This game ironed out a lot of the issues with Might and Magic 6 making it a much more enjoyable experience. It's more streamlined and classes are more specialized. Skills like armsmaster give melee classes a bettler role, and healing spells are actually effective and don't just heal a sliver of health! The dungeons are nowhere near as elaborate as 6, but they also don't overstay their welcome as much. The card game Arcomage is suprisingly addicting and there's lots to see and do on the continent of Erathia. The story also ties in with the Heroes of Might and Magic series so fans of HoMM2 and 3 will feel right at home (even if the lore is very convoluted). Siding with Avlee or Erathia (or even achieveing independence) is also a nice touch, along with choosing a good or evil path. Overall while it is a bit tough to get into I think it still holds up. Going from absolute nobodies on a scavenger hunt to lords of Harmondale to legends is a great time and really gets that feeling of classic adventure and RPG progression. A true classic definitely worth checking out.
It's not a great game by any means. It's not even a good Might and Magic game! Yet nostalgia is a hell of a drug. There are moments of brilliance such as some of the dungeons and the Lich promotion quest, which makes it all the more bizzare. I don't recommend this game at all. There are better in the series. Play only for the memes.
I only played Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven as the others were just a bit too old school for me. There's a lot to like but it is tough to get into. I do think the game has way too many enemies and falls off towards the end of the game but there is still a lot to love. Glad I played it.
Man this game is weird. The gameplay is technically better than the first one as is the story yet still feels off. The ability to have two playthroughs to see the different outcomes is neat and makes replaying interesting in that regard but it's made for a weird experience. I certainly hope the Witcher 3 is as good as people praise it to be because the first two so far are while not bad games per se, are definitely not great. Like my review for the first one, if you're curious definitely check it out. The game is often on sale. I would say pick this one over the first one if you had to pick out of the two.
I wouldn't describe it as a great game but it did hold my interest despite it's many, many flaws. I did enjoy getting to know characters and world of the Witcher series. It has a unique feel that makes it stand out and make me glad I played it. There are weird stuff though, like the playing cards awarded for sleeping with female characters which felt very juvenile. You can definitely skip this one, but if you're curious like I was you might find a fun if eurojank experience.
This is what I was expecting with the first Shadowrun game. A good story, some companions with character development and some interesting ways of going about objectives besides just fight everything. My only issues are more nitpicky than anything but are primarily combat related. I find the the karma system most character builds don't really come together until the later half of the game. The chance to hit for many spells and attack seemed lower than it should have been making a lot of fights kind of annoying. Also you couldn't really customize your team's equipment as much as your main character which kind of annoyed me since you couldn't compare gear when shopping unless that specific character was with you (most games give some way of comparing gear with party members even if they aren't physically present). So what let me down was less the story and characters, but the combat didn't feel as fulfilling as it could have been in my mind. This game is definitely worth checking out though as there's so many good points that outweigh the bad. For the game constantly won me other despire all my doubts.
Seeing that the game is often sold dirt cheap in sales, I decided to grab it. It's a good primer for introducing you the the world of Shadowrun, but the game feels very bare-bones. Fortunately the later games really flesh it out. It's also quite short so worth maybe looking into if you're curious.
I originally bounced off the Gothic games due to the control scheme. Seeing that this was a more accessible version, I can finally say I get it. For all it's rough edges I get the appeal of Piranha Bytes games. Starting out as nothing and slowly becoming more powerful and respectable with colourful characters and factions. The game does fall off in the 2nd half though. I am looking forward to playing Gothic I and II as I now can appreciate the appeal and seem far better and more interesting than Risen.
While Heroes 3 is clearly the best, Heroes of Might and Magic 4 remains to this day to be my favourite. It has the greatest soundtrack of the whole series. While some don't like the art style, I find it quite beautiful in the 2.5D format, though I can understand why people prefer the fairy tale book aesthetic of HOMM2 or watercolour paintings of HOMM3. This also includes the two expansions which I never had the opportunity to play before back in the CD days. I like how the factions are themed on philosophy instead of simply geography, Life, Order, Nature, Chaos, Death and Might. I also like how hereos can participate in battle and become absolute demigods, especially in the campaigns. I also like how the spellschools are more specific to each faction that really highlight their themes (read the spell descriptions, they really encapsulate the respective factions well). The campaigns in the original really stand out to me as they all read like classic pulp fantasy novels. I can't speak for the expansion campaigns. It is truly remarkable for all the game's faults it came out as well as it did as did considering 3D0 and New World Computing went under so shortly after it's release. The way I describe this game is like my love of mint chocolate chip ice cream. While I won't always go for it, it is my favourite ice cream flavour that floods me with nostalgia of my childhood. This game for me is mint chip, in PC game form. I love it to pieces.
I'm not as good at this game as others are. Seriously, in eastern Europe it is a requirement to have a Ph.D in this game and can only marry once you have beaten your inlaws in a best out of 5 random faction hotseat games. I maybe slightly exaggerating. This game is an utmost classic with 9 factions including the expansions, with so many maps and campaigns to play to keep you occupied. I also highly recommend checking out the Horn of the Abyss mod. It adds a brand new faction and maps and honestly feels like a 3rd expansion that New World Computing forgot to release. This is one of the greatest turn based strategy games ever made and holds up incredibly well.
