Hexplore is an isometric, party-based RPG from France. It had a number of interesting technical aspects and gameplay solutions, but never achieved much success and is relatively unknown, even to veterans of the genre.

Set during the Crusades in a fantastic version of Earth, the game follows Mac Bride, an adventurer, as he tries to track down fellow missing knights and, of course, save the world in the process. During the first level he is joined by three other companions – an archer, warrior and sorcerer.

Each character has a unique set of weapons and utility items at their disposal. Mac is a generalist that uses bombs, melee and short-range weapons. The archer uses long-range weapons and can reveal hidden places on the map. The warrior uses a number of powerful melee weapons and explosives, while the wizard can heal, make the party invisible or rain fire from above. As the game progresses, characters gain access to three additional upgrades for each weapon which increase their damage/usefulness and even change the way they behave in some cases.

There are 12 huge levels spanning many open spaces and explorable interiors. Each level also features a number of puzzles where each character needs to use its unique skill (fit through a tight opening, operate mechanical devices, etc.) to complete it. Party members often need to split up in order to solve the puzzles, scout ahead or draw fire away from weaker allies. Managing the whole party is quite easy, thanks to a simple and efficient interface.

Unlike other isometric RPGs from the late 90s, Hexplore is fully 3D and allows you to freely rotate the camera – something you'll need to do a lot to uncover all the treasures, keys and secrets hidden in its cleverly constructed environments.