Heroes of Might & Magic III: GameSpot's Best of E3
gamespot.com
Text below although 8 screenshots available from the site:
Heroes of Might & Magic
III
Publisher: 3DO
Developer: New World Computing
Release: Winter 1998
The third in New World Computing's
turn-based strategy series builds upon its
predecessors' foundation to deliver a much
bigger and more complex game that stays
true to its fans. The fantasy setting ties
directly into New World's hit RPG Might &
Magic VI, thus lending the game a familiar
context. Likewise, the gameplay follows
much the same formula as Heroes II, with
the player controlling hero characters and
their armies about a map, finding riches,
defeating enemies, and conquering
castles. The game runs at a higher
resolution than Heroes II, thus allowing for
much more detail onscreen. Combat is
resolved in a similar fashion to previous
Heroes games, but the higher resolution
allows for bigger battlefields and more unit
types onscreen. Meanwhile castle sieges
are more complex than before, with a
greater emphasis on a hero's ballistic
weapons.
The charming hand-drawn graphics from
the previous games have been replaced with beautifully
3D-rendered visuals that are more serious looking yet just as
appealing as before. There are nearly twice as many unit types
in Heroes III than in its precursor. Expect to encounter fantastic
creatures like troglodytes, floating eyes, hellhounds, and angels
in addition to all your old favorites, and each of these may be
upgraded to a more powerful form. Upgraded creatures not only
fight differently, but look different as well - for instance, the
archangel is clad in battle armor while his less-adept
counterpart is dressed in robes. These creatures are led into
battle under 16 different classes of hero, who hail from eight
different castle types.
Heroes of Might & Magic III will feature six different campaigns
that detail the course of the story through the opposing
perspectives. Along the way, your hero characters will gain
experience, discover magical items and weapons, and battle
enemy encampments - and naturally, rival heroes. New World
Computing is emphasizing the game's role-playing roots by
adding schools of magic and focusing even more on the heroes,
allowing you to equip them with battle gear and carry them over
between missions. Better-integrated multiplayer support will
allow you to define turn time limits, as well as review your
situation during your opponent's turn.
The Heroes of Might & Magic series is structured upon a unique
and successful formula. New World Computing chose to remain
true to it with Heroes III even as it added more depth, better
multiplayer support, and superior visuals. The result is not only a
game that has fans of the series counting the days until its
release, but one which will likely enjoy the same kind of
long-term success as its predecessors.
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