![]() Overall Hexen is a very unique and enjoyable but somewhat flawed game. However, the balance is a bit wack, as the final boss is actually easier to kill than any other (this is a frequent issue in retro FPS). The map names in italics are the ones that start a particular hub. Note that the maps aren’t necessarily numbered in the correct order. They all have special gimmicks that require you to put in some more effort in maneuvering. Hexen Map List by the team To access a map, type VISIT XX when playing the game. None of them follow the standard "shoot at it until it dies" design that most retro FPS bosses do. It's mostly well-designed, although a few maps (mainly in the final hub) feel a bit amateurish and boring. This is not a D&D medieval fantasy, it's a bizarre and otherworldly realm full of strange shapes and paths (and deadly traps). The level design is still quite abstract though. Unlike Doom, some of the levels actually evoke the atmosphere of a real place (a swamp village, a decrepit castle, a natural canyon, etc.) through clever architecture, sprite decoration, and sound effects. It's mostly reasonably telegraphed, although there are a couple parts that feel unfairly cryptic. Pretty much everything is hidden in some way. You can't play this like Doom, running around at the speed of sound expecting to find the way to progress in front of you. However, it requires requires that you pay a good amount of attention to your surroundings, lest you lose the plot and become utterly lost. This is an interesting design that scratches a unique itch. You may pull a switch on one map and it raises stairs on another map, allowing you to explore further. The game is divided into multiple hubs - maps that branch off into other maps that you travel back & forth between to solve an overarching puzzle that lets you move on to the next hub. A large part of the appeal is exploring the levels, taking in the atmosphere, and solving the puzzles. The thing is, this game is actually not completely combat-oriented. Thankfully they at least aren't bullet-spongey like Heretic. There's a decent variety of enemy types, but none of them are dangerous enough to shake up combat like Doom 2's monsters. The bestiary is good, but not as exciting as it could be. There's less variety than Doom, and combat gets repetitive by the end game. The catch is that each class only gets 4 weapons. The fighter class is a good example of fun first-person melee, relying on fists, an axe, and throwing hammers to smash his way through obstacles. The weapons are very satisfying, moreso than Heretic, and quite distinct from eachother. Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption, Heroes of Might and Magic III, Heroes of Might and Magic V, Hexen: Beyond Heretic. ![]() You can choose one of three character types to play, each with their own separate arsenal of weapons. However, it adds many more new features, most notably player classes, the ability to travel back & forth between levels, and scripting. Like Raven's previous shooter Heretic, it has a dark fantasy theme and is built on the Doom engine. Hexen is a seminal sprite-based FPS game that expanded on the formula set forth by id Software with Wolfenstein & Doom. or perhaps simply the confused man's FPS. ![]()
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