Heretic
News, coverage and analysis tracking Heretic across the outlets.
Latest coverage
"We can get any IP" - Saber CCO on why reviving dormant franchises is the big, obvious secret the the publisher's success, and why Xbox could learn from it
Saber Interactive's Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits believes the company's success stems from its strategy of reviving dormant franchises and ensuring projects can generate four times their cost. He highlighted titles like World War Z and Snow Runner as examples of profitable ventures, and suggested that larger companies like Microsoft could benefit from a similar approach by revitalizing underutilized IPs.
Amid accusations of a post-beta difficulty bump, Mortal Shell 2 devs patch the new soulslike to stop players riposting so hard they steal enemy weapons
Cold Symmetry has released a hotfix for Mortal Shell 2 to address player concerns about difficulty and a bug where players could steal enemy weapons. The patch also includes fixes for crashes and stability issues, with a larger balancing patch scheduled for the game's full public release on August 20th. The article also speculates on potential future game modes, including a weapon-stealing mechanic.
Evening Reading - August 18, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers various gaming news, including NBA 2K27's new features like co-op MyCareer and the inclusion of female players. It also highlights the retirement of Warren Spector, the release of download codes for The Duskbloods Closed Network Test, and a review of Mortal Shell 2. The article also touches on indie game Servant of the Lake and mentions Kingdom Hearts 4 reveals.
Evening Reading - August 17, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers various gaming news, including reviews for Mortal Shell 2 and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, and the upcoming DLC for Marvel Cosmic Invasion. It also notes the passing of Hayden Panettiere and discusses the exclusivity of Grand Theft Auto 6 content on Netflix.
Mortal Shell 2 review: A monumental heavy metal sequel with the spirit of a '90s PC game
Mortal Shell 2 is a monumental sequel that blends modern Soulslike elements with the spirit of '90s PC games, offering a unique and humorous take on the genre. It significantly improves upon its predecessor with diverse playable 'Shells,' a more straightforward narrative, and innovative combat mechanics that forgo a stamina bar, making it highly accessible and flexible.
Weekend Discussion - August 16, 2026
This Weekend Discussion article from Shacknews covers various topics including reflections on the past week's articles, reviews for Madden NFL 27 and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, and a discussion about the Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer exclusivity on Netflix. It also mentions older games like Heretic and Hexen, and features music recommendations.
Warlock - A top down action slasher by Haplo is previewed for the C64
A preview for Warlock, a top-down action slasher developed by Haplo for the Commodore 64, has been released. The game draws inspiration from classic first-person shooters like Heretic but features a top-down perspective and handcrafted levels without permadeath. The current preview includes six levels and is expected to have bugs, with the developer planning to add more content and polish for the final release.
Evening Reading - August 14, 2026
This week's gaming news roundup includes updates on Total War: Warhammer 3, a review of Madden NFL 27, and the opening of 2K's Small Axe Studios. Compulsion Games has removed Xbox as the publisher for South of Midnight on Steam, while Kingdom Hearts 4 is slated for a late 2027 release with an animated series coming to Disney+. The article also highlights new features for The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered on Nintendo Switch and mentions upcoming content for Modern Warfare 4.
The Friday Knights: Heretic, Hexen, and the Origin of Raven Software
This article details the origin of Raven Software, founded by two brothers who combined their artistic talents to significantly impact the first-person shooter genre. It highlights their early work on games like Heretic and Hexen.
Xbox Game Pass Reveals First Wave Of August 2026 Games
Xbox Game Pass has revealed the first wave of games coming in August 2026, including Heretic + Hexen, Beast of Reincarnation, and the Gears of War: E-Day beta. Later in the month, players can look forward to Bounty Star, Date Everything, Grounded 2, Ball X Pit, Cricket 26, Mio: Memories in Orbit, and Sandustry. Four games, including Aliens: Fireteam Elite and Firewatch, will be leaving the service on August 15.
Coming to XBOX Game Pass: Gears of War: E-Day Open Beta, Cricket 26, Date Everything!, and More
Xbox Game Pass is adding several new titles throughout August, including an Early Access Open Beta for Gears of War: E-Day, Beast of Reincarnation, Bounty Star, and Cricket 26. Several games are also leaving the service on August 15, including Atlas Fallen and Firewatch. Additionally, classic original Xbox games are now available on PC and handheld devices.
Gears of War: E-Day Beta, Beast of Reincarnation, and More Headline Wave 1 of Game Pass in August
Microsoft's Game Pass service is adding several titles in August, including a beta for Gears of War: E-Day starting August 6th for Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers. Other new additions include Beast of Reincarnation, Monsters are Coming!, PowerWash Simulator 2, Bounty Star, Grounded 2, and more. Several games will also be leaving the service on August 15th.
Here's your next batch of Xbox Game Pass games for July
Xbox has announced new games coming to its Game Pass subscription service throughout July and into early August. Headlining the additions are Halo: Campaign Evolved and Hell Is Us, with other titles like The Planet Crafter and Beast of Reincarnation also joining the lineup. Several games will also be leaving the service on July 31st.
Xbox Game Pass Gets Even More New Games In July
Microsoft has revealed the second wave of games coming to Xbox Game Pass in July, featuring several day-one releases. Highlights include the remake Halo: Campaign Evolved, the co-op detective horror game Midnight Shift, and the dark fantasy extraction ARPG Mistfall Hunters. The service will also add Hell Is Us, Corsair Cove, and Beast of Reincarnation in August.
Halo: Campaign Evolved, Mistfall Hunter and Hell is Us Headline Wave 2 of Game Pass in July
Xbox is adding several notable titles to Game Pass in the latter half of July, including the remake Halo: Campaign Evolved and the action-adventure Hell is Us. Mistfall Hunter, a PvEvP Souls-like, and the pirate-themed city builder Corsair Cove are also set to debut. The article also previews upcoming games for August and lists titles leaving the service at the end of July.
After 36 years at the legendary FPS studio, Raven Software co-founder Brian Raffel is retiring
Brian Raffel, co-founder and Vice President of Raven Software, is retiring after 36 years with the studio. Raven Software, known for its work on titles like Heretic, Soldier of Fortune, and multiple Call of Duty games including Warzone, has been a significant FPS developer since its founding in 1990. Raffel also held a Vice President role at Activision following Raven's acquisition.
Co-Founder Of Call Of Duty Studio Raven Retires After 36 Years And 42 Games Released
Brian Raffel, co-founder of Call of Duty studio Raven Software, is retiring after 36 years and shipping 42 games. Founded in 1990, Raven Software initially developed titles like Black Crypt and Heretic before becoming heavily involved with the Call of Duty series starting with Call of Duty: Black Ops. Raffel's career spanned 18 Call of Duty titles and 12 original intellectual properties.
Forgotten FPS sequel Heretic 2 gets a 'reverse-engineered sourceport' that fixes bugs, improves the framerate and adds 'lots of cosmetic improvements'
A new sourceport for the 1998 third-person action-adventure game Heretic 2 has been released, offering bug fixes, improved framerates, and cosmetic enhancements. This unofficial release requires the original game data and aims to make the sequel more accessible on modern PCs. The article also speculates on a potential official rerelease given Microsoft's ownership of both Activision and id Software, who published the original titles.
#7 Highly Compressed PC Games Under 50MB [Working!]
This article lists several classic PC games that are highly compressed and available in sizes under 50MB, focusing primarily on titles from the 1990s. It highlights games like Ultima Underworld 2, Heretic, DOOM, and Tomb Raider 2, noting their original release years and developers.
