Heroes of Might and Magic® 3: Complete

This, along with Dungeon Keeper 2 and Nox, are the games I joined GOG for. It's a timeless classic. Though 2D, the beautifully drawn graphics with storybook-esque aesthetic have weathered the test of time beautifully. The strategic gameplay is sublime, particularly the hex grid tactical battles. It definitely invokes the one-more-turn syndrome. There is just nothing wrong with this game. I mean it, unless you expect it to be anything other than one of the best turn based strategies of all time, you will not be disappointed period. This is the cream of the crop.

HOMM 4 is bit different from HOMM 3. And since the vast majority of players started with 3, those differences are considered bad. I suggest not to listen too much to the fanboys. Both games are good. But 4 is much more balanced, has better graphics, is much better documented (you can get most info right in the game, while 3 leaves you with much guesswork or internet-searches). I'd say it also plays better, but that might be because I'm used to its UI and mechanics and would be no more valid than the HOMM3-fanboys chant. Besides that, the differences are mostly a question of taste. You like your heroes transparently customizable? Play 4 You're afraid someone might hurt your heroes? Play 3 Like to send lot's of low lvl units around to scout? Play 4 Like surprises, because your cheapest scout party costs as much as a dragon? Play - your guessed it: 3 Prefer heroes that cast spells and/or improve army stats? Play wathever you want. Like heroes that, in addition to that, can sneak past enemy lines, take out small bands by themself? Only 4 has that kind of hero-versatility. I personally prefer HOMM4, it accomodates my playing style. It's more strategic, because scouting is cheaper. More tactic because you can decide wether to attack the hero first to take away the armies boni or neutralize the thread of disrupting spells, or go for the glass-cannons right away. You can combine a few very different heroes into one stack for specific tactics. If, however, you are a die-hard fan of HOMM 1 & 2 and want more of the same - go with 3

I began my adventure with Heroes series with second instalment. At the time, that game was incredible: beautiful (hand drawn) graphics, a wide variety of units and armies, plenty of aspects you need to look out for to win... a true, golden standard at the time (and even now, though to a lesser extend). And I can honestly say that Heroes 3 improved on, literally, EVERY aspect of its predecesor. The graphics are beautiful, even today; it's the type that just doesn't grown old (like the one in Baldur's Gate series or Worms 2D) and I still find it much more engaging than any of the later instalments (grant you I have not played Heroes 7). The gameplay remains the same, but that isn't a bad thing: why temper with something that is already awesome? Yes, there are turns and RTS fans may have their doubts about that, but trust me: as a guy who isn't too keen on prolonging anything, turn-based nature of Heroes is no-issue. The simplicity of the gameplay, couped with a great variety of tactics, simply makes you appreciate that you have the time to think over your decision, before making it, in stead of determining the outcome on "who's faster". You get to choose a side from 9 (yes, NINE) armies/castles, each very different from the others; as undead Necropolis you'll flood your enemies with numbers... as Tower you'll wreck havoc from afar, while as Castle you can overpower them with strength. Each town plays a little different and it's rarely beneficial to use the same tactics with each. Furthermore, the game allows you to play up to 8 players on the same computer. Even Worms cannot compete with Heroes in that regard. Heroes 3 is one of the few games (Worms being a close second) that I always enjoy returning to, despite it being nearly two decades old. Arguably the best title in the series, it's a must play for those who enjoy fantasy strategy and don't mind turn-based gameplay. For GOG price, you shouldn't even think twice before buying.

In the 3 decades I've been a PC/console gamer, there are three games that so completely and profoundly affected me that not only do I have fond memories of playing them, they invoke a borderline-reverent reflection on their perfection of experience in playing them. Those 3 games are: Half-Life, Super Mario 64, and Heroes 3. (And this from someone who bought and LOVED Heroes 1 and 2 back when they were first released.) Half-Life was THE game-changer in FPS: story-driven, epic in scope, ever-pushing the player in deeper-challenging scenarios... arguably bested only by Half-Life 2. Super Mario 64 was the ahead-of-it's-time proof that engrossing, balanced, highly-varied-function 3D platforming was possible... arguably never bested until Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii. And Heroes 3 is the pinnacle of TBS... standing strong on the shoulders of it's excellent predecessors... and arguably has never ever been bested, even by its successors. That's about all I can add to the many other 5-star reviews posted here. I agree with all of them.

Get the H3 Complete from GoG, install the free fan-made mods (HD + HoTA) and enjoy... After 20+ years I still play this game... Enough said - phenomenal game!