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What happens when someone with a decade-long dream game idea but no coding skills stumbles upon a fan updated source port of the original Doom engine? Hedon retreads the roots of FPS design, reviving the lost mechanics of an era when games didn't have realistic graphics, sophisticated mocap animations, quick time events or microtransactions.

ABOUT

Hedon Bloodrite (also known as Hedon II) is a sequel to the original Hedon game from 2019. It released as a free update for everyone who owned the original, allowing players to select it when starting a new game, in a similar fashion to how 90s FPS handled episodes - except it's a full game instead.

You play as Zan, a tough as nails half orc - half demon lady who wakes up in a collapsed cave tunnel with no memory of how she ended up there. You will venture into a strange underground fantasy world rendered in charming handmade pixel graphics, a world where amazonian cave orcs use crystal-powered technology to save their stronghold from evil cultists and defeat an imminent demonic invasion.

 

Hedon is a funky oldschool experience, inspired not only by FPS games from the 90s like Doom, Hexen or Unreal, but also immersive sims like Thief and Arx Fatalis. When you aren't hacking at cultists with your hefty axe or setting them ablaze with the flamethrower included in your golbin-made shotgun, you'll be wandering the complex, non-linear hand-designed levels in search for keys and clues on how to progress, all while enveloped by the dark and eerily comfy atmosphere of the Underworld.

FEATURES

• An exotic underground universe filled with unique locations, ample lore and subtle details;

• Colorful, digitally hand drawn graphics, from environment textures to character sprites;

• Brutal, gory, fast paced combat that encourages experimentation and resource management;

• Expansive, non-linear levels with secrets and puzzles that challenge the player's perception and wit;

• (Only in Hedon II) Interconnected level clusters, secondary and hidden quests that can influence and shape the surrounding world depending on approach and a variety of characters to interact with;

• A multi genre soundtrack ranging from ambiental to heavy metal, that also includes the work of the legendary Alexander Brandon in the form of a few tracks that didn't make it in Unreal and Deus Ex;

• Small in file size, portable, highly moddable and DRM free. Just like the good ol' times.

DEVELOPMENT

Hedon is made by a solo indie developer known as Zan or HedonDev. As a concept and universe, it has been developed during the course of a decade, although it was nothing more than a series of ideas and concept art until the creator discovered the modern accessibility of Doom modding. Thus, Hedon took a concrete form as a niche total conversion mod for Doom, but gained more traction and following quickly. In 2019, after GZDoom was made to run fully under a General Public License, Hedon became one of the first commercial projects to run on this fan-updated version of idTech, the engine that gave us Doom and shaped the FPS genre for ages to come.

 

FAQ

Q: How is the game's name pronounced?

A: "Head-on", as in head-on approach.

Q: Hedon runs on the Doom engine? How is that possible?

A: GZDoom is a source port based on the original Doom engine. The GPL license allows for it to be used for commercial projects.

Q: Will Hedon ever be available on consoles?

A: No, it was simply not designed with consoles in mind.

Q: Will Hedon ever have Steam achievements?

A: No, partially because it would require to intertwine Steam's proprietary code with GZDoom's public one which is not legal, and partially because Hedon is made to be completely portable and DRM free.

Permission is granted for the use of full video-audio footage from Hedon in order to stream, showcase or review it in any form.

NOTE: Although unique to Hedon, some instrumental versions of the licensed music may be claimed by the labels owning monetization rights on platforms like Youtube.

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OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS

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https://www.humblebundle.com/games/best-boomer-shooters-bundle

Along with several other new wave retro FPS games, Hedon has raised over 100.000 USD for charity as part of the Boomer Shooters Bundle which ran on Humble Bundle in March 2022.

ARTICLES

HEDON I

Jake 'The Voice' Parr | 2020 | Hedon (PC) Review | vgalmanac.com

Maiyannah Bishop | 2020 | Review: Hedon | highlandarrow.com

Sin Vega | 2019 | Unknown Pleasures: Crossing the Floor | rockpapershotgun.com

Alyxx Digre | 2019 | Hedon – PC Game Review | vgr.com

Liam Dawe | 2019 | Hedon, another retro FPS using the GZDoom game engine is officially out | gamingonlinux.com

AWARDS

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INDIEDB INDIE OF THE YEAR 2021

PLAYERS CHOICE

2ND PLACE

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CACOWARDS 2019

The Spaceship of Theseus

VIDEO REVIEWS

HEDON I

HEDON II

VIDEO ANALYSIS

SOCIAL MEDIA

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