Heretic and Hexen have received a surprise remaster from Nightdive Studios
Heretic + Hexen combines Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders , Hexen: Beyond Heretic and Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel into a single bundle. On top of making the updates necessary to get the games running on Xbox, PlayStation and Switch, Nightdive also created "two brand new episodes" to play through called Heretic: Faith Renewed and Hexen: Vestiges of Grandeur that include new levels inspired by the original games.
When they were first released in 1994 and 1995, respectively, Heretic and Hexen featured the novel pairing of Doom -inspired first-person action, with rudimentary RPG elements like character classes and an inventory. The games helped put developer Raven Software on the map not long before it went on to create games like Quake 4 and Wolfenstein for id Software.
Nightdive Studios has worked on other id Software remasters, but the idea of remaking or rereleasing Heretic and Hexen has been in the cards for quite a while. Microsoft completed its acquisition of ZeniMax Media, the parent company of the games' original publisher id Software, in 2021. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer was on the record as recently as 2023 as being interested in rereleasing both games. It took a couple years, but the remasters finally happened.
Heretic + Hexen is available now for Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. If you already own any of the original versions of the games, you'll get upgraded to the remastered bundle for free.
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Engadget
13 hours ago
- Engadget
The best Nintendo Switch 2 games for 2025
Why you can trust us Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products. Mon, August 11, 2025 at 7:00 AM UTC (Sam Rutherford for Engadget) The Nintendo Switch 2 didn't come out of the gate with a host of exclusive, must-play games. But we're a few months into the console's lifecycle now and there are a variety of Switch 2-only games that are worth your cash, as well as a bunch of original Switch games that have received improvements for the new console And there's also a robust selection of third-party games that have been on other consoles for a while, but not available on the Switch. Between all those, there are plenty of good games for the Switch 2 — and if you don't have an original Switch, there's even more out there. 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The Bananza powers you pick up throughout the game definitely help with that, too — you can power up DK so his smashes are more potent, or transform into a speedy zebra to dash through obstacles or an ostrich that can float above them. There's also more story to the game than I expected, centering on DK and the 13-year-old girl Pauline who accompanies him through most of his adventures. She's a charming sidekick and her love of singing is what helps DK unlock the aforementioned Bananza powers. The game is also absolutely gorgeous and visually stunning, with each world having a completely different vibe from the one that came before it — but they're all wonderfully rendered. The music rules, too. Pauline's songs are catchier than they have any right to be, and I had them stuck in my head long after I put the game down. Donkey Kong Bananaza is, quite simply, Nintendo at its best. — N.I. $67 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $70 at Macy's$70 at Target As a launch title for the original Switch, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was a massive critical and commercial success for Nintendo. It shook up the formula the series had largely stuck to for decades, gave players a massive version of Hyrule to explore and an endless variety of ways to tackle the game's challenges. But even when it came out in 2017, it was clear that Breath of the Wild was pushing the Switch's modest hardware to the limit. Framerates could often drop below 30, the game maxed out at 1080p resolution and load times were rather long. For Breath of the Wild aficionados and new players alike, the Switch 2 edition of this classic is definitely worth your time. The framerate is essentially locked at 60fps and that makes a massive difference in how fluid the game feels. 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The Switch 2 edition of Breath of the Wild is a $10 upgrade if you own the base game, but it's free for anyone who subscribes to the $50 / year Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Park service. — N.I. $69 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $70 at Target$90 at Macy's With Tears of the Kingdom , Nintendo managed to follow up the reinvention of the Zelda series with a game that added more to discover and more to play with, and it even throws in a mystical LEGO kit. Link soon discovers Ultrahand, which lets you grab and stick objects, batteries, engines, weapons, food (and more) to other objects. It's the standout addition compared to its predecessor; a creative toolbox of solutions (or foolish endeavors) to solve every puzzle, fight every beast and explore every part of Tears of the Kingdom. The Switch 2 edition adds the sort of improvements and upgrades that, arguably, warrant paying to upgrade your Switch edition. 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And did we mention it runs better on Nintendo's latest console, too? — Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter $42 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $59 at Macy's$60 at Target Some might have issues with its rigid level scaling or certain areas feeling a bit empty, but if Pokémon Scarlet and Violet had come out on the Switch 2 instead of the original Switch, Nintendo could have completely sidestepped one of the title's biggest issues: lackluster performance. But thanks to a free update pack for Nintendo's latest console, the game runs beautifully. Framerates are higher and more stable, draw distance is farther, monster density has been increased and textures and visuals have been optimized across the board. This is how the game was meant to be experienced all along and with an open world format, three different main storylines and over 100 new Pokémon to encounter, Scarlet and Violet feels like it's gotten a second life on the Switch 2. — S.R. $120 at Macy's Explore More Buying Options $120 at Target$127 at Amazon World of Assassination is how the Hitman series packaged together three meaty entries in the death-dealing series, with online limited-run events, celebrities and even an eventual Bond tie-in. Is it the best, smoothest way to play Hitman? No, but while the frame-rate dips when you're blending into the crowds at Formula 1, or hiding away in at the fashion show, it's playable and it looks good. It's also a good indication of the leap between the two Switch consoles: The original games ran on the Switch, but demanded cloud streaming. IO Interactive put so much attention into building compelling sandbox levels, and you'll really live in stages like Dartmoor as you figure out the most delightful ways to end your target. Also: there are so many disguises. If you thought three games in one is a lot, this is also the Signature Edition, which folds in even more content, levels and missions. There's a lot to play through and if, like me, you never quite finished the trilogy, this is a portable, convenient way to wrap up Agent 47's saga. It also gives the studio plenty of time to refine performance on the Switch 2 ahead of its big Bond title, 007 First Light. — M.S. $60 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $60 at Target$64 at Macy's Cyberpunk 2077 certainly isn't the newest game on this list, but the idea of porting this game over to the original Switch and its outdated hardware is so laughable, CD Projekt Red probably didn't even try. But that's what makes seeing it run on the Switch 2 so impressive. Sure, if you do some serious pixel peeping, you might notice where some graphics don't look quite as good as they would on a high-end PC or PS5. But getting the game to run as smoothly as it does on a system that you can bring pretty much anywhere is no small feat. Plus, the Ultimate Edition version of the game includes the Phantom Liberty expansion, which means you'll have well over a hundred hours of sci-fi RPG ruckus to engage in. — S.R. $69 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $70 at Best Buy Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games , the best PS5 games , the best Xbox games , the best PC games and the best free games you can play today.
Engadget
2 days ago
- Engadget
A magical farming sim, cat museum exploration and other new indie games worth checking out
Welcome to our latest recap of what's going on in the indie game space. This week, Nintendo held its latest Indie World showcase to spotlight titles that are coming to Switch and Switch 2, as well as some that arrived on the eShop on the day of the presentation. One of the latter was UFO 50 , which featured on many best of 2024 lists after it debuted on PC. Another was Is This Seat Taken? , which is about placing picky people in the right seats. This chill puzzle game from Poti Poti Studio and publisher Wholesome Games Presents arrived on Steam, iOS and Android as well this week. It has a look that reminds me a little of last year's pretty platformer, Schim . Looking further ahead, the Indie World revealed the October release date for Ball x Pit , a Breakout -esque roguelite I'm very excited for. In addition, Mina the Hollower , the next game from Shovel Knight studio Yacht Club Games that we already knew was coming to Steam on Halloween, has been confirmed for a Switch and Switch 2 release on the same day. The showcase also revealed that Neverway , a creepy life-sim RPG from a studio founded by Pedro Medeiros (the pixel artist of Celeste ) and Murder Engine creator Isadora Sophia, is coming to Switch and Steam in 2026. Meanwhile, sci-fi RPG Caves of Qud is coming to Switch as a console exclusive later this year. This is a turn-based, sci-fi roguelike RPG from Freehold Games and publisher Kitfox Games that's rated overwhelmingly positive on Steam after nearly 10,000 player reviews (a quick scan indicates that those who get into Caves of Qud can sink hundreds of hours into it). Elsewhere, The International Game Developers Association, The International Game Developers Association Foundation and Women in Games International teamed up for an interesting announcement this week. The organizations are collaborating on a project called Port Quest, which is designed to help successful developers bring their games to mobile platforms. Studios who take part can receive assistance from industry veterans, access to workshops and more. Applications are open now and will close on September 15. Those chosen to participate will be featured in a showcase. However, only games that have earned at least $10,000 per month for the last six months are eligible. The games can't have previously been made available on mobile devices either. New releases A game called Ritual of Raven , from Spellgarden Games and publisher Team17, arrived on Steam and Switch this week. It's billed as a "cozy, story-based farming sim" but you're not going to be making your character till the land, plant seeds and carefully nurture crops here. Instead, this is more of a deckbuilder, as you'll collect tarot cards and make use of their magical powers to do the work for you. It seems like an interesting twist on the Stardew Valley formula, especially if you're into card-based games. Kimchi: A Stars in the Trash Story is a free, short game from Valhalla Cats that dropped this week on Steam and — just in time for International Cat Day. As a kitten named Kimchi, you'll explore a cat museum and solve puzzles as you learn about the history of cats. This is a spinoff of Stars in the Trash , a hand-drawn platform adventure with a gorgeous aesthetic that came out late last year. I bought that game months ago but haven't gotten around to playing it. The arrival of Kimchi is a good reminder for me to do that. I mentioned this one in a previous edition of this roundup, though I can't help but highlight it again (not least because I feel the need to switch things up after highlighting a couple of cozy games). Turbo Kid is a delightfully gory Metroidvania that acts as a quasi-sequel to a film of the same name that I utterly adore. It finally landed on Switch this week, alongside an update for a PC update that enhances a lot of the weapons and makes them easier to acquire. Outerminds says the update also brings performance improvements to lower-spec systems. Upcoming A foraging adventure called Out and About was supposed to debut this week, but it's been pushed back by a few days as Yaldi Games unfortunately didn't check the Early Access box in Steam's publishing tools. As such, the studio has had to delay the game's arrival until this Monday. That's a bit of a pity for a developer that's releasing its first-ever game, but Yaldi's transparency here is quite endearing. In any case, Out and About will see you gathering fungi and wild plants to help you cook delectable dishes and put together herbal remedies. You'll also be helping to rebuild your community following a powerful storm. The game features real-life plants, so you might learn how to identify flora when you're out and about in the real world and perhaps do some actual foraging of your own. Rogue Labyrinth looks absolutely gorgeous, with a look that reminds me of my favorite game of all time, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past . In this story-driven action title from Tea Witch Games and publisher you'll seemingly be able to turn anything into a projectile (including deflected enemy attacks) by whacking it with your smacking stick. You'll play as a nomad named Iris who returns home only to find that the place where you grew up has been converted into a labyrinth that hosts a reality show. The labyrinth is home to randomized biomes that feature monsters and allies alike. Rogue Labyrinth is coming to Steam on September 1. A demo, which I might just check out this weekend, is available now. Atari revealed this week that Adventure of Samsara — a spiritual successor to Atari 2600 title Adventure from 1980 — is set to arrive on September 4. It's coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Steam and GOG. In this pixel art Metroidvania from developer Ilex Games, you'll attempt to restore balance to the multiverse. To do that, you'll need to explore a series of connected biomes and take down tough bosses. Of course, you'll gain abilities and upgrades while you're on your journey, because that's how Metroidvanias work. I think my favorite thing about Autumn with the Shiba Inu is that it's a sequel to a battle royale mystery visual novel called A Summer with the Shiba Inu , so I have two of these games to check out. This is a mystery visual novel from Quill Game Studios that puts you in the paws of Quei-Li, a freelance hacker tasked with uncovering information in a corruption case. There are multiple endings here, which should encourage replayability, and I appreciate the lovely doggo illustrations by artist Alicia García Ochoa in the trailer. Autumn with the Shiba Inu is coming to Steam on August 14, and a trailer is available now. Dude, Where Is My Beer? A New Hop is a point-and-click adventure in the vein of those LucasArts games from the '80s and '90s. In this project from Arik Games and Edo Brenes, you play as a dude who just wants to drink a pilsner when all that can be found are craft beers and gross IPAs (I can't stand IPAs, sorry). Since a master brewer has banned pilsners, you'll have to make your own by acquiring the right ingredients and gear, then entering a brewing contest. This is a sequel to 2020's Dude, Where Is My Beer? and I love the Star Wars pun in the sequel's title. There's no release window for Dude, Where Is My Beer? A New Hop as yet, but there's a demo up on Steam now. Let's wrap things up for this week with a game that's "inspired by analog horror, outsider art and the liminal landscapes of David Lynch and Andrei Tarkovsky." Concierge is a surrealist, non-linear game in which you'll use a camcorder to help uncover clues and solve puzzles and trials that might require some outside-the-box thinking. This project from two-person Brazilian duo Kodino Artes and publisher Digital Tribe Games looks pretty compelling to me. Concierge is coming to Steam on September 15. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
Engadget
3 days ago
- Engadget
Nintendo's upcoming app lets kids smoosh Mario's face
Nintendo just announced a forthcoming app called Hello Mario! that's headed to iOS, Android and the Switch in Japan. The free app seems pretty basic, as it's just a giant Mario head that users can poke and prod. That sounds eerily reminiscent of the intro screen of Super Mario 64 . The company says that Mario will react in various ways based on player input. His face will even turn "around and around on the screen" when manhandled. Nintendo says "parents and young children" should play together to "enjoy each reaction they see." The app rolls out on August 26, but we don't know if it'll be released outside of Japan. We reached out to Nintendo for information on a global launch. Beyond the app, Nintendo is releasing a bunch of new Mario-themed products for kids. These include plush toys, teething toys, dinnerware, clothing and an interactive board book that also features Mario's mustached face. The highlight of this collection is likely a pair of wooden block sets that include Amiibo functionality. A family enjoying Mario toys. (Nintendo) These products will be available in Nintendo's Japan-based stores on August 26. A report by Video Games Chronicle has indicated that they will be available in other regions next year .
