Video Games
id Software Releases ‘Heretic + Hexen’ Remaster for PC, Consoles [Trailer]
As has been the norm for id Software at QuakeCon in recent years, the devs have sprung a surprise remaster on fans. And while this year it wasn’t Quake III Arena, we have instead received a remaster of two of Raven Software’s dark fantasy first-person shooters in Heretic + Hexen.
Teaming up once again with Nightdive Studios, Bethesda and id Software have brought Heretic + Hexen to Xbox One, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, as well as PC via Steam, with cross-platform online Co-op and Deathmatch multiplayer support for up to 16 players, two brand-new episodes, community-published mod support and more!
Existing owners of the digital versions of Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders, Hexen: Beyond Heretic and/or Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel on Steam, the Windows Store/Xbox Windows app and Good Old Games will receive a free upgradeto the new combined Heretic + Hexen, and can still access their previously owned versions on those platforms.
The bundle includes the following:
- Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders
- Hexen: Beyond Heretic
- Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel
- Two all-new episodes created in collaboration between individuals at id Software and Nightdive Studios:
- Heretic: Faith Renewed
- Hexen: Vestiges of Grandeur
In addition to the cross-platform and co-op, the games also feature local split-screen deathmatch and co-op for up to 8 players, the ability to toggle between the original soundtracks and the enhanced Tome of Power soundtrack by Andrew Hulshult, mod support, widescreen 4K resolution and 120 FPS, a vault section containing concept art and unused sprites from the development of the original games, new accessibilty options, controller support, quick saving and loading, as well as engine fixes for bugs that were present in the original versions.
While not quite Snakes on a Plane or Red Eye, co-developers Liquid Static Studio and Snapping Turtle have something darker in mind with their upcoming job-sim horror game, Night Plane. Coming to Steam later this year, the game has you doing the expected work as a flight attendant, but with the added bonus of trying to find demons hiding amongst the passengers.
It’s 1999, and it’s your first day on the job. You must do the usual things as a flight attendant: welcoming passengers aboard, check tickets, and attend to their needs. However, shape-shifting entities may attempt to come aboard disguised as humans. So, your additional job in Night Plane is to question passengers, and find a way to remove any unauthorized non-human visitors from the plane.
That also leads to assisting passengers in unorthodox ways inside the plane, outside the plane, and in places not listed in your training manual. To make things even more complicated, you’ll need to make tough decisions with irreversible consequences. Naturally, the company will not be held accountable for any mistakes you make. You live with them.
Oh, and seeing as this is a plane, you may encounter some turbulence while in flight, along with power failures, lightning strikes and more. All of which, including your decisions, will lead to one of the multiple endings in Night Plane.
If you wish to get in on the fun prior to the game’s release, you can sign up for the playtest via the Steam page.