When Raven Software released Hexen: Beyond Heretic in 1995, it wasn’t just another shooter riding on the coattails of Doom. Instead, Hexen stood out as a moody, brutal fusion of dark fantasy, puzzle-laden gameplay, and a groundbreaking approach to the first-person genre. With its sequel, Hexen II, in 1997, the series carved out a unique identity that still resonates with gamers and developers alike.
Nearly three decades later, Hexen’s cultural impact continues to be felt, especially as nostalgia-fuelled reboots and retro FPS revivals bring fresh attention to the genre’s roots. Here’s why Hexen matters, and how it influenced game design, fan culture, and the evolution of dark fantasy in interactive media.
A Genre-Bending Innovation
Where Doom and Heretic (its spiritual predecessor) focused heavily on fast-paced shooting, Hexen broke the mould by introducing RPG elements, class-based gameplay, and complex environmental puzzles. Players could choose between three distinct classes, fighter, cleric, or mage, each with different weapons, abilities, and combat styles. This wasn’t just cosmetic; it fundamentally changed the way the game played and encouraged multiple playthroughs.
This RPG-hybrid design laid the groundwork for later games that would blur genre lines. Titles like System Shock 2, Deus Ex, and The Elder Scrolls series owe a debt to the early ambition of Hexen. Even modern games like Dark Souls echo its gritty medieval aesthetic and labyrinthine level design.
Visual Identity and Dark Fantasy Roots
One of the most enduring aspects of Hexen is its atmosphere. Set in a grim fantasy world filled with demonic horrors, corrupted monks, and cursed ruins, it drew heavily from Gothic and Lovecraftian influences. This wasn’t your typical sword-and-sorcery world, Hexen‘s environments were oppressive, eerie, and richly detailed for the time.
Its visual and thematic style helped define what would become a recognisable aesthetic in dark fantasy gaming. The twisted religious iconography, the pervasive sense of decay, and the fusion of sorcery with a decaying medieval world became hallmarks for future games like Bloodborne, Blasphemous, and Hellpoint.
Cult Status and Modding Culture
Despite being overshadowed commercially by the Doom franchise, Hexen earned a devoted fan base. This community kept the series alive through mods, custom maps, and source ports that enhanced the original experience. ZDoom and GZDoom engines brought quality-of-life improvements and compatibility with modern systems, making Hexen accessible to a new generation of players.
Fan-made content for Hexen remains active, with projects reimagining the game using modern engines or remixing its levels with new weapons and lore. Its structure and toolset encouraged experimentation, setting a precedent for mod-friendly design that influenced later titles like Half-Life and Skyrim.
Enduring Influence and Recognition
Though Hexen never became a sprawling franchise, its impact is undeniable. Its experimentation with class-based gameplay and immersive world-building anticipated trends that would define the RPG-FPS hybrid genre for years to come. Even major developers continue to cite it as a formative experience, most notably, id Software’s John Romero and Raven Software’s early design ethos.
The cultural footprint of Hexen has also been acknowledged in pop culture. In 2023, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard reignited interest in dormant IPs, with Phil Spencer notably name-dropping Hexen during a showcase, much to the delight of fans. This moment alone sparked waves of nostalgia and speculation about a potential reboot.
Conclusion
Hexen may not have the mainstream fame of Doom or Quake, but its legacy lies in the doors it opened, both literally, through its switch-hunting gameplay, and metaphorically, by pushing genre boundaries. Its dark fantasy roots, innovative class system, and dedicated community have earned it a permanent place in gaming history.
As modern developers look to the past for inspiration, Hexen stands as a shining (or perhaps shadowy) example of how bold ideas can echo through decades. Whether through spiritual successors, remasters, or fan projects, the spirit of Hexen endures, and its cultural influence only deepens with time.
