Just like what happened with DOOM + DOOM II, Nightdive Studios have remastered the classics Heretic + Hexen as one bundle with new content. Although, they're actually not calling them a "remaster" instead they're opting to call them a "definitive re-release".
Announced today during QuakeCon 2025, they're also Steam Deck Verified right away so you can play them nicely on the go. Which means they also work great on Desktop Linux with Valve's Proton. If you owned either of the originals, you should get them free!
From the Steam page:
Step into the definitive re-release of two dark spell-casting shooters that shaped the genre.
Forged by Raven Software on a modified DOOM engine, Heretic and Hexen were released in 1994 and 1995, pushing first person shooters into bold new territory. These innovative cult classics introduced groundbreaking features like inventory systems, vertical aiming, and distinct character classes, reshaping first person action games for generations to come. This enhanced restoration makes Heretic + Hexen available to new audiences and long-time fans with expanded accessibility across more platforms and languages than ever before. Whether you're returning to these shadowy realms or discovering them for the first time, an epic legacy awaits.
As for what to actually expect from it, you'll get all this in the new enhanced bundle:
Owners Receive
- 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 + Nightdive Studios:
- Heretic: Faith Renewed
- Hexen: Vestiges of Grandeur
There are a total of 117 campaign maps and 120 deathmatch maps in Heretic + Hexen.
New Enhancements
- Online cross-platform deathmatch and co-op for up to 16 players.
- Local split-screen deathmatch and co-op for up to 8 players.
- Toggleable, enhanced Tome of Power soundtrack by Andrew Hulshult.
- Community-published mod support with an in-game mod browser.
- Improved performance with multithreaded rendering supporting up to 4K resolution and 120 FPS.
- A Vault section containing concept art and unused sprites from the development of the original games.
- Accessibility options, such as updated UI, improved legibility, contrast and screen FX adjustments, and text-to-speech features.
- Modern controller support.
- Weapon carousel for faster weapon switching.
- Game balance toggle (original/enhanced).
- Quick Save/Load support.
- Widescreen support.
- Many engine fixes for bugs present in original versions.
- Translated into 12 new languages: French, Italian, German, Spanish, LATAM Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese.
Really love to see so many classics get upgraded like this. Especially since you get the original classics with them at the same time, so nothing is wiped away by doing this. Best of all worlds.
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Szkodnix 9 hours ago
mi1stormilst 9 hours ago
Last edited by mi1stormilst on 7 Aug 2025 at 7:48 pm UTC
Beelzebot 8 hours ago
omer666 4 hours ago
To break it down a bit... For any of the singleplayer games we get a nice new sp campaign extension, new enemies, thus far remixed music, just cool stuff all around. For Quake 3 we'd possibly get some consolidation in terms of the additional maps available in the console ports, models, some entirely new maps perhaps, and maybe some of those consoles modes, which aren't a massive improvement over the OG sp mode from the PC... and with some basic modern functionality and accessibility options that's kind of the extent of what you can do. Better bots? From what I recall Q3 bots were basically about superhuman aim and UT bots seemed more human, more pleasant in gameplay, so in a way we might be talking about nerfing the Q3 bots for a more natural experience. Doesn't seem like a good idea if you're largely targeting the hardcore Q3 players, and if you're not then... who's this game for? It doesn't strike me as a great gamepad game, either, so new player influx will more likely than not be minimal. I'm just not sure how to make it a decent package with broadish appeal, save for bundling Q3 with Q4, and that's two different engines to work with for a single release, so maybe not the greatest idea from a project management point of view.
Then again, if Night Dive has ideas to make a Q3 remaster exciting for the crowd outside of people who both still play Q3 AND cannot stand Quake Live... sure, bring it on.
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