Perhaps more surprising than Nightdive Studios’ unexpected multi-platform release of classics Heretic and Hexen late last week was the embarrassment of riches that came with both re-releases.

The announcement came at QuakeCon on Friday, marking the studio’s fourth such shadow drop.

Nightdive Studios is known for its important work in the preservation of older games. Since 2012, the company has worked steadily to obtain the rights to a series of ‘abandonware’ video games, before updating and re-releasing them for compatibility with modern platforms via digital distribution services. Classic re-releases include DOOM, Quake, Rise of the Triad, Bladerunner, Forsaken, The Thing, and System Shock 1 and 2 among other titles.

Fantasy first-person shooters Heretic (1994) and Hexen (1995) were both originally developed by Raven Software using a modified DOOM engine. Now available for the first time on modern platforms as The Heretic + Hexen Collection both titles are shipped with significant updates and a staggering amount of new content. Available for $14.99 on PC (Steam, Microsoft Store, GOG), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and via Xbox Game Pass, the re-release also offers free upgrades for existing owners of the original games on supported platforms.

Speaking to Xbox over the weekend, studio head Stephen Kick commented that “Revisiting Hexen and Heretic has been both a nostalgic journey and a technical challenge in the best way possible. It’s incredibly rewarding to give longtime fans a faithful experience that plays the way they remember it — and to introduce a new generation to the arcane magic and brutal challenge of these cult classics”

So what can players actually look forward to? Well, the re-release bundles all original content from both games, their expansions, and introduces new episodes, totalling 117 campaign maps and 120 death-match maps. The included titles are:

  • Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders: The expanded version of Heretic, where you play as a Sidhe elf seeking vengeance against the Serpent Riders who corrupted the realm’s kings, plunging it into chaos.
  • Hexen: Beyond Heretic: The sequel, where players choose from Warrior, Mage, or Cleric classes to battle Korax, the second Serpent Rider, across elemental dungeons and decaying wilderness in the realm of Cronos.
  • Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel: The expansion to Hexen, continuing the story in the Realm of the Dead, where players face undead hordes to return home.
  • New Episodes:
    • Heretic: Faith Renewed: A brand-new episode where a wandering warrior confronts the lingering influence of D’Sparil in a fortified city plagued by zealous acolytes.
    • Hexen: Vestiges of Grandeur: A new episode exploring Korax’s fragile rebirth and a mysterious force manipulating fate, adding new hub-based levels and challenges.

The re-release also features a total of 117 campaign maps across the included titles and episodes, offering a mix of linear and non-linear hub-based levels that were pretty groundbreaking for their time. The new episodes, Faith Renewed and Vestiges of Grandeur, add fresh areas inspired by the originals, with enhancements like a waypoint system in Hexen’s automap to aid navigation.

Additionally, 120 death-match maps support competitive multiplayer.

Speaking on the map delvelopment system, Nightdive Studios developer Jaemen Moore said “A polished-up version of Heretic’s original maps is something I’ve wanted to see for ages — sort of a more fully realized vision of what the original developers had in mind with their fantastic locales (e.g. doubling down on the aquatic/ocean theme for the Dome of D’Sparil episode). I even started a side project a few years back to make that dream a reality… and then this project happened, and I got the chance to make it for real. Surreal!”

The re-release includes a toggleable enhanced soundtrack, Tome of Power, composed by Andrew Hulshult, known for his work on DOOM, DOOM Eternal, and Quake Champions. This remixed soundtrack modernizes the original MIDI-based music while preserving the dark, atmospheric tone of the games. Players can choose and switch between Hulshult’s enhanced tracks or the original nostalgic soundtrack. The Tome of Power soundtrack was released on Bandcamp on August 7, 2025, and became available on streaming platforms the following day.

“Calling it a “remix” isn’t even really doing them justice,” said Moore. “Like the compositions are insane (the spooky bells at the beginning of Mist, the track used in Heretic’s map The Cathedral, gives me chills every time). From our side, the process was to just sit back and let him work his magic, and the results speak for themselves. Players can opt into the original soundtrack, of course, but we’ve put the new tracks front-and-center ‘cause they damn well deserve it.”

Nightdive Studios didn’t hold back in the enhancements and features department either. Both games use Nightdive Studios’ KEX Engine, ensuring compatibility with modern platforms while preserving the original gameplay. But also:

  • Performance and Visuals: Support for up to 4K resolution and 120 FPS on compatible hardware (PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5), with improved textures, multithreaded rendering, and widescreen support.
  • Multiplayer: Online cross-platform death-match and co-op for up to 16 players, plus local split-screen for up to 4 players (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch) or 8 players (PC, Xbox Series X|S).
  • Mod Support: In-game mod browser for community-published mods (curated mods only on Nintendo Switch), allowing players to access and create custom content.
  • Accessibility and Quality-of-Life: Updated UI, improved legibility, contrast adjustments, text-to-speech, modern controller support, a weapon carousel for faster switching, quick save/load, and a game balance toggle (original vs. enhanced). The games are also translated into 12 new languages, including French, German, Spanish, and Japanese.
  • Vault Section: A collection of concept art and unused sprites from the original games’ development, offering insight for the game history buffs out there!
  • Gameplay Improvements: Fixes for bugs in the original versions, new textures for Heretic to enhance locales, and a waypoint system for Hexen to reduce player confusion in hub worlds.

The re-release is a careful balance of preservation and modernization for which Nightdive Studios is synonymous, along with a lot of extras to tempt even the most casual gamer, and delight those with an appreciation for 1990’s gaming history.

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