Heretic and Hexen Get Surprising Remaster from Nightdive Studios
Nightdive Studios and id Software have dropped a surprise remaster of the classic fantasy shooters Heretic and Hexen. The newly bundled release, titled Heretic + Hexen, brings both games to modern consoles with enhanced features like co-op, cross-platform multiplayer, and support for community mods.
The collection includes Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders, Hexen: Beyond Heretic, and Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel. Nightdive didn’t just update the games for Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch—they also added two brand-new episodes: Heretic: Faith Renewed and Hexen: Vestiges of Grandeur, featuring fresh levels inspired by the originals.
Originally released in 1994 and 1995, Heretic and Hexen blended Doom-style first-person shooting with light RPG mechanics, like character classes and an inventory system. These games helped establish Raven Software, which later developed titles like Quake 4 and Wolfenstein for id Software.
Nightdive has a history of remastering id Software classics, but the return of Heretic and Hexen has been a long time coming. Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax Media in 2021, which owns id Software, paved the way for revisiting these cult favorites. Phil Spencer, Microsoft Gaming CEO, had previously expressed interest in reviving the series, and now it’s finally happened.
Heretic + Hexen is available now on Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, as well as for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. Owners of the original versions will receive the remastered bundle as a free upgrade.
