Summary

Release Year: 1994
Genres: Adventure, Role-playing game (RPG)
Platforms: DOS
Developers: Psygnosis
Publishers: Psygnosis

Hexx: Heresy of the Wizard (1994) – A Classic First-Person RPG

Released in 1994, Hexx: Heresy of the Wizard is a first-person role-playing game (RPG) developed by Raven Software and published by Electronic Arts. The game is set in a dark fantasy world where an evil wizard has imprisoned the souls of four gods in four talismans, and hidden them in four different dungeons. Players control a party of four adventurers who must retrieve these talismans and release the gods.

Hexx is notable for its innovative real-time combat system, which allows players to directly control their characters in combat. This was a major departure from the turn-based combat systems that were common in RPGs at the time. The game also features a unique spellcasting system that allows players to combine different spells to create new and more powerful effects.

Gameplay

Hexx is played from a first-person perspective. Players control a party of four adventurers, each of whom has their own unique abilities and skills. The game world is explored through a series of dungeons, each of which is filled with monsters and traps.

Combat in Hexx is real-time, meaning that players must directly control their characters in combat. Players can attack with melee weapons, ranged weapons, or spells. Spells are cast by combining different runes, which can be found throughout the game world.

Hexx also features a unique spellcasting system called the “Spellweb.” The Spellweb allows players to combine different spells to create new and more powerful effects. For example, players can combine a fire spell with a lightning spell to create a firestorm spell.

Plot

The story of Hexx begins in the town of Ravenswood. The town is under attack by a horde of demons, led by the evil wizard Hexx. Hexx has captured the souls of the four gods of Ravenswood and imprisoned them in four talismans. The only hope for Ravenswood is for a group of brave adventurers to retrieve the talismans and release the gods.

The player characters are a group of four adventurers who have been chosen to retrieve the talismans and defeat Hexx. The party consists of a warrior, a wizard, a ranger, and an assassin.

The party must travel through four different dungeons to retrieve the talismans. Each dungeon is filled with monsters and traps. The party must also face off against Hexx’s minions, who will try to stop them from completing their quest.

Characters

The player characters in Hexx are pre-generated and chosen from a pool of 16 adventurers. Each adventurer has their own unique abilities and skills.

The four character classes in Hexx are:

Warrior: Warriors are the melee fighters of the party. They are strong and durable, and they can use a variety of weapons and armor.
Wizard: Wizards are the spellcasters of the party. They can cast a variety of spells, including fireballs, lightning bolts, and healing spells.
Ranger: Rangers are the ranged attackers of the party. They can use bows and arrows, and they can also cast a limited number of spells.
Assassin: Assassins are the stealthy attackers of the party. They can use daggers and other weapons to attack enemies from the shadows.

Development

Hexx was developed by Raven Software, a game development studio founded in 1990. The game was directed by Brian Raffel, who had previously worked on the Commander Keen series.

Hexx was developed using the id Tech 1 engine, which was also used in the Doom and Quake series. The game’s graphics were designed by John Romero, who is considered one of the pioneers of the first-person shooter genre.

Release and Reception

Hexx was released for MS-DOS in 1994. The game was a critical and commercial success, selling over 500,000 copies worldwide. Hexx was praised for its innovative real-time combat system, its unique spellcasting system, and its dark fantasy setting.

Hexx has been cited as an influence on a number of later RPGs, including Diablo and Baldur’s Gate. The game is still considered to be a classic of the RPG genre.

Legacy

Hexx: Heresy of the Wizard is a classic first-person RPG that is still enjoyed by gamers today. The game’s innovative real-time combat system and unique spellcasting system set it apart from other RPGs of its time. Hexx has been cited as an influence on a number of later RPGs, and it is still considered to be a classic of the genre.