Heroes of Might and Magic V Reviews
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The only really contentious aspect of Heroes of Might and Magic V is what might be seen as a dumbing down of game content by the fantasy turn-based hardcore. Thanks to its stunning presentation, this is a game that has a seductive atmosphere that will appeal to gamers with only a passing interest in the fantasy genre and is undoubtedly the most accessible turn-based strategy on the PC for years. This comes at the price of a streamlining of the city management model and combat that places more of an emphasis on spectacle than tactical depth, but for the vast majority of gamers that don't have the patience for hideously complicated turn-based strategies, this is probably a good thing. Heroes of Might and Magic V takes the Graphics versus Gameplay debate to whole new levels: whilst not having the level of complexity of games like Age of Wonders II, it still has sufficient depth to be interesting in the long-term whilst having the graphical cutting edge to provide a short-term wow factor.
If this is the future of turn-based strategy games, bring it on.
And the second is at 1Up with an overall score of 5.0/10:
Tactical battles fare better, and heroes -- which in HOMM4 were active participants on the battlefield -- are back to playing "untouchable" ringside tanks, boosting army stats, slinging spells, and occasionally taking scripted melee swipes. If you're a series vet, you'll recognize the battle mechanics in a heartbeat. For those new to the franchise, battles occur when your hero bumps into fixed monsters or on-the-move enemy heroes. Armies accumulate in towns and you can park your hero at the gates to fill slots with creature stacks. Each stack has an aggregate attack and defense strength, so a few super-powered green dragons might be tantamount to five or six hundred peasants. Battles commence chess-style, with each side starting at ends of a square grid, then casting spells or squaring off using random terrain elements like rocks or crevices for advantage. The only problem with tactical battles is that you can't scroll the map. When you zoom -- and you often must when three or more stacks crowd up to weigh sizes -- the camera lops off the periphery completely, tilt or no. That's just plain dumb.
