Good enough to revisit one last time...
Notable Feature: I wish more modern FPS games contained enemies that fight each other over a poorly-aimed shot. My former roommate and I would challenge each other to play through Heretic using only the wand or Necromancer’s Isotoners. The trick was to dance around until each creature accidentally shot the other, then stand back and let them do my own dirty work.
Favorite Weapon: The Hellstaff. With the help of the Tome of Power, the Hellstaff generates lava rain. LAVA RAIN, son!
Favorite Enemy: Undead Warriors, the aforementioned skeletons. These hissing demons are very formidable in a group and their ranged axes are perfect for creating a large rumble between each type of creature.
Favorite Level: the early FPSs were somewhat uniform, with each level distinguished by little more than varying wall textures. There were no stealth sections, no cooperative missions with friendly AI, and very few big-money set pieces with dazzling vistas. Heretic is just one big skirmish after another – which is fine, to be sure – whose main appeal stems from firing powerful, creative weaponry into a large crowd of horrid and deserving targets. The arena-style battle against three very dangerous Maulotaurs at the end of Episode 2 was especially challenging.
Heretic was among the best of its kind before the days of the Lithtech and Steam engines. It is still worth playing as a basic form of entertainment and gateway to memory lane, as long as the cardboard-cutout sprites and slightly fisheyed perspective don’t turn your stomach.