Heretic is a foundational 1994 main game in the Shooter genre, where you navigate maze-like fantasy environments seeking vengeance against the Serpent Riders. The core loop involves fast-paced exploration and combat utilizing entirely magical weaponry—staves and tomes—instead of conventional firearms. Its distinctive feature is this high-fantasy arsenal set against a dark backdrop of corrupted kings and warring elves, offering tactical depth through artifact use.
This title, originally released in late 1994, established itself as a foundational entry within the first-person shooter genre, available across platforms including DOS, PC (Microsoft Windows), and Mac. It immerses the player in a dark fantasy setting defined by magical conflict and ancient corruption.
The central narrative involves the tyrannical rule of the Serpent Riders, three powerful brothers who have magically subjugated the kings of Parthoris, turning their armies into mindless puppets. The native Sidhe elves resisted this control but were forced into a desperate measure: severing the natural power of their own kings to weaken the Riders. This action ultimately led to the defeat of the Sidhe elders, forcing a retreat.
Players take on the role of a lone Sidhe elf initiating a quest for vengeance against D'Sparil, the least powerful of the three Serpent Riders. The journey is characterized by exploration through corrupted and desolate landscapes. This path includes navigating the ruins of the Sidhe capital, known as the "City of the Damned," traversing the perilous region of Hell's Maw, and culminating at the stronghold of the target, the Dome of D'Sparil.
The gameplay loop centers on navigating complex, often maze-like environments typical of early 3D shooters, focusing heavily on exploration to uncover secrets and engaging in continuous, fast-paced combat. A defining characteristic of this shooter is its complete reliance on fantasy-based weaponry rather than conventional firearms.
Players utilize an arsenal composed entirely of magical artifacts and enchanted armaments, such as elemental staves and powerful magical tomes, to dispatch a variety of monstrous and magically corrupted enemies. Resource management requires players to actively seek out and collect magical energy reserves and hidden power-ups scattered throughout the levels.
This game integrates high fantasy elements directly into its core mechanics, setting it apart from many contemporaries. The entire offensive toolkit is magical, providing diverse offensive capabilities that go beyond simple projectile mechanics.
Additionally, the game incorporates a system utilizing various magical artifacts that grant temporary tactical advantages, such as the ability to fly or gain enhanced defensive capabilities, adding a layer of strategic consideration to the moment-to-moment action.
This release is structured as a main game. There are no officially documented downloadable content packs or standalone expansions associated with this core version.

An episode 3 replacement for Heretic to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

A wintery episode for heretic and narratively is a direct sequel to Lost and Forgotten.

Hermeticism is a 9-Map wad for Heretic that replaces Episode 1.

In your journey to find a way back to Parthoris, you've come across a desolate palace. In hopes of finding a way out, you step through the portal at the entrance.

A 5 level episode for Heretic.

Condemned is a small Heretic episode designed explicitly for ZDoom. There are 6 normal levels, 1 atmospheric interlude level, and 1 secret level.

Quoth the Raven is the 28th installment of the Pineapple Under the Sea Speedmapping series, created by BluePineapple72. The event ran during June of 2023, in which maps were created in a time limit of 8 hours or less. Mappers were to create Heretic maps using a custom texture pack and calling back to several of the design tropes from the original Heretic. It contains 3 episodes, with forced secret exits, for a total of 27 maps.

A highly detailed blue-themed map


An E1M1 limit removing map for Heretic.

A complete 9-level episode featuring some new textures and classic Heretic style with attention to Raven's mapping conventions. The set plays on the episode 2 slot. It includes 8 revised editions of ETTiNGRiNDER's prior released maps to update the visuals and gameplay, plus 1 never before released one (E2M2)

A bite sized Heretic level with the restrictions of no more than 100 enemies, 100 sectors, and 1000 linedefs.

An episode for Heretic replacing the original first for Limit-removing ports. Made on the basis of different images from google for the query "dungeons maps". There are some textures from Hexen, Hexen II, Heretic II, Witchaven and a few of their own.

A simple short heretic map.

Wadazine Master Collection 04: Heresy or shortly WMC04: Heresy is an eight-level collaborative episode WAD for Heretic designed for GZDoom or K8Vavoom source ports in UDMF format created by various members of The Doom Master Wadazine community led by Alexa Jones-Gonzales (Remilia Scarlet) and co-lead Christian Blair (Endless). It is the fourth entry in the Wadazine Master Collection series.

Blasphemous experiments is a complete first episode replacement for Heretic, using the Blasphemer texture pack.

Endquest is designed to feel like an entire Heretic megawad crammed into an epic single episode! It has been lovingly crafted, is dripping with detail, and has been meticulously balanced and tested.

Sold Soul is a full-on Heretic episode with 9 levels and challenging gameplay. The story is that you play as a merchant with some unnatural powers and skills who have been betrayed and seeking revenge.

This is the continuation of Sergeant Mark IV's Brutal Heretic mod. Well, after been seemingly abandoned for a few years, we have continued Brutal Heretic where Sarge and Seidolon has left off.

A heretic megawad containing total 35 levels, including secret levels. Intended to be played as a campaign. Also contains around 30 new monsters and 8 bosses.
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