Heroes of Might and Magic® 3: Complete

I grew up playing this game with my dad. I would always lose. I still always lose unless I put in cheat codes. This game is worth it. Infinite playability.

Been playing continuously for 22 years now... It doesn't even get old !

There’s really not much left to say, and hardly any gain from my repeating myself from my Heroes of Might and Magic I and II reviews. To sum up, though: Heroes of Might and Magic III is currently the apex of the series, and while you might have a different favourite (mine is Heroes II) it’s hard to argue the gameplay improvements from this game. To summarize the gameplay because I feel I must, Heroes of Might and Magic is divided into two phases where in one half you build an army at various cities and in the other half you fight tactical battles between your armies and your opponents. On the main map the game is all about seizing resource nodes like Crystal Mines, and on the combat map it’s all about positioning. This game added several crucial aspects to the motif as a whole: arrows now do more damage at short range, and all creatures have upgrades (which was the biggest balance deficiency of Heroes of Might and Magic II). On top of that, the game is largely balanced all around, though I have heard a few bad things about Fortress, which more than a few people have called only good in the midgame (an experience I’ve never seen duplicated in my own games, but I feel should be mentioned all the same). Another critical upgrade is that of dual classes, where there are two types of heroes per faction, one good for might and one for magic, which adds a good deal to the game and is missed in later instalments like Heroes V. Essentially, this game fixed everything we might not have even known was a problem with two, and then threw in new factions for the hell of it. All in all, you can’t really go wrong with the level the franchise chose to return to when it returned with Heroes V, though who knows where they could go from there. If Heroes IV ever hopefully arrives on GOG, you will find it to be a totally different beast than the three already available and the one you can currently still find on store shelves, and this one is the fan favourite. It seems a little trite to say “If you can only buy one Heroes of Might and Magic game, buy this one”, especially since three of the games are available on GOG for only $10, but if you really, really can only buy one Heroes of Might and Magic game, then fine: buy this one.

Pure awesome. Three years ago I acquired HoMM3 at the behest of a friend, who wouldn't shut up about how awesome it was but also wouldn't part with his copy even for a day. I am extremely particular about the games I play, a perfectionist if you will, and I was fully prepared to uninstall the game within a week based on the title alone. Three years later, I couldn't fathom ever doing such a thing. Heroes of Might and Magic 3 may well be the absolute greatest turn-based medieval/fantasy strategy game ever devised. I've never really been able to put my finger on why, but I'll take a stab at it here: - Literally infinite replay value. Nine factions to choose from (eight from the base game plus one from an expansion), dozens of heroes with unique abilities unleashing wonderfully diverse magicks from four different disciplines, and hundreds of units whose skills and weaknesses form an unbelievably complicated and fascinating matrix of strategy, all roaming and fighting on diverse landscapes and special terrains that can change the scope of a battle in a heartbeat. Add to that the incredibly powerful map and scenario editor and you have a game that you can play forever. - Engaging storylines. Erathia is a wondrous place -- when it's not being trampled underfoot and ravaged by battles innumerable to further the agendas of those who would seek to control it. One of the best bits about HoMM3 is the fact that the storylines offer you the opportunity to conquer the world while in control of ALL the factions, not just the Good Ones. The pre- and post-mission videos and the in-game dialogue aren't just fill-in "fluff"; they actually work with the gameplay and make you feel like you're accomplishing something (well, besides stomping the enemy into oblivion). - Network play. If the single-player action ever gets boring (which it rarely does, at least for me), fire up a map with a friend and go to town. You owe it to yourself as a human being to play this game at least once. It is immersive, intricately detailed and immersing beyond all reason. Finally, fun fact: the music and sound effects from the game can be heard in numerous episodes of South Park. Buy. Now. I'd give this ten stars if I could.

Been playing this game since it was released for over 20 years and not many games has it. Every christmas, every family reuinion we can jump in heroes world, my brothers play it, my sister plays it, a game that could be loved by absolutely everyone.