
  • The modified Doom engine imposes hard limits: no true 3D geometry, no dynamic lighting, no verticality beyond simple elevation changes.
  • Combat lacks moment-to-moment responsiveness—aiming is coarse, hit registration opaque, and enemy behaviour rigid.
Play it if
  • players who value mechanical specificity over polish
  • players who enjoy replaying a game to test class synergies
  • players who accept 1995 technical constraints as part of the design language
Skip it if
  • players who require intuitive progression
  • players who require consistent feedback
  • players whose combat expectations are built for reflex rather than preparation
The written brief2 min read

What the game is

Hexen: Beyond Heretic is a 1995 first-person shooter with action-adventure and action role-playing elements. It is the second entry in the ‘Serpent Riders’ trilogy. It is set in the dark fantasy world of Silverspring. It runs on a modified Doom engine.

How it actually plays

You choose one of three classes at the start: Fighter, Cleric, or Mage. Each moves and fights differently. The Fighter is tough and fast, uses melee weapons, and excels in close quarters. The Mage is slow and fragile, relies on long-range spells, and struggles in tight spaces. The Cleric balances both. Items like the flechette behave differently per class. You navigate hub levels that connect to side levels. Progress requires returning to hubs to activate switches, collect keys, and solve multi-step puzzles. You look up and down. You jump. You manipulate an inventory.

What works

Class choice is consequential from minute one. The Fighter’s speed and resilience, the Mage’s spell variety, and the Cleric’s hybrid toolkit create distinct play sessions. Hub-based progression forces deliberate revisiting and environmental reading. Inventory manipulation and item-class interactions deepen engagement with objects. Vertical looking and jumping expand spatial awareness beyond Doom’s flat plane.

What does not

The hub structure creates backtracking without strong spatial memory aids. Class differentiation fades in later levels where enemy density and damage output overwhelm tactical nuance. The modified Doom engine imposes hard limits: no true 3D geometry, no dynamic lighting, no verticality beyond simple elevation changes. Combat lacks moment-to-moment responsiveness—aiming is coarse, hit registration opaque, and enemy behaviour rigid.

Who it is for, and who it is not

It is for players who value mechanical specificity over polish, who enjoy replaying a game to test class synergies, and who accept 1995 technical constraints as part of the design language. It is not for players who require intuitive progression, consistent feedback, or combat systems built for reflex rather than preparation.

Is it worth your time

Yes—if you want a 1995 FPS that demands class-specific tactics, rewards re-playthroughs, and structures exploration around interlocking hubs. No—if you expect modern pacing, clarity of objective, or consistent feedback from combat or progression.

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