Heretic (computer game)

Heretic is a fantasy first-person shooter computer game created by Raven Software, published by id Software, and distributed by GT Interactive in 1994.

Using a modified Doom engine, Heretic was one of the first first-person games to feature inventory manipulation and the ability to look up and down. It also introduced multiple gib objects spawned when a character suffered a death by extreme force or heat. Previously, the character simply crumpled into a heap of jumbled body parts. It's notable that besides background music, the game also used randomized ambient sounds and noises to further enhance the atmosphere, such as evil laughter, chains rattling, water dripping, etc.. All music in the game was composed by Kevin Schilder.

The original version of Heretic had three unlinked episodes, but a stand-alone special edition, Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders, was also available, featuring two additional episodes. The Episodes in the original are the City of the Damned, where the player has to go through an abandoned ancient city overrun by monsters, Hell's Maw, which is set in Hell, and the Dome of D'Sparil, which is set in a city at the bottom of the ocean, protected by gigantic crystal domes. The two extra episodes are the Ossuary and the Stagnant Demesne.

The Ossuary takes the player, Corvus, to the shattered remains of a world conquered by the Serpent Riders centuries ago. The Stagnant Demesne is the final episode where the player enters D'Sparil's home stronghold - the very pit he was spawned. The heretic seeks to find a way out, yet D'Sparil's personal guards are out to kill him. That fifth episode was designed to be the hardest episode of the game.

The first sequel, Hexen, which also used a modified Doom engine, was released about a year after Heretic in 1995. The next game in the Hexen/Heretic universe, Hexen II, was released in 1997 and was based on a modified Quake engine. Later in 1998, Heretic II was released, using a modified Quake II engine.

In early 1999, the source code of Heretic was published by Raven Software. This resulted in ports of Heretic to Linux and other operating systems, and updates to the Heretic engine which utilized 3D acceleration.

Enemies

The game features numerous enemies, all of which are supernatural in origins. Animated gargoyles, rock Golems, and disintegrating Undead warriors are among the first challenges the player encounters. Later Disciples of D'Sparil appear, who resemble D'Sparil in appearance but their robes being black with red/yellow embroidery as opposed to D'Sparil's robes being red with gold, followed by new threats such as the not as common Iron Liches, Weredragons, Sabreclaws and Ophidians.

Weapons

The game has 8 weapons in all, each of which has an alternate powered up mode activated by the Tome of Power item. The weapons are;

1 - Staff/Gauntlets of the Necromancer; the staff is made of wood and is used to "poke" enemies, hardly doing any damage. The staff can not hit transparent enemies (ghosts). Gauntlets have a green electricity-like discharge coming off their fingers when attacking. The gauntlets will freeze an enemy in place and do continuous damage to an enemy. It does slightly more damage than the Staff and at increased range. Neither requires any ammunition.

Powered: When under the influence of a Tome of Power artifact, the Staff is electrified, does more damage, and has knockback. The Gauntlets' electrical charge changes its color to red and does more damage with a much greater range, and drains health points from the enemy transferring them to the player. This powerful ability renders the player near invincible in most conditions.

2 - Elven Wand; a staff topped with a magical crystal that shoots weak projectiles at slow rate, manifested by a gold-colored "spark" at the point of impact. This is one of two hitscan weapons in the game.

Powered: Shoots out several yellow crystal-like projectiles that do more damage.
Ammo: wand crystal (small), crystal geode (large)

3 - Ethereal Crossbow; more powerful weapon, shooting green "ethereal" arrows traveling in threes. The center arrow is more powerful than the two on either side, can hit ghosts, and is not blown around by the wind.

Powered: Shoots multiple (4 or 5) heavy ethereal arrows for a wider coverage and more damage.
Ammo: ethereal arrow (small), quiver of ethereal arrows (large)

4 - Dragon Claw; a helmet-like weapon worn over the fist with claws mounted on its top; it shoots projectiles at high rate manifested by a blue-colored "spark" at the point of impact. This is a hitscan weapon.

Powered: Shoots out more powerful blue projectiles, which, on impact, release multiple spiked metal orbs, which deal considerable damage.
Ammo: Claw orb (small), Energy orb (large)

5 - Hellstaff; a staff topped with a horned skull that shoots red projectiles at a high rate, doing more damage then the Dragon Claw and, unlike the Dragon Claw, possessing some stopping power.

Powered: Releases a single projectile. Upon impact, it unleashes a "rain" of red sparks, which do heavy damage to anything standing underneath (exception: Maulotaurs).
Ammo: lesser runes (small), greater runes (large)

6 - Phoenix Rod; a golden staff topped with a phoenix-like design, shooting a fiery, smoking, moderately fast projectile that explodes upon impact into a phoenix-like shape. Pushes player back when used and explosion may do damage to the player when too close to impact point.

Powered: Turns into a "flamethrower". Launches a steady stream of flame that causes tremendous damage.
Ammo: flame orb (small), Inferno orb (large)

7 - Firemace; a mace-like staff that shoots exploding cannonball-like projectiles at high rate.

Powered: Shoots out bigger metallic spheres, which are slower, but home on their targets and will instantly destroy any non-boss enemy. They can travel through teleporters.
Ammo: mace spheres (small), pile of mace spheres (large)

Despite the difference in setting and design, Heretic is very similar to Doom, especially in regards to its weapons, which are for the most part, equivalents. For instance, the Dragon Claw and Hellstaff are similar to the Chaingun and Plasma rifle respectively. Other weapons are similar to an extent, like Ethereal Crossbow and Shotgun, staff and fists, Gauntlets of the necromancer and Chainsaw, Elven wand and Pistol, Phoenix rod and Rocket launcher. Others, such as the Firemace and BFG 9000 bear no resemblance to each other.

Game Levels

Episode 1: The City of the Damned	Episode 2: Hell's Maw	Episode 3: The Dome of D'Sparil
* 1. The Docks	*1. The Crater	*1. The Storehouse
*2. The Dungeons	*2. The Lava Pits	*2. The Cesspool
*3. The Gatehouse	*3. The River of Flame	*3. The Confluence
*4. The Guard Tower	*4. The Ice Grotto (secret exit to lvl 9)	*4. The Azure Fortress (secret exit to lvl 9)
*5. The Citadel	*5. The Catacombs	*5. Ophidian Lair
*6. The Cathedral (secret exit to lvl 9)	*6. The Labyrinth	*6. The Halls of Fear
*7. The Crypts	*7. The Great Hall	*7. The Chasm
*8. Hell's Maw	*8. The Portal of Chaos	*8. D'Sparil's Keep
*9. (secret) The Graveyard	*9. (secret) The Glacier	*9. (secret) The Aquifer

Episode 4: The Ossuary

1. Catafalque
2. The Blockhouse
3. Ambulatory
4. Sepulcher (secret exit to lvl 9)
5. Great Stair
6. Halls of the Apostate
7. Ramparts of Perdition
8. Shattered Bridge
9. (secret) Mausoleum

Episode 5: The Stagnant Demesne

1. Ochre Cliffs
2. Rapids
3. Quay (secret exit to lvl 9)
4. Courtyard
5. Hydratyr
6. Colonnade
7. Foetid Masne
8. Arena of Judgement
9. (secret) Skein of D'Sparil

External links

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Enemies

Weapons

Game Levels

See also

External links