I reckon that this is better than HomM 3. Make no mistake, I am old as the dirt and have played every HoMM game since the original (or arguably further back - King's Bounty on the C64)! However, whilst I played HoMM 3 to death with 2 close friends when we had tons of time on our hands (which means that I will always favour that game), I reckon that HoMM V is actually a better game. Let me explain. The graphics and sound are SO amazing in this version it means that you're playing a AAA title ... but it's a HoMM game! That's just a nice to have, but it does make a difference. My friends and I used to change the MP3 track for our respective towns in HoMM 3 so that we would have the latest tunes playing, which was actually a shame given how awesome the music is. Secondly, the ability for the hero to actually use might or magic in combat makes for a much better combat and ranking system. Thirdly, spells are way more epic and combat feels tense and much more epic. The combination of spells that can be used and the way that it is very well displayed on the battlefield is a massive leap forward from HoMM 3. Finally, the creature factions (with the expansions) really do mean that you get some amazing creatures with extremely interesting abilities.
butthisgameisbrilliant!
I KNOW that this game is legendary and it pains me to only give it 3 stars, but without network multiplayer it's a bit rubbish. If you're happy with hotseat multiplayer then 5 stars apply as it is legendary. Me - I'm waiting for a more recent version.
First off, forget MAX 2 - It's rubbish and just a minor bonus so that you can see how they tried to (unsuccessfully) evolve the series. But it makes no difference, because MAX is absolutely insane. I bought this game back when I was at University and played it loads with a couple of other friends over our little home IPX network. It was obviously really good and managed to combine the turn-based element with a touch of real-time with the simultanious mode. Now I have bought it again now (after playing all the major strategies through the ages; AoE, Total War, Empire, etc ...), I have realised that this is by far the greatest strategy game ever made (other than chess)! It was so far ahead of its time it's rediculous. Not only does it combine air, sea and land units though stealth units, troops, mechs, planes and naval units, it has a very comprehensive set of vehicles and buildings which all play a major role in building up the ultimate base. Furthermore, there are so many defensive options that you can build a full-scale base with brilliant defenses, logistics and offensive capabilities. Add this to the enormous range of units and clever upgrade paths makes this the deepest strategy I have ever played. The fact that it is turn based is a MASSIVE advantage and anyone reading this that thinks that they should steer clear of it because they think that RTS' are better I can assure you that this will single-handedly change your opinion. VERY steep learning curve means that it will frustrate you at first, but give it tiem and you will see just how amazing this game is. As always, you need to play it on multiplayer to really see how increadible the game actually plays. AND HERE IS THE USEFUL PART ... A team from Northern Europe have released a TCP/IP mod fof MAX called MAX Reloaded. This (if you have MAX installed already) takes the files and rebuilds them into a version that has full TCP/IP connectivity so you can play your mates via LAN or over the internet! Therefore, you can do your bit for GOG by buying the game (and they make it stable by running it via DOS BOX) and then can use the mod to make it absolutely perfect.
I owned this game years ago as part of a compilation, but never really gave it too much attention (I was too busy still playing X-Com and M.A.X. at the time)! So when I saw it here I thought that I would give it another go. It's incredibly deep and every single thing that you do makes a huge difference throughout the entire length of the game. For example, you'll get ruined if you don't hire a doctor early on as you cant recruit for a long time at first and your men are going to get hit! Add to that the fact that you have to win locals / rebels over, pick stuff up, get on / into buildings and then start making money this game is going to last you a long time! One problem might be just that; I've been playing it for some time now and you need to invest a lot of hours getting things together and fighting the various battles. I like RPG's but the story line on this one is a 'little' lengthy and oppressing; a bit less chat and more action would probably have been better, but it's the first game that I feel has captured the suspense and tension of games like X-Com when you turn around a corner and someone appears or starts firing at your. I'm sure a lot of you know that feeling and have looked for it in games ever since?! However, if you liked the X-Com series and like turn-based strategies this is absolutely awesome. One slight issue I have had has been with the game crashing, but it's only happened twice and I now save regularly so it's not a major issue. Also, due to it being isometric and not pure 3D you sometimes struggle to see quite what's going on and what line of sight you (or your enemy!) might have. But overall it's a brilliant game and well worth $5.99! My Spec: XP Pro SP3 E6600 2.5Ghz 2 Gb RAM nVidia 7900 GTX
