I find it rather frustrating that so many reviews here scarcely discuss the gameplay they're so eagerly praising, so the bulk of this review is going to be spent outlining the particulars of Heroes of Might and Magic III. Heroes III is a turn-based strategy game with some RPG elements thrown into the mix. You have heroes, leaders which you use to explore the world map and gather resources. Resources are used to develop your towns and recruit units. Your heroes can take those units and lead them as an army to wipe out threats on the map. Sounds simple, right? But your opponent is doing the same. Your ultimate goal is to kill all the other players' heroes and take their towns by force. Gameplay is largely turn-based: on your turn you move your heroes across the map, gathering resources and exploring landmarks, all in order to gain more units for your fight against the opposing heroes. As they win fights, a level up system is employed to improve stats, much the same as any standard RPG. Speaking of units, let's talk about combat. When a hero with an army of units runs across another hero, or a stray mob on the map, combat ensues. You and your opponent take turns moving units across a hex grid and attacking until one of you runs out of units. This is where the statistical advantage from leveling up comes into play, granting you advantages in spellcasting or damage dealt. There are different types of combat based on your situation, but the basics remain the same. Graphically, Heroes III gets the job done with nice textures and interfaces that keep with the game's theme. Some of the map styles are a bit distracting, but always look good. Meanwhile the game boasts some pleasant, if subtle, music tracks that suit it well. They're not anything special, but you're scarcely going to be focused on them anyway. Heroes III's appeal comes from its strategy and replay value: the campaigns are great, but the real fun comes in trying to best your friends in a long, drawn out war on the map. It's not a game for folks who dislike strategy gaming, but it's among the best for those that do.
