Might and Magic 1 to 6 is an epic collection that not just shows how to do a progressively improving game franchise, but also a time capsule of a bygone era. From the basic graphics of the first to the half-live actor/half-early cgi of 6, it is a snapshot of the 80s-90s evolution of the CRPG. Before the term "open world" was a thing, Might and Magic was already doing it. And doing it well. While not on the scale of the likes of Daggerfall, Might and Magic was no slouch in providing a living, breathing world with places to explore and people to interact with within the limits of the technology. the 4th and 5th entries, in particular was massive, as it could be played together to form World of Xeen, an unprecedented move at the time. There are flaws to every entry of the franchise, and the later entries could never reach the same heights as this series. But this does not diminish this series's place as one of the greatest game collections of all time.
You know how Christopher Reeve is the quintessential Superman or how Tom Baker is THE Doctor? That's what you have here in terms of the Heroes of Might and Magic franchise. This is the entry where the formula that the previous 2 entries built up hit its peak, and where later entries tried to emulate, but couldn't quite reach. No, I'm not saying this is a perfect game. But it is the perfect HoMM game. This is the most balanced and versatile of the series. The units are entertaining, the music is never dull, and there is no wasted potential. This is quite simply a masterpiece even after 20+ years (and maybe more when you read this review). And given that this is the complete package with the expansions, you cannot really ask for more bang for the buck.
For a game that is nearly 30 years old and only 13MB in size, D&D Stronghold packs more punch than even a lot of Triple A games today. Even the recent Lords of Waterdeep cannot hold a candle to this underrated masterpiece. Sure, it uses First Edition mechanics (with races like Elf, Dwarf, and Halfling as classes). And the graphics are early 90's. But underneath it is a deceptively complex game of resource management, city building, and war strategy packed in a very small package. You will happily spend hours just checking on each city block as you build your kingdom from scratch while fending off tyrants and terrors in the world. And the Triangle priority for orders (build, recruit, train) is ridiculously simple, but effective. Why it never got a proper sequel is a criminal oversight. Do yourself a favor and buy this D&D gem.
While I was ecstatic that GOG brought Diablo 1 in to work with modern OS, I put off buying it at the $9.99. It's arguably a fair price, but balanced with other games on GOG of the same caliber, I figured it would be better to wait for a while. Summer Sale 2019 comes around and there's a 10% discount. Not a dealbreaker, but got the email announcing the third party Hellfire expansion would be included AT NO EXTRA CHARGE. Some may argue that Hellfire wasn't a great expansion, but the additional bells and whistles were much appreciated (the fast movement in town alone is a big deal for many). The unofficial debut of the Monk (and, with tweaking, the Barbarian and Bard) cements the deal. Companies that thrive on microtransaction DLCs should take a page out of GOG. This is how you build customer loyalty! Playing it after so many years is like an old friend. Sure, the graphics are dated, and the interface is clunky compared to modern stuff, but the atmosphere, the challenge, the experience, all of these make up for the shortcomings, especially if you've played it before. Diablo II was a huge improvement, but the original will always have its place in gaming history for its innovation and bridging the Roleplaying and Action Gaming genres.
