Hexen: Beyond Heretic (1997). Play Free Online

Summary

Playing Hexen on the original PlayStation always felt a bit like watching a movie in miniature. The disc retains the full‑motion video cutscenes and the Red Book CD‑audio soundtrack from the PC release, which was rare for first‑person shooters of its time. What the console version loses, however, is the frenetic multiplayer that made the PC’s Doom‑engine gameplay famous – there’s no death‑match or co‑op mode. The port was built on a beta build of the computer game, so the level layouts are correct but the geometry is simpler, lighting is dimmer, and many enemy sprites only show their fronts, stripping away the bloodier death animations seen elsewhere. Animation and scripting run slower, giving a lower frame rate that can make combat feel sluggish, and even the fighter’s punches are noticeably weaker. Despite these compromises, the three character classes – fighter, cleric, and mage – and the hub‑based world design remain intact, preserving the series’ signature variety and puzzle‑solving charm.

Storyline

Hexen: Beyond Heretic continues the saga that began in Heretic, moving the action to the mysterious realm of Cronos. Cronos is under siege by Korax, the second of the three dreaded Serpent Riders. Three distinct heroes answer the call, each determined to end Korax’s reign.
You step into the shoes of one of those champions, navigating a series of themed zones that test every skill. The journey begins in the elemental dungeons, where fire, water, earth and air shape every encounter. From there you trek across a sprawling wilderness, then ascend a mountainside seminary that guards ancient secrets.
The path leads to a massive castle filled with traps and a foreboding necropolis that houses the final confrontation. At the end, you face Korax himself in a showdown that decides the fate of Cronos.

Edited by Maya Carter