This is Niche Spotlight. In this column, we regularly introduce new games to our fans, so please leave feedback and let us know if there’s a game you want us to cover!
Today’s Spotlight is Hedon, an old-school FPS by Zan that runs on the GZDoom Engine.
The game is set in an underground fantasy world of magic and technology. You play as a muscular half orc, half demon warrior waifu that is tasked with fighting the hordes of depraved cultists that are invading the world.
Inspired by classics like Hexen and Arx Fatalis, Hedon features large levels full of secrets, five difficulty settings, and an arsenal of guns, melee weapons, and spells. You can watch a trailer above.
Hedon is available on Windows PC and Linux via Steam for $9.99.
Here’s a rundown of the game:
Hedon is an experimental mix of classic and modern action game design running on the GZDoom Engine and bearing bits of inspiration from titles such as Hexen, Unreal or Arx Fatalis.
It’s an oldschool/boomercore game not by just looks and engine, but by gameplay. That means:
Key Features:
- Sprawling levels that offer a degree of freedom and don’t hold the player’s hand. Exploring, hunting secrets, backtracking, patience and having to figure out what to do next is key. Monsters and pickups are hand-placed and vary according to the difficulty you play on.
- Original story packed with lots of lore and doubled by a permeating atmosphere. Intensive attention to detail and world building.
- Gory, fast paced shooting, a solid arsenal of weapons and magic items. Combat is projectile-based, movement is essential, enemies are unique and vary in type and abilities.
- Original soundtrack ranging from tense to serene ambient, spiced up with bursts of metal. Also, did I mention the legendary Alexander Brandon? If you enjoyed the Unreal and Deus Ex soundtracks, you’re in for a treat!
- Thousands of hours of work put into an original concept, digitally hand-drawn graphics (textures, sprites, frame by frame animations etc.), scripting, sound effects and level design, all by a one man dev team aiming to create a unique game with a unique atmosphere.
- Six to eight hours of good ‘ol singleplayer action with five difficulties including Brutalizing, which changes the gameplay to allow interesting second playthroughs (different fights & pick-ups, companions etc.).
- It’s very light on storage (under 300mb) and well optimized. It’s also portable so no DRM and no online ties either – you buy it, it’s yours!
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