Heroes of Might and Magic 4 is the best game in the series. Yes, 3 gets all the love, but 4 improves on 3 in so many ways. The units are all very unque, all having special skills and abilities that really make the tactical combat shine. Everything is perfectly done from fantasy archetypes, like a pack of harpies that can swoop in from across the battlefield, attack, then fly away before a retaliation. The mage units actually have spell lists. The Heroes are on the battlefield fighting and becoming super powerhouse units themselves. The new tactical combat system is a huge improvement over the chess board layout of the rest of the series. And the graphics are amazing. everything looks so well colored, and expressive. The units look like 3D models rendered as sprites, a popular techinque at the time that makes the visuals really pop. And then there is the soundtrack. The game is worth the price just for the soundtrack alone. This game features the legendary Paul Romero's very best work. Its audio bliss. Then there is value. There is hundreds of hours of content in this Complete edition. Plus 20 years of high quality fan made maps to download, from epic battle maps to full on RPG's. The best map editing tools of any Heroes game. There is also a super quick HD patch that is super easy to install and gives you super crisp HD widesceen. If you like Heroes, or 4X, or strategy games in general, you do yourself a diservice not to own and play Heroes of Might and Magic 4 Complete.
This game will keep you up all night with just one more mission, just one more upgrade, just one more system to explore... First off, I know its not for everyone. The graphics are good, but not great, the combat is decent, but not fancy. The music is moody and good, but there is not a lot of it. The game is a MAJOR time sink. However, everything it does comes together as more then the sum of its parts. The atmosphere is excellent, the mood is perfect, the strategy starts slow but soon your juggling all kinds of things and scrapping together how to move forward. There isn't really much story or conversion, but you can sit at your computer and use your imaginiation are really ROLE PLAY this game to life. Building the ship is awesome, and to make it work takes planning. Everything has this mid tech sci-fi look thats gritty and functional. It all looks like something from Alien or 2001. It feels like a great Sci Fi novel, they you just sort of imagine as you play. The gameplay loop feels like a much more complicated FTL, in first person. You actually DO everything. IF you like rogue likes... and IF you love hard Sci Fi, and IF you want a game that you can spend hours and hours at in one play sitting, I can whole heartedly recommend this game.
I have enjoyed this game. Its got a simple loot and level progression system thats the norm in these type of games. Run and gun FPS rogue lite. Similar to Ziggurat and Into the Pit You make your runs in the dungeons, then use money you earn to purchace upgrades between levels. The rooms have monsters that have to be killed to unlock the doors, so each room becomes a large shooting arena. There is a "scroll" system thats pretty cool, and is the standout mechanic for this particular game. When you pick up a scroll it changes a core gameplay element for this run. They stack on each other, so your runs can get pretty crazy. The weapon set in the game reminds me of Blood. Maybe its just the dynomite... The graphics are solid, although there is a slighty hazy effect. I have tried adjusting various settings and I never could get the game to look as crisp as I'd like. The game runs super smooth, no hiccups, crashes, or bugs. If you like these type of games this one is worth a play. In my opinion, its a bit deeper and has better level design and gunplay then Ziggurat, but it lacks the depth and overall polish of Into the Pit.
