LogFAQs > #958400221

Hedon: Bloodrite (PC)

First off, this dev made Episode 2 which in itself might as well be an entirely new game, free if you bought the first Hedon. He could've easily sold it as its own thing and didn't. Kudos.

That out of the way, I was so pumped for this one that I actually in rare form went back and played Episode 1 because unlike other retro shooters this game actually had a plot and lore that I had pretty much forgotten when I beat it March this year. I honestly didn't expect Episode 2 to drop anytime soon but when I heard it did I dropped everything to beat it. The lore and plot continues here and much heavier this time. I love it. And there are hints for an Episode 3 but this time the dev has taken a real hiatus towards the series which is honestly well-deserved.

That said, is it a good game? Well. First I'd like to say that episode 1 was basically the dev finding his style. It had some DOOM and Quake going for it and that was great. Probably my favorite thing is that the weapons just feel so right and none of them ever feel obsolete. This is also an FPS with an amazing shotgun AND a flamethrower that actually works AND they're even the same gun! Episode 2 on the other hand is the dev clearly flexing his map-making and scripting muscles. Everything is bigger better and more impactful. New weapons, new enemies, new rockin' soundtracks.

Now I expected Episode 2 to be bigger in scale but more of the same. And herein lies the rub: It's Hexen. Hub Worlds. Multiple maps per map. Secrets relying on previously unlocked secrets. Inventory puzzles. Puzzles. Its not as confusing as Hexen thank god but, clearing a room then having to occasionally consult a guide for an item I might've missed or a piece of the puzzle that I did out of order severely throws the flow out of whack once in awhile. And there's 2 of them: 2 Hub Worlds with 3-4 levels each. I just want to kill some demons!

Also, unlike other Retro FPS', this game actually gives you a plethora of items to use and in fact they are necessary even on normal mode. I shudder to think how speedrunners even deal with hard its insane. I also feel contemptuous towards its boss fights which not only feel like something out of Serious Sam (which is fine if you weren't so brittle and half the enemy roster move faster than you AND shoot projectiles), but also have their own gimmicks. The final boss without spoiling has 5 fucking phases with little to no healing parts in between. Come on. That was just unfair.

In the end, I think I preferred Episode 1 but that's only because I really find the Hexen style of play to be a bit annoying so ymmv. I did appreciate the story and lore though and I hope Episode 3 comes soon when the dev feels like it.

---

It's not so cliche anymore when it's happening to you.