Hexen: Beyond Heretic Review for PC

Hexen: Beyond Heretic Review

Depending upon how you like your brutality, Hexen may appeal to you more than Doom.

Depending upon how you like your brutality, Hexen may appeal to you more than Doom. First, a lot more of the fighting--at least for non-mage characters--is close-in, and involves devices such as maces, axes, hammers and other notoriously undainty implements of personal violence. Second, the sounds resulting from the employment of said implements are a lot nastier. (Wetter, if I must be perfectly clear on this point.) The ability to choose between heroes of slightly differing abilities (strength, armor and magic, for instance) ultimately adds to the replay value of the game, and gives more of an edge to Death Match games. Respawning foes make life a bit more hectic, especially when you're going back looking for something you missed or failed to understand the first time. You'll be doing a lot of that--the game levels are designed in “hubs” of environment through which you find yourself re-circulating, rather than in the linear "level" scheme of Doom. Nice visual touches like swirling leaves, scattering bats, and non-critical ambient animations make the dark, 3-D fantasy locales more compelling and realistic—even if you're still wandering around mystical ruins and slaughtering murderous grunting things. Accessible audio track selection controls allow the carnage to take place to the game's adequate soundtrack or to the noise of your choice. Slicker, smarter and more stylish than Doom---with all the killing and three times the replay value.

By Chris Hudak, GameSpotPosted May 1, 1996 12:00 am PT

Hexen: Beyond Heretic Quick Links

GameSpot Score
6.5
fair
Critic Score7.21 review
User Score7.7424 votes
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Player Reviews

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SquishyNoob

8.5
great

Still great, even after so many years. Continue »
aschuhart

4.5
poor

One small step of an improvment from Heretic....but one giant leap in fustration. Continue »

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Computer Games Mag 4 / 5

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Hexen: Beyond Heretic

More Info

Game Stats

Rank:

9,966 of 76,276
(up by 691)

PC Rank:

3,503 of 12,530

Tracking:

267 Track It»

Wishlists:

34 Wish It»
Player Reviews:

11

Player Ratings:

424

Users Now Playing:

27
Game Universe:
- Hexen II (PC, MAC),
- Hexen (PS, SAT, N64),
- Hexen II Mission Pack: Portal of Praevus,
- Hexen: Beyond Heretic (PS, SAT, N64),
- Death Kings of the Dark Citadel
Number of Players:

1-4
Top 5 User Tags:
1. hexen
2. id software
3. pc
4. 1995
5. raven software
Mature Rating Description

Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language. Learn more