Witches (computer game)
| Witches: Beyond Heretic | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | Raven software | ||
| Publisher | id Software , GT Interactive | ||
| Erstveröffent- lichung |
October 30, 1995 | ||
| platform | DOS , Windows , Sega Saturn , PlayStation , Nintendo 64 , Mac OS | ||
| Game engine | Doom engine | ||
| genre | Ego shooter | ||
| Subject | Fantasy | ||
| Game mode | Single player , multiplayer | ||
| control |
Keyboard / Mouse (PC & Mac) Gamepad (game consoles) |
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| system advantages preconditions |
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| medium | 1 CD-ROM or 3.5 ″ floppy disks (7), download | ||
| language | English , German (N64) | ||
| Age rating |
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| information | The USK rating refers to the game console implementations . | ||
Witches: Beyond Heretic is a first person shooter from Raven Software and the sequel to Heretic . It was distributed by id Software and released on October 30, 1995 through GT Interactive . In 1997 a successor appeared under the title Hexen 2 .
action
Witches takes place in the same medieval fantasy world as Heretic. The land was subjugated by three powerful black magical beings, the so-called serpent riders. D'Sparil, the boss of Heretic , was the first snake rider. In witch the task now is to track down his brother Korax and defeat. The topic is continued in the sequel Witches 2 , in which Eidolon, the third and final serpent rider, is fought.
Game content
Similar to some role-playing games , the player has three different character classes to choose from at the beginning, which differ in their equipment (four different weapons each), their running speed, their armor and life force :
- Warrior ( fighter )
- Cleric ( Cleric )
- Mage ( Mage )
An influential innovation was the non-linear level sequence: The match portions of an episode are portals with a central level ( hub level connected), which serves as a hub or hub between the individual sections. Many of the puzzles to be solved in the game require you to switch back and forth between the various sections of an episode with the help of this system, which requires the player to have a high degree of spatial orientation.
Witches: Beyond Heretic is based on the Doom engine that has already been used and modified for Heretic . Hexen and Heretic's engine was initially released under a license for non-commercial use and finally placed under the free GPL license in September 2008.
Witches: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel
Under the title Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel , the add-on also developed by Raven Software was released in 1996 , which has a significantly higher level of difficulty than the main game. It includes 3 new hubs with a total of 20 new single player and some multiplayer levels.
Ports
- Sega Saturn (1996)
- PlayStation (March 1997)
- Windows (1997 - as "Hexen 95")
- Nintendo 64 (May 31, 1997 - as "Witches 64")
- Apple Macintosh (first title by Raven Software for this platform)
- Unofficial port: Nintendo Wii (August 14, 2010 - as "HHexen v1.0" by the Spanish programmer Hermes as homebrew , which only runs in connection with the data of the original version)
continuation
The sequel Witches 2 was released on August 31, 1997 via Activision . After the serpent riders D´Sparil and Korax were defeated in Heretic and Witches , Hexen II now deals with the fight against the third and last serpent rider Eidolon. To do this, the player must first destroy the four generals of the eidolon, who are based on the four horsemen of the apocalyptic and each rule one of the four continents of the world of Thyrion. As in the first part, at the beginning the player has the choice between four different character classes, which differ in terms of weapons and skills (four different each) and life energy. Each of the four continents on which the generals are located has a different scenario ( Middle Ages , Mesoamerica , ancient Egypt, ancient Rome), with the “hub system” made up of witches being used again . The game uses the Quake engine , also from id Software , which, in contrast to the Doom engine used in the previous game , can display the game world and characters in full 3D .
The official add-on, also developed by Raven Software, was released in 1998 under the title Hexen II: Portal of Praevus . It is about the evil wizard Praevus who tries to awaken the three serpent riders. To prevent this, the player travels to the new continent Tuklu, which has an ancient Chinese scenery. In addition, with the demoness ("Demoness") another figure class was introduced.