Heroes of Might and Magic® 4: Complete

I have been a fan of the HOMM series since I picked up a demo of Heroes 2 back shortly before it's release in 1996. I loved Heroes 3 as well and so when I had heard about the changes in the mechanics that they were introducing to to Heroes 4 I recall being unsure of how I would feel about it. It wasn't until around 2010 that I actually bought the game and I have been hooked ever since. While the game is not perfect (you can tell that it's development was a little under funded and rushed) it's take on the HOMM series is spot on. I love that you can actually use your heroes for more than just moving around on the main map and casting a spell here and there; the heroes themselves finally feel like they matter. I really enjoyed the campaigns and they are my go-to thing to play (seriously, this is the first game I install every-time I format or change computers). That having been said, the game does feel a bit unfinished at times, especially after the masterpieces that were Heroes 2 and Heroes 3. The graphics of course are dated now, but they were alright for the time. The maps are generally spacious, but feel a bit sparsely populated in comparison to it's predecessors. It seems as if the developers had originally intended to have more content; I can't quite put my finger on it, but I suspect if they had been allowed more time and a bigger budget this game could have been genre changing.

This is my favorite Heroes game of them all for a few major reasons: I really love the atmosphere! For me, this is the most atmospheric game of all the heroes game. In particular because it has be best sound track in my opinion. My favorite music track. Graphics are also somehow nice and not overcrowded and work well with the beautiful music Secondly, this is the only Heroes game where heroes themselves appear in combat as units. Not only this, but you can have several heroes (theorically up to 7 I think) in combat. Ofcourse, every hero in combat means a slot not taken by units. Usually 2 heroes in an army is the sweet spot. No other heroes game anything like this and I think it adds an additional level of tactics. Really love it.

Big HOMM fan throughout the years and really enjoyed HOMM IV. Graphics are solid, music is great, gameplay is fantastic. If you're looking for a game that will suck life from your bones and keep you glued to your PC then pick up HOMM IV. You won't regret it, but wife/husband/boyfriend/girfriend/kids/boss might...

probably i'm going to buy this just for the soundtrack, i love the game best one in the series in my opinion but the soundtrack, 1 word: incredible.

My background: Started with a demo of HoMM2. Bought everything. I am playing 2 - 4 quite regularly. I don´t play 5, it is a soulless disaster. Bad Userinterface, long waiting times and a ""story"" that is not worth being named that way. I even sometimes go back to HoMM 1! It has it´s flair. HoMM4: Ok, let´s start with the 3 more or less big problems: 1. The very worst AI I´ve ever seen in the series. The computer is just not intelligent enough to put a good hero into a good army. He scouts with big hero-less armies and attacks with 2 high-level heroes without any army °_° Best AI of the series: HoMM 3 (even better in Homm3 complete) 2. The artifacts: The problem already existed in part3. You got to admit it. On a map without an altar you had to carry your 1036 artifacts with you and couldn´t do much about it. So to say I am only missing the altar in HoMM 4. But you could say: In part 4 you always have to handle HUNDREDS of artifacts. Most of them being no use whatsoever. 3. The potions: in your castingmenu you can see the potions nicely stacked. So if you have 100 resurrection-potions... there is a "100". Great. But in your inventory.... omg this must be a bad joke. It is almost unbearable. Point 2 and 3 are caused by the rushing of the publisher to bring the game out. Point 1.... well... the AI wasn´t that good in any part of the series either. Still I gave 5 stars... what the heck? 3DO... there are not many fans out there... And I understand pretty well. You start with weak heroes and they die. But later on they become very strong. And when you discover the resurrection-potions... you can play! I started without an idea into part 4 and had the same frustration like most of the veterans. HoMM4 tries a lot of new things. Of course the balance is difficult with heroes being in the battle themselfs now. But they did quite well with that! Respect for that!!! And no more annyoing gatheringclicks from fairyrings and creaturedwellings! HERE you can become the mightiest hero in all HoMM-Games!! That´s why I give 5 stars!