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Description of Heretic

Heretic is an old dos game, published in 1994 by id Software. Main genre of this old game is action. We gave this game stunning rating of 72 and you can download it for free right here. In 1994 guys in ID Software decided to take successfull Doom franchise a move it to another level.

Though somewhat forgotten these days, Heretic was an important milestone for the FPS genre. Using a modified version of the Doom Engine, Heretic offered a number of significant improvements and advancements in FPS gaming, including interactive environment elements, an inventory from which a player might use any number of weapons or powerups they had collected, and, importantly, the ability to look up and down!

Heretic features a variety of levels that mix dungeon-crawling through narrow corridors with wild fire-fights in wide open spaces. While some stages still have that cobbled-together feel of early FPS games, many have the sort of sensible and recognizable approach to level-design that became the norm for games like Thief: the Dark Project. There IS a major twitch factor to Heretic in that a number of the more open stages begin with large-scale magic shoot-outs, where you must thin out a score of enemies before you can start to explore the stage in earnest. This may take some getting used to, and the punishment for dying is a loss of weapons, which can make a tough spot feel almost impossible. But if you're up for a challenge, Heretic will dish it out.

Heretic brought FPS gaming forward by a huge leap while also bringing in high fantasy elements to a genre which had before been dominated by the modern and the futuristic. While the experiments in FPS design explored in its sequels were less successful (particularly the sprawling interconnected levels, moon-logic puzzles, and faux-RPG elements of Hexen II), Heretic changed gaming, and for the better. If you are a fan of the FPS genre, particularly classics such as Doom and Wolfenstein 3D, and haven't played Heretic, you owe it to yourself to play this masterpiece.

Review By P. Alexander

Heretic has an addon available: H!Zone, don't miss it!

External links

Comments and reviews

Oldmemories19902018-09-080 point

This Heretic ISO has the ID STUFF folder on it... I know that there is a crack that unlock all the ID games that are in FULL version in there... The crack on the Quake shareware CD is called Qcrack and doesn't see to work on the heretic CD image.... Anyone has the one that work?

KC2018-09-020 point

How would one use the patch with a Mac using Dosbox or Boxer?

KC2018-09-020 point

I liked this game better than Hexen as well. The controls make sense and are easy compared to any of the Hexen games. Heretic lets you focus more on the game and less on the controls.

Mavll2018-02-050 point

This section needs to be more know. This website its awesome, beside here you can find apassionate people from old school.

GuyFawkes2018-01-182 points

There's an unofficial expansion pack for this game available here: https://archive.org/details/cdrom-hzone
It's worth noting though that, presumably as a form of copy protection, it overwrites the game's third episode rather than loading as a PWAD. Some people have also mentioned issues with the patcher when using it with Shadow Of the Serpent Riders because of this. Luckily a modern remake is available for source ports: https://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=56672

awashnut2018-01-041 point

this game is awesome

Ger2017-09-020 point

I played this when I was akid and always wanted to played it again, lets see how this works

rdsch2017-08-171 point

they should make a new version of this game for ps4 x box one awesome game

I.M. MEEN2017-08-101 point

i love heretic over Hexen, there i said it

retrolover2017-07-230 point

loved this game back in the 90's

Ron Gain2017-04-0812 points

I am 76 yrs old. Heretic is the only video game of any kind that I have ever played. I have played it since the late 1990's? whenever I had time now and then (which wasn't too often, since I was a professor and testing lab co-owner for years) and I have loved it. My grown 'kids' (5) and more recently my 10 grandchildren man the 'gun' while I do the maneuvering.

Doomguy2017-01-02-1 point

Ru this game in a modern doom source port if you want to fully enjoy this game!

Grae2016-12-16-1 point

It's not Shadow of the Serpent Riders, but still, it's good to get ahold of this again. I'll find the expanded version eventually...

sohaib2016-12-140 point

i like this game so much

Napay2016-07-052 points

Played this game when I was 11 years old. It was freeware (unregistered). I liked this better than Doom (I wasn't a fan of sci-fi theme).

Edy2016-06-04-2 points

Me gusta Quake tambien! Los primeros 3d programas. :+)

oldergengamer2016-03-164 points

I'm 33, I was in 5th, 6th, grade playing these games since I've been 8 yrs old, wow the time flies

kissKIZZkiss2016-02-130 point

i want to be able to make my own enemy npc's for this game, does anyone know how I can be able to do this?

theames2016-02-071 point

i like this game. i have played this game when i was 7 years old, now i'm 27 and i played it on my smartphone now. if i show on the pictures, i can see how plays cheater ;D heretic an hexen are and be one of the best shootergames ever :)

pooISbrown2016-02-03-3 points

people people people!!!!!!!!
get the frigging zandronum program and play this on it, dosbox is a hassle and can't do this game the justice it deserves, ask yourself this..does dosbox support
OPENGL graphics enhancements??? no??? well zandronum does!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fragib2015-12-261 point

I liked this better than Doom.

asdf2015-12-111 point

@lolman it's the full version

tony2015-11-062 points

i played heretic when i was 9 years old now im 28..and ixC2xB4ll never forget that one night it gave an awful nigthmare. lol ..true story

PsychoDad2015-10-181 point

Ha! I think this was the very first FPS game I ever bought. I'd always kind of looked down on them, sticking more to the adventure/puzzle type games. But I figured , well, let's see what all the hoopla is about. I downloaded a few of demos, most of which left me cold, but this grabbed me hard! Was playing it again recently, but now getting a fresh copy for this particular machine I'm on. Oh yeah, I graduated to Hexen after this, and Shadow Warrior too. And now, the Half Life games are among my favorites. Still waiting patiently for HL3!!!

GAME ...2015-09-091 point

PERFECT

Haya2015-03-282 points DOS version

Can I run this file in dosbox?

MAC2015-02-201 point DOS version

AWESOME!

TRL2015-01-181 point DOS version

Try to download DooM Remake and play heretic with mouse movement and graphic advantages.

m2014-10-070 point DOS version

it good for me.

SotilaS2014-09-111 point DOS version

Not just LOOKING good, It's very nice! ^^ I can recommend to every DOS-game nerd! :)))

JOe2014-06-180 point DOS version

pretty cool looking

indstr2014-02-111 point DOS version

Heretic was awesome. I liked the theme and atmosphere better than Doom. Spent many hours playing this. But of course HeXeN was my favorite of all. But I'll wait till I get to its page before I start gushing about it :)

L3d2014-01-290 point DOS version

is kinda funny xD

OK2013-12-230 point DOS version

Nice

amma2013-12-110 point DOS version

it's my first game! THANKS :

kap2013-11-140 point DOS version

how can I download heretic (1996) shadow of serpent rider with
Episode 4 - The Ossuary
Episode 5 - The Stagnant Demesne

KAREN DAYANA2013-10-230 point DOS version

ES ADICTIVO

randa2013-10-050 point DOS version

Thanks

K.A.T2013-09-210 point DOS version

thnx!

Jose1319912013-08-300 point DOS version

Shareware version brings back childhood memories, good the full version is here as I never played the last two episodes.

potroast2013-08-220 point DOS version

definitely deserves to be in top downloads. Donald doesn't know what he's talking about, Heretic 2 was wonderful. Quake 2 engine! Colored lighting! COLORED. LIGHTING. For everything. Yeas.

anon2013-08-060 point DOS version

good game. it was made off of the doom source code.

Donald Westington2013-07-220 point DOS version

Heretic 2 really sucks. This game is a masterpiece, though. Wonder why Heretic 2 sucked so hard (along with Hexen 2) but this game is so awesome.

lolman2013-07-120 point DOS version

Is this the full version or demo?

Matt2013-07-090 point DOS version

I can only seem to play as far as the Iron Lich bosses. After I defeat them and exit the level, the game freezes up and crashes. That's only the end of the first episode. Is there any way around this, or somewhere I can download a full version?

alex_aaa7892013-05-250 point DOS version

This is really a great game and deserves a third sequel after Heretic 2
Just wonder why this is not on Top Downloads :/

Yhazo2013-05-070 point DOS version

I remember that game, i wanna play again. :3

SoviEt2013-04-080 point DOS version

The Heretic from Episode 5 is too realy hard but Beware! A 5 Maloutaur are too efective does not belong
Hints:
When i cheat Summonfriend Marine BFG is too realy easy from Maloutaur from them
2nd Hints:
Or usualy when i cheat SV_FASTWEAPONS 600 Wow is too realy easy from them!

Jobel2013-04-060 point DOS version

USE A SUPER GUN 2 TO FAST ATTACK. ONCE A BFG 9000 ARE PERFECT THAN THE DOOM 2 A MAP 1 ARE USING A BFG 9000 SPEED ALWAYS CAN FIND NO ENEMY, BECAUSE I'M USING BFG 9000 AND LEFT CLICK TO ATTACK BFG AT ANY LOCATION, WHENEVER SEE THE ENEMY AT MAP 1
BY: LA- WORLDS

PsiPaula42013-03-120 point DOS version

No prob guys! Glad you like it!
Also anyone plays more doom games as well.

Nicole2013-03-050 point DOS version

OM has a point.

Leitbild2013-02-132 points DOS version

Yeah! Right after Doom one of my first and most beloved games, ever! In fact it's just Doom with magic and a medieval fantasy touch - Like Lord of the Rings on Ecstasy...
Great improvements with a inventory system for special items (in Doom you just ran over it and the item was instantly used) and the ability to look up and down - nonetheless a nice gimmik, but not really necessary, because the implemented auto-aiming deals good enough with your enemies, I never used it very much while playing Heretic...
All in all a nice game and really worth a look! Or more! ;)
BTW, as in Doom, I prefer the original 3 episodes release of Heretic, because (as in Doom) the story of Heretic is already over at the end of episode 3 by defeating the (this time really challenging) D'Sparil! The other two episodes, 4 and 5, in the re-release Shadow of the Serpent Riders is a nice add, but all in all unnecessary, too...

Heretic Dos Full Game

Arie2013-02-120 point DOS version

Klasik menggigit banget nih game... Asli jadi kangen.. :3

Heretic Dos Game App

OM2013-02-031 point DOS version

...Used to have a shitload of WADs for this one, most of which were converted from DOOM II WADs - IIRC, you needed WADs that were DOOM II specific to convert them over without having to go in and change certain powerups, otherwise the converted WADs would crash. It may have been DOOM in D&D clothing, but face it, kids - isn't that what all FPS' are when you get down to the basics? Raid the dungeon, grab the gold, kill the orcs, rape the trolls, pillage the evil trees, slander the gelatinous cube, bugger the skeletons, and *then* slay the dragon/wizard/yo mama.

Dave2012-11-240 point DOS version

Like

xC4xB0sa2012-10-170 point DOS version

Uzun Zaman oldu oynamayalxC4xB1 bunu

anil2012-05-060 point DOS version

super

Doom fan2012-03-120 point DOS version

S'okay. If you like Doom, this is basically just Doom with castles and magic instead of space and demons.

goooooolqmpi42012-01-290 point DOS version

cool old action game
you will like it if you like games like quake II

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Game Extras and Resources

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Heretic Dos Game Download

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