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This is a true retro/boomercore FPS running on the GZDoom Engine and bearing inspiration from titles such as Unreal, Blood, Thief, Arx Fatalis, Hexen or Serious Sam. It's an oldschool game, and that's pretty much enough of a description. You will be dropped in a hostile world that has its own workings, characters and intrigues, and you will be expected to fend for yourself. The build up is slow and steady, the story is consistent, the combat is fast paced and ruthless. You will sometimes find yourself lost in a non linear level design with various aesthetics (forest, caves, forge, barracks, snowy mountain etc.) where exploration and learning by yourself is the key to improve. You play as Zan (any similarity with the creator's username is a pure coincidence), a half Orc - half Demon warrior who wakes up in a caved in tunnel with no memory of how she ended up there. The first episode will focus on our hero's descent into a strange underground world which is threatened by the sudden attack of a massive Cultist force. There are certain races and factions populating the world of Hedon. The Iron Division - A faction of amazon-like Orcs and Goblins, the Iron Division are the keepers Hedon's greatest secret - the crystal technology. Various magical crystals sprawl across the underground, providing energy, heat, oxygen and often forming entire biomes around them. Combining this power with crafting and the ancient art of magic, the Iron Division has founded a whole new civilization within their mountain stronghold known as Valc. The Cultists - Fallen to sin, the raving husks of what were once human now worship various figures of the Underworld. Little can be done to cull their addiction to pain and suffering. Little but a spray of frag fire or an explosive bolt that is. The Demons - Chaotic Demons dwell in the deepest parts of Hedon, lashing out at the weaker minds of the inhabitants of the Overworld. Along the ages, they have subdued entire towns to become their cultist slaves and feed their endless hunger through pain and suffering. Demons only care about feeding, and they will stop at nothing to do so. The Earthborn - Ancient dwellers of the underground, Minotaurs and Dwarves have built their own civilizations, ever clenched in warfare with the Demons spawning from below. However, their great cities and heritage were lost hundreds of years after their inevitable defeat in front of Hell's armies, and now they have been scattered and forced to live in small clans and towns. It's an oldschool/boomercore game not by just looks and engine, but by gameplay. 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. 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. 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. On Aug 30/2021, Hedon Bloodrite was released that added Hedon II as a free upgrade to make 16 Hours of Hand-Crafted Singleplayer Experience with larger levels, larger arsenal and bestiary, more world building and story and generally more... Hedon. They messed up your home. It's your turn to mess theirs. You'll be on the offensive now. Join the Iron Division remnants in a last ditch attempt to save the world from an imminent demonic invasion. The world expands... Get ready to explore the universe of Hedon further and learn more about the places and people who inhabit the mysterious underground world. A touch of RPG - You will be able to talk to various characters and complete secondary objectives and hidden quests. Sometimes, your actions will affect the course of the game in subtle ways. Lose yourself in the layers of the underworld. As a true successor, Bloodrite will expand on Hedon's already large levels, keeping up the visual variety and strong atmosphere. Creativity, wits and exploration will never go unrewarded. In addition to that, you will be able to go back and worth between certain levels, having the freedom to approach them in multiple ways. Kick ass harder - You get a weapon that shoots 2100 bullets a minute. Kicking ass is the only option. What is the fate of the underworld? Will Zan make the ultimate sacrifice to defeat the demons? Do male orcs exist? These and many other questions will find their answer in the sequel. |
