From Free net encyclopedia
| HeXen: Beyond Heretic
{{#if:{{{image|}}}|<tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center;">{{{image|}}} |
}}
| Developer(s)
| Raven Software
{{#if:{{{publisher|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Publisher(s)<td>{{{publisher|}}} |
}}{{#if:{{{distributor|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Distributor(s)<td>{{{distributor|}}}}}{{#if:{{{designer|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Designer(s)<td>{{{designer|}}}}}{{#if:{{{engine|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Engine<td>{{{engine|}}}}}{{#if:{{{version|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Latest version<td>{{{version|}}}}}
| Release date(s)
| October 30, 1995
|
| Genre(s)
| First-person shooter
|
| Mode(s)
| Single player, multiplayer
{{#if:{{{ratings|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Rating(s)<td>{{{ratings|}}} |
}}
| Platform(s)
| MS-DOS, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Apple Macintosh, Sega Saturn
{{#if:{{{media|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Media<td>{{{media|}}} |
}}{{#if:{{{requirements|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">System requirements<td>{{{requirements|}}}}}{{#if:{{{input|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Input<td>{{{input|}}}}}{{#if:{{{preceded by|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff; white-space: nowrap;">Preceded by<td>{{{preceded by|}}}}}{{#if:{{{followed by|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff; white-space: nowrap;">Followed by<td>{{{followed by|}}}}}
HeXen: Beyond Heretic (or Hexen) is a first-person shooter computer game developed by Raven Software, published by id Software, and distributed by GT Interactive beginning on October 30, 1995. It is the sequel to Heretic.
Hexen uses a modified version of the Doom engine, which allows (like in Heretic) up and down views, network play with up to 8 players and the choice of three character classes. It also popularised the "hub system" of level progression in the genre of first-person shooter games and featured some architectural elements that could move horizontally or rotate. Unlike previous games, which had relied purely on MIDI for music, Hexen could also play tracks from audio CD. Hexen extended the Doom engine in many innovative ways: larger levels, some doors that opened three-dimensionally, pulsating lights, triggered sounds, and the ability to jump.
The main goal of the game is the destruction of Korax, the second of a trio of demon brothers known as the Serpent Riders, who has taken over the world of Chronos. The first Serpent Rider, D'Sparil, was the final boss of Heretic and the third, Eidolon, would later appear in HeXen II. The three playable characters are a Warrior, a Cleric and a Mage. Each character has four weapons, the first having unlimited ammunition, the others are powered by mana, the fourth is built by finding three different parts. There are two different types of mana; blue and green. Weapon 2 uses blue and weapon three uses green whereas weapon 4 uses both types. The Warrior has weapons that are best used at striking range - Spiked gauntlet, axe, hammer, sword. This combined with his high strength stamina and life make him easy to power through the beginning of the game but a failure far beyond the seven portals. The warrior's ultimate weapon is the Quietus, a sword that can send out a spread of magic. The Mage has long distance projectile magic which, though weak, can keep him away from attackers and allow him to snipe enemies. Until later in the game when flying capabilities and other spells have been collected, the mage is comparitavely weak. The mage's ultimate weapon is the Bloodscourge, a staff that can send out homing fireballs. The Cleric is well rounded and has a diverse selection of weapons and decent armouring and speed. The cleric's ultimate weapon is the Wraithverge, a cross-shaped staff that can tear apart enemies with a ghostly horde.
All three characters are able to utilise numerous inventory items. These items include Wings of Wrath, which enable flight, Banishment- which will remove any non-boss character as well as other items with less obvious uses. Amongst the most curious of these items is the Porkalator which fires a volley of golden balls which turn any non-boss character into a pig upon contact. (Heretic had a similar item called the the Morph Ovum which turned it's victims into Chickens)
Hubs and Levels
Prologue
| Name
| CD Track
|
| Winnowing Hall
| 13
|
Hub 1: Seven Portals
| Name
| CD Track
|
| Seven Portals
| 2
|
| Guardian of Ice
| 22
|
| Guardian of Fire
| 15
|
| Guardian of Steel
| 9
|
| Bright Crucible*
| 21
|
Hub 2: Shadow Wood
| Name
| CD Track
|
| Shadow Wood
| 8
|
| Darkmere
| 14
|
| Caves of Circe
| 20
|
| Wastelands
| 6
|
| Sacred Grove*
| 5
|
| Hypostyle
| 16
|
Hub 3: Heresiarch's Seminary
| Name
| CD Track
|
| Heresiarch's Seminary**
| 19
|
| Silent Refectory
| 21
|
| Orchard of Lamentations
| 22
|
| Wolf Chapel
| 14
|
| Griffin Chapel
| 10
|
| Dragon Chapel
| 17
|
| Deathwind Chapel*
| 18
|
Hub 4: Castle of Grief
| Name
| CD Track
|
| Castle of Grief
| 12
|
| Gibbet
| 15
|
| Effluvium
| 8
|
| Dungeons
| 19
|
| Forsaken Outpost
| 20
|
| Desolate Garden*
| 3
|
Hub 5: Necropolis
| Name
| CD Track
|
| Necropolis
| 16
|
| Zedek's Tomb
| 10
|
| Menelkir's Tomb
| 11
|
| Traductus' Tomb
| 9
|
| Vivarium*
| 17
|
Epilogue
| Name
| CD Track
|
| Dark Crucible
| 2
|
| Finale
| 5
|
* These are "Secret" bonus levels which require extra searching to find, and are not crucial to the gameplay.
** This level is also referred to as the "Monastery" by in-game messages.
Notes
- Deathkings of the Dark Citadel is an official expansion pack that was released for Hexen, featuring 3 more hubs for a total of 20 new single player levels.
- The source code of Hexen was released by Raven Software in 1999, which allowed the game to be ported to different platforms such as Linux.
- "Hexen" is the German word for "witches".
- Version 1.0 of Hexen contains an incomplete level called "Maze" that consists solely of moving walls with no exit. Its presence in the released game is almost certainly an oversight; the level was removed in the 1.1 update. The "Maze" level can only be accessed by using the cheat code "warp 41" in unpatched versions of the game.
- The game was used for the finale of an official Doom championship in late 1995.
- HeXen is compatible with many Doom source ports, not only that, but Hexen's features are also compatible with Doom WADs made for source ports regardless of what game on them is being played.
- The player can turn himself into a pig and the word "squeal" will appear on the screen if the name of the movie Deliverance is typed during play. In a memorable scene in this movie, a man is told to "squeal like a pig" before being sodomised.
- Other cultural references in cheat codes include NRA to supply all weapons and Sherlock to supply all keys.
See also
External links
de:Hexen (Spiel)
es:Hexen
fr:Hexen
it:Hexen
fi:Hexen
ru:HeXen