This game perfected the tactical shooter experience. We've only gone downhill since. I come back to this game every once in a while for a playthrough and it never gets old. The AI is superb and the randomization makes sure you are always on your toes. The levels featured are anything from the tight confines of a three bedroom house to huge waste disposal/sewer system and just about everything in between. They don't make them like this anymore.
I recently found my old cd rom version of this game at the family house and man did it bring back memories. I starting to look up what it would take to get the game to run these days and got kind of discouraged. Lo and behold, here it is on GOG with all the hard work done for me. This game is a classic. I played a lot of flight sims but there were only 2 that really made me feel like I was there flying in these campaigns. Red Baron, and of course EAW. Everything from the menus to the radio chatter, to the nail biting dog fights was done top notch. The persistent campaign makes you feel like you make an impact in the war. I highly recommend this game to anyone who is into flight sims. It's really stood the test of time and while IL-2 may be the king, this game is surprisingly still very engaging after over 20 years. They just don't make them like this anymore. Not to mention, there are a slew of fan made mods that overhaul stuff like the graphics, campaign, and add tons of new planes and theaters to the game that it really just expands the re-playability of this timeless classic. Other mods add tons of new mission types to spice things up further and add recognition for hitting ground targets to your stats. Just check out your favorite mod site and peruse the hundreds of mods on display. Get it, you won't regret it.
I remember when I was around 12 or 13 years old, I recieved this game and Crusader: No Remorse for Christmas. Weeks later I had barely touched Crusader as I was just comepletely hooked on HOMM. I've never played a turn based strategy game before and was so addicted, literally spending entire weekends playing this game. I eventually played Crusader, finished it, and went right back to Heroes. While HOMM3 is probably the best game in the series, this is the one I really remember, but I suppose if your going to only pick up one version, 3 is the best.
