Music and Monsters

Rap just doesn't work here...

Not unlike movies, the sounds that accompany the visuals play a huge role in how thoroughly immersed you are in the game. As we mentioned previously, the little background, ambient sounds are instrumental in keeping you on the edge of your seat. Throughout the game you'll find these little, seemingly non-pertinent noises come out of nowhere that will just send chills up your spine. I remember a moment as I was entering a hallway that I heard quick footsteps flutter down the corridor. I whirled around to find nothing… but what was that sound? It was this fear of the unknown had me on edge throughout the game - It grabbed a hold of me from the start and never let go. You'll definitely want to make use of your 3D sound card for this one - the whole ambience is nothing short of stunning.

Is that fireball meant for me?

So many times have I thought a game held a lot of promise, only to play it and find a shoddy "set" of bad guys who not only jogged in place, but took several direct blows to the noggin to realize they were being attacked. Enemy AI plays a huge role in how immersive and realistic the game feels; if the monsters are too dumb, the game feel like target practice rather than an action-packed firefight. If the monsters are too smart, you'll feel helpless no matter what you do. A good game strikes a chord somewhere in between those two extremes, and Heretic II falls safely in between.

At the easiest setting (Adventure), most of the monsters aren't very coordinated. That withstanding, the monsters are still smart enough to run when they are hurt. Hack off their arms and they'll take off running faster than a hot dog on wheels. The further you advance into the game, the tougher and more intelligent the monsters get. You'll come across bad guys that can teleport, throw fireballs, and even call for help from their buddies. If you're a tough guy, you may want to give the highest difficulty setting (Armageddon) a try… but let us warn you, you're gonna get one helluva rude awakening.

Hot Babe... sorta

Mean lookin' bird