Witchaven & Witchaven II Versions

Here you may find information on the various versions of Witchaven and Witchaven II that exist, as well as downloads for the demo versions. Note that the version number which appears at game start is often unhelpful as multiple versions were released which report the same version number. The page is a work in progress and some versions (particularly patched versions) might not be listed yet.

All demo versions of the game are limited to the first three levels and most appear to be based on a beta version of the game, using older versions of some graphics and other data, as well as different game rules. The exception is the 3-Level Interactive Preview which appears to be a cut-down version of the retail release with the same data and rules. There was no demo release of Witchaven II that I am aware of.

A few noticeable differences in the "beta demos" include:

  • Several differences in level 1, including an ocean view from the starting area, lava cracks that don't appear until you step on them, the entrance to the waterfall room is secret rather than a marked door, waterfall room contains a dagger and hero time (where final version contains a morning star and leather armor), and a dragon appears where the lava fiend would later go.
  • Sword clanging sounds play for each letter typed in the save game screen.
  • Some sound effects were different, including the fireball launching and floor/ceiling movement sounds.
  • Start with fists only, no dagger (true for July 18 version at least).
  • Short sword didn't exist, all weapons above the dagger shifted down one number.
  • Armor boosting potion instead of cure poison potion (July 18 and July 21 versions).
  • Slightly different version of the menu graphics.
  • No keys; the location in level 2 where a key would appear has a dagger instead and the locked door is remotely triggered
  • Gore effect generates more splatters compared to retail (true for July 31 version at least).

Witchaven Demo EXE

Several versions of the Witchaven demo exist. There don't appear to be differences between the .MAP and .ART files in the demo versions except for the CD preview version, and I am not sure of the exact .EXE differences. I have also attempted to provide a (partial) list of physical releases that contain the different demo releases.

DateSize (Bytes)CRC32 of EXEReported Version #DownloadNote
18 Jul. 1995462,3199DA4D3170.1DownloadWith graphical config utility.
Appears on Computer Things branded floppy disk release (appears to have been a shareware floppy distributor).
21 Jul. 1995510,091C71C348F0.1DownloadWith graphical config utility.
Appears on the "TEKWARS" demo CD of Tekwar and Witchaven from Powersource Multimedia.
31 Jul. 1995520,9121386D0AE1.0DownloadIn this version, the third potion is now Cure Poison as in the retail version.
Appears on the CD "Especial de Juegos". (Thanks Marco for the submission!)
25 Sep. 1995695,4579DC85CEB1.0N/AUnlike the other demos, this version includes a CD-check, intro cinematic, short sword, and the levels are their final versions.
Appears on (exclusive to?) the Witchaven 3-Level Interactive Preview CD.

Witchaven Retail EXE

Official full versions of Witchaven. To use the patches just unpack them into your Witchaven directory and overwrite the files (for the 3-button mouse patch you will also have to reconfigure the game settings). Only use one patch at a time.

All versions that identify as v1.1 have an issue with wall-mounted sprites (fireball-shooting gargoyles, etc.) which causes some of them to be clipped off on edges. This is probably the result of an internal change in BUILD. The EGWH1 rebuilds inherit this problem as well; it might not be fixable without patching the map data or the BUILD engine code.

DateSize (Bytes)CRC32 of EXEReported Version #Patch DLNote
3 Sep. 1995675,280ADD43DCC1.0N/AAppears on all known CD-ROM releases of the Witchaven full version.
You generally can stick with this version if you don't need any specific features of the later ones; later versions don't seem to fix any bugs and some introduce new visual glitches to a few of the levels.
12 Oct. 1995696,0115E15AB8F1.0PatchCheat patch.
This version included some additional cheats that do not carry over to the later versions.
Purportedly this was to assist with writing the official strategy guide.
8 Nov. 1995621,249C0D73B831.1PatchMouse patch (3-button mouse support).
No CD check.
It is necessary to delete any prior SETUP.DAT and set the game back up with the included setup program.
9 Jan. 1996708,021204E80091.1PatchVFX1 patch.
A special version customized for use with Forte Technologies VFX1 headgear.
12 Jan. 1996775,163FF0368C71.1PatchDWANGO patch.
A version which uses the DWANGO API for modem communications.
5 Mar. 1996765,1494495FDEF1.1PatchDWANGO/VFX1 update patch.
No CD check.
This is also the pre-built EXE appearing in Les Bird's source release, appears to be the final update.

Witchaven II Retail EXE

Official full versions of Witchaven II. There was presumably an earlier v2.0 but I have not come across a clean version of it (all known CDs have v2.0c).

DateSize (Bytes)CRC32 of EXEReported Version #Note
27 Mar. 19961,027,593C6EF92662.0cAppears on all known Witchaven II and Witchaven I & II bundle CD-ROMs.
13 May 1996870,837D35089B12.0gPre-built EXE from Les Bird's source release, probably final update.
I have not found any evidence that this version was ever released on CD or as patch.

Unofficial hacks/patches

Versions that appear to be hacked, cracked, etc.

EXEDateSize (Bytes)CRC32 of EXEReported Version #Note
WH2.EXE15 Apr. 19961,041,041A4125C592.0Appears in some warez site distributions of the game, cracked to remove CD check.
Bad version with additional bugs, not recommended to use.


Witchaven physical releases

Various forms in which the games have been distributed. Most of these are based on used, pre-opened copies of the game so take them with a grain of salt when it comes to which discs are originally meant to go with which packages; it's as accurate as I can make it given the information available to me.

Witchaven big box - WH1 full

USA big box retail release of Witchaven displaying Ken Kelly's "Death's End" on the box cover, full color manual cover, jewel case insert and CD-ROM. Includes manual (aka "Spellbook and Guide to the Underworld"), registration card, and command reference card. The big box has an outer sleeve design with an open top and bottom containing a plain white inner box.

Witchaven box cover unwrapped Witchaven jewel case front Witchaven jewel case back A Witchaven CD-ROM Witchaven instruction manual

Witchaven II big box - WH2 full

USA big box retail release of Witchaven II displaying Ken Kelly's "Field of Fury" on the box cover, full color manual cover, jewel case insert and CD-ROM. Includes manual (aka "Spell Book and Battle Guide"), registration card (I am possibly missing a command reference card.). The Witchaven II logo on the box front has a shiny gold effect which doesn't capture well in photographs, and the box has printed top and bottom flaps unlike the one for Witchaven I. The CD-ROM face includes the "Blood Vengeance" subtitle.

Witchaven II box cover unwrapped A Witchaven II CD-ROM Witchaven II instruction manual

Witchaven (Softkey) - WH1 full

Appears to be a jewel-case-only re-release. In addition to the game itself, the data on the CD-ROM includes a CompuServe demo and a text file containing a heavily cut-down version of the Witchaven manual, covering only the most essential points.

Softkey Witchaven jewel case front Softkey Witchaven jewel case back Softkey Witchaven jewel case insert Softkey Witchaven CD-ROM

Witchaven II CD-ROM - WH2 full

A different print of the Witchaven II CD-ROM that appears as if it may have been for a jewel-case only release. The CD-ROM face is illustrated with a different cropping of "Field of Fury" and lacks the "Blood Vengeance" subtitle but has installation instructions printed on the disc. Since the jewel case covers lack a bar code this may go with the big box release.

Witchaven II jewel case front Witchaven II jewel case back A Witchaven II CD-ROM

Witchaven I & II Bundle (Sonoma MultiMedia Big Box) - WH1 full + WH2 full

The big box uses a printed outer sleeve design with a plain white inner box, similarly to the Witchaven I release. The front cover of the box is a meld between "Death's End" on the left and "Field of Fury" on the right. Includes Sonoma MultiMedia registration card, an instruction sheet on using the games under Windows 95, and the Witchaven and Witchaven II command reference card (manuals are missing/not included in my copy of this). The disc face itself uses a plain font, rather than the Witchaven logo font.

NB: My copy of the box has some damage on the front, so the unwrapped box image shown here was digitally restored to approximately what it should look like and may have small inaccuracies. If you want, here's an untouched version of the box front.

Witchaven bundle box cover, unwrapped and restored (Sonoma MultiMedia) Witchaven bundle CD-ROM (Sonoma MultiMedia) Witchaven II command card (from Sonoma MultiMedia bundle)

Witchaven I & II Bundle (Black & Red disc) - WH1 full + WH2 full

I do not have a CIB copy of this release, but I do have the CD-ROM only which is plain black and labeled "Witchaven I & II" in red lettering - it is possible there is a different bundle release with different CD labeling though? From other people's photos it appears that this release included separate printed manuals for both Witchaven and Witchaven II, but unlike the previous big box releases, the manual covers are in black & white. The box cover picture is a diagonally split blend between the "Death's End" and "Field of Fury" box illustrations.

A Witchaven I & II CD-ROM

Witchaven / Chronomaster dual disc - WH1 full

A re-release which includes both Witchaven and Chronomaster on one disc, illustrated with a diagonal split between the two games' box cover art. The copy I have lacks any of the packaging it may have originally have come with.

A Witchaven + Chronomaster CD-ROM

Softkey Entertainment Pack Volume III - WH1 full

A seven-game budget compilation from Softkey, including the full retail release of Witchaven.

Softkey Entertainment Pack Volume III jewel case front Softkey Entertainment Pack Volume III jewel case back Softkey Entertainment Pack Volume III CD-ROM

Witchaven 3 Level Interactive Preview (Lasersoft) - WH1 demo

A CD-ROM release including the September 25 demo, a newer/more complete demo version of the game compared to other demo releases, but still containing only the first three levels. The disc appears to have been manufactured by Lasersoft. The jewel case insert is illustrated with "Death's End" similarly to the full retail release, but with different text marking this as a demo version. The inside of the insert includes a $5.00 coupon for a discount on the full retail version of the game.

Witchaven 3-Level Preview jewel case front Witchaven 3-Level Preview jewel case back Witchaven 3-Level Preview CD-ROM

TEKWARS (Powersource Multimedia) - WH1 demo

A third-party shareware disc including demo versions of William Shatner's Tekwar (which the package inconsistently refers to as "Tekwars" in some places) and Witchaven. The Witchaven demo included is the July 21 one. The front jewel case insert is illustrated with a skull, syringe and atom design, while the back cover shows screenshots from both games.

PSM TEKWARS jewel case front PSM TEKWARS jewel case back PSM TEKWARS CD-ROM

Witchaven (Computer Things) - WH1 demo

A shareware floppy release consisting of five 3.5" disks, with plain labeling. The Witchaven demo contained on the disks is the July 18 one and is copied to hard drive by a simple custom installer.

Computer Things Witchaven demo floppies

Others

I have seen evidence of the following variants, but do not have copies of them:

  • Witchaven I CD with black & red face - looks similar to the Witchaven I & II bundle CD but with only Witchaven I apparently?
  • Spanish release - looks similar to the Softkey release above but appears to have a CD with a red face and purple lettering.
  • Especial de Juegos (game demo compilation?)

Clean cover illustrations

Here are clean, high resolution versions of the Ken Kelly paintings used as the Witchaven and Witchaven II cover illustrations:

Death's End thumbnail, click to view
"Death's End" by Ken Kelly
Field of Fury thumbnail, click to view
"Field of Fury" by Ken Kelly