I’m feeling really good at the moment. Firstly, the MENACE combat was surprisingly fantastic and has me eager to see how the larger strategic elements develop. Now, after playing with the long-awaited Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era for a few afternoons, I’m happy to say that if these games are released close together, I’ll struggle to decide which one to play first.
Just a quick note to start: I’ve only ever played one Heroes of Might and Magic game – the version for Gameboy Color. I have really good memories of it, and I remember spending a lot of time playing. So, while I don’t have a huge amount of experience with the series going into Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era, I’m not completely new to it either. I’ll be making comparisons based on what I do remember from that game.
I gotta say, I was pretty shocked when I started up Golden Era – it was *exactly* like the game I remembered from over 20 years ago! Everything’s here: the simple, but awesome, concept, the straightforward design, and the best part – the total freedom to play however you want. It’s like stepping back in time!
The tutorial is helpful and covers the game’s fundamentals, getting players acquainted with the controls, button functions, and battle mechanics. However, the core experience of this preview build lies in its classic mode. You begin a new game, choose one of the four available factions, and are then given the freedom to explore the world, create and expand your armies, develop and improve your cities, and ultimately face off against the AI in a climactic final battle.
The 4 factions I’ve encountered so far each feel quite distinct. Every unit currently available has specific stats and abilities that work well – or don’t – with other units, making them strong in some scenarios and weaker in others, and so on. There’s a lot of strategic complexity in building an army, and I’m sure players who enjoy carefully optimizing their army composition will really enjoy it.
The map is, predictably, packed with activities, and you’re constantly receiving rewards. Finish a dungeon? You’ll get gold and experience. Beat a strong enemy? Here are a few special units. Defeat some undead creatures? You’ll unlock a new recruiting station. I doubt you’d find the map lacking in content. However, most of these rewards aren’t particularly unique or special; they’re simply fights against common enemies that give you something in return.
I’d say the turn-based combat is surprisingly deep. It probably has much more strategy than you’d expect from a Ubisoft game. There’s a lot to think about, from building your army and how you position your units, to each unit’s unique abilities and type – all of which affect how they perform in battle. You’ll need to carefully consider a lot of stats even *before* a fight begins. Where you place your units is crucial; some can hit multiple enemies at once, others excel at close combat, and some have long-range attacks – one unit even does more damage the further away it is! Plus, the creatures, humans, and undead all have different ways to attack, so that’s another factor to consider when planning your strategy.
Although the battle areas aren’t huge, where you position your units is really important. I talked about ranged attacks and area-of-effect spells earlier, but you also need to consider how much space your spells cover. You wouldn’t want to weaken your main defensive line with a harmful effect, would you? Also, remember that every unit can counter-attack once per turn, which means you’re always thinking about who will take the damage and whether you can afford it. Basically, there’s a lot to keep track of, and I enjoyed figuring it all out. It’s quite a complex system!
As a player, I’ve found the magic system in this game is exactly what I hoped for! You’ve got all the classics – things to buff yourself or debuff enemies, spells that hit one target and others that affect a whole area, and even the ability to summon creatures. It’s really all that good stuff, honestly!
Overall, the game is quite appealing to look at; it features a hand-painted art style that fits the fantasy world of Heroes of Might and Magic perfectly. The animations and sound are decent enough. While the game feels complete, there are a few minor issues – some missing interface elements and explanations, and occasional animation slowdowns – but none of these significantly impact gameplay.
Since the demo is free and gives you complete access to all current content, there’s really no reason not to try the game yourself. I believe Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is developing into a great game for the series, built on a strong base that kept me wanting to play just one more turn – and that’s always a positive sign. It’s shaping up nicely.
Will this new game measure up to classics such as Heroes of Might and Magic 2 and 3? We’ll find out soon enough. Currently, the game is scheduled for an Early Access release in 2025.
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2025-10-03 17:43