There will be a reason why some still today refer to Heroes of Might & Magic III as one of the best turn-based strategy games ever made. Could it be thanks to the perfect coexistence and alternation between the strategic / management phase (exploration of the map, research of resources, gathering of troops) and the tactical one (disposition of troops on the battlefield, turn-based clash against enemy armies)? Or for the versatility of the game system, which aims at thoughtful and intelligent gameplay?
Don't worry, we will certainly not be doing the usual gamer revisionism attached to the sofa on the reasons for the fame of Jon Van Caneghem's title, also because we would not have good reasons to do it: despite the past years and an interface that is not exactly agile, however, nothing that lovers of virtual strategy cannot digest in a few hours, the masterpiece is always the same and we confess that, once again familiar with its many mechanics, we have not struggled to get caught in long gaming sessions. Unfortunately we cannot ignore certain problems related more to the HD operation itself than to the actual gameplay. Let's start with a test: look at one of the images that adorn the article. No, there is no need to compare them with those of the original edition. The crux is not how much HD graphics improve the appearance of Heroes of Might & Magic III, which itself was not the top from a technical point of view even in 1999, but how effective it is in communicating the technological rejuvenation that the acronym "HD "assumes. Sure, certainly the readability of the scenarios and sprites is better than in the past, but evaluating it for what it is, can we really say that it adds something to the game? One thing is a job like the one done a few years ago by LucasArts with the first two Monkey Islands, in which the graphics were not only revised, but completely redesigned and rethought (with fluctuating results, but still appreciable), another story is this lazy tracing of the original, moreover equaled (and surpassed) by some free mods, not compatible with this version, which even allow you to reach higher resolutions. In short, we do not want to say that it is not nice to find Heroes of Might & Magic III in a version more suitable for modern video cards and the latest monitors, but to be honest the added value, if we are to limit ourselves to examining the implications of high definition, is very minimal.
Is there something missing?
So far we have talked about the Heroes of Might & Magic III - HD Edition emphasizing that it is the masterpiece of the time to which the high definition graphics do not add much. Unfortunately now the painful notes arrive. The developers stated that the game's two expansions, Armageddon's Blade and The Shadow of Death, were not included because the original sources were lost and redoing them from scratch would have required too much work. We can believe it, why not, but it remains a significant problem, especially for those who loved the original, which is the ideal audience for this reissue.
In short, forget the city of Conflux, forget some scenarios and some incredibly powerful artifacts. Above all, forget about the random map generator, one of the most used functions in the original, beloved playing in LAN or local multiplayer, but also playing alone after the conclusion of all scenarios and campaigns. Of course, there is an editor that allows you to create your own maps, but it is not the same thing, at least in terms of speed. We also add: forget about being able to install all the mods and additional content created over the years by the not very large, but very active community born around the original. Sure, there are seven campaigns and around fifty skirmish maps, but it's still a lot less stuff than fans are used to. The only real new feature included in the HD Edition is support for multiplayer via Steamworks. It doesn't work very well for now, but it still makes it easier to play online on modern operating systems. Of course, without a random map generator you have to be satisfied with those already present, which enthusiasts know by heart, but at least you don't have to go crazy with configurations of connection protocols that are no longer supported. Unfortunately, even on the multiplayer side there is a small flaw: the cut of the LAN option. Nothing decisive, given that very few would have used it, but since it was there in the original, it is not clear why it should not be in the HD edition.
Will the high definition graphics of Heroes of Might & Magic III - HD Edition be worth its price?
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Tested version PC Windows Digital Delivery Steam, uPlay, Origin Price 14,99 € Resources4Gaming.com6.0
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Were it not Heroes of Might & Magic III, this HD Edition would have hit a four for how it manages to cost more than the 1999 title, while still offering much less. It is really difficult to understand how a re-release of a similar title can be done by depriving it of some of the most loved content that was included with the two expansions: Armageddon's Blade and The Shadow of Death. Expansions that, moreover, can be found in any dedicated collection, both digital and retail. In short, the only reason to save this re-release is online multiplayer, even if it is not yet fully functional. For the rest, the redesigned graphics are there, but it certainly does not scream a miracle and all in all it is not too much more beautiful than the original, but only more defined. In short, we can only close the review by explaining the question that is echoed for all the lines that compose it: why should you buy Heroes of Might & Magic III - HD Edition when the original game is available on GOG, sold for about half of the price, perfectly compatible with current gaming systems and with all the contents of the two expansions?
PRO
- Multiplayer takes advantage of Steamworks
- The soundtrack remains splendid
- We are also talking about Heroes of Might & Magic III
- The contents of the two expansions are missing: Armageddon's Blade and The Shadow of Death
- The random map generator is missing
- HD graphics don't make you cry a miracle
