Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders similar games & best alternatives

Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders - heretic-shadow-of-the-serpent-riders_1.avif
Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders - heretic-shadow-of-the-serpent-riders_2.avif
Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders - heretic-shadow-of-the-serpent-riders_3.avif
Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders - heretic-shadow-of-the-serpent-riders_4.avif
Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders - heretic-shadow-of-the-serpent-riders_5.avif
Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders - heretic-shadow-of-the-serpent-riders_6.avif

Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders

2007

Should you play it?

In a realm corrupted by the evil magic of three brothers known as the Serpent Riders, you are a heretic. As one of the last Sidhe elves, and a capable mage, you embark on a quest for vengeance against those who slaughtered your friends, family, and entire race.

What works

  • Classic and solid fps gameplay with fantasy twist
  • Innovative inventory and power-up system
  • Engaging level design with secrets and puzzles
  • Atmospheric music and dark fantasy setting
  • Good value with multiple episodes and expansions

Things to keep in mind

  • Steam version uses dosbox with poor default controls
  • Graphics are dated and pixelated
  • Later episodes increase difficulty sharply
  • Minimal narrative and story depth
  • Limited multiplayer and social features

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • Guns of Fury

  • Fida Puti Samurai

  • Project Warlock

  • Delver

  • Hands of Necromancy

  • Wizordum

Less expressive

Games that feels like Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders but with less self-expression and customization

  • PowerSlave Exhumed

  • Wolfenstein 3D

  • STAR WARS™ Dark Forces (Classic, 1995)

  • Chasm: The Rift

  • DOOM 64

  • Darkenstein 3D

More intense

Games that feels like Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders but with a more intense feel

  • The Elder Scrolls: Arena

  • Tower of Kalemonvo

  • The Apogee Throwback Pack

  • Rogue Shooter: The FPS Roguelike

  • Project Warlock II

  • The Citadel

More social

Games that feels like Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders but with more teamwork and cooperation

  • Heretic + Hexen

  • Hexen: Beyond Heretic

  • Blood™ Fresh Supply

  • Iron Meat

  • DOOM + DOOM II

  • Classic Marathon 2

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders: A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Violence, Survival, Fellowship, Intimacy. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Violence, Exploration. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Leadership.

Last update: 04/08/2026