Heroes of Might and Magic IV (in Russian localization - 'Heroes of Might and Magic IV') - a fantasy computer game in the genre of turn-based strategy with RPG elements, the fourth part of the series Heroes of Might and Magic.Like the previous games in the series, Heroes of Might and Magic IV was developed by New World Computing and published by The 3DO Company in 2002.

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• As part of the Might and Magic franchise, the series changed ownership when NWC was acquired by 3DO and again when 3DO closed down and sold the rights to Ubisoft. The games feature turn-based, fantasy-themed conflicts in which players control armies of mythical creatures.The series began in 1995 with the release of the first title. A seventh installment, Might & Magic Heroes VII, was released.
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Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars is a turn-based strategyvideo game developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing and published in 1996 by the 3DO Company. The game is the second installment of the Heroes of Might and Magic series and is typically credited as the breakout game for the series. Heroes II was voted the sixth-best PC game of all time by PC Gamer in May 1997.

An expansion pack, The Price of Loyalty, was released in 1997. Later, 3DO bundled Heroes II and its expansion pack in one box, released as Heroes of Might and Magic II Gold in 1998.

Gameplay[edit]

For the most part, Heroes of Might and Magic II is largely a graphical overhaul to the first game. Gameplay in both games is along the 4X genre of strategy games, in that the player builds their kingdom from the ground up, securing resources, stronger armies, better generals, and then uses those assets to find and defeat opponents through capturing their castles and defeating their armies. Aside from the updated look, Heroes II added many new features that would become staples in the Heroes of Might and Magic franchise. Heroes II added the Necromancer and Wizard factions, joining the original four factions (Knight, Barbarian, Sorceress, and Warlock) from the first game. These two new factions also come with an army of creatures and a themed town that ties the faction together, and the six are divided down the middle to have 3 'good' and 3 'evil' factions.

Each hero still retains the 'primary skill' system from Heroes I but now can also learn secondary skills, giving each hero the ability to become more distinctive as they gain experience. Each hero can possess up to eight different secondary skills and once gained, a skill can be developed from Basic to Advanced and Expert levels. For example, the Wisdom skill allows a hero to learn spells of level 3 and higher, while the Logistics skill increases the hero's movement ability over land. In Heroes I, heroes had a single, fixed, special ability according to their class. The magic system was overhauled in Heroes II. Heroes I had used a memorization system in which each spell could be cast a certain number of times before being exhausted, where the player had to return to a guild to relearn the spell. Heroes II uses a magic point system that allows the player to apportion spell use as needed, while the varying point cost of different spells maintains balance. Another major feature introduced in Heroes II is the ability to upgrade certain army units, granting them improved statistics and, in some cases, important abilities.

Lastly, Heroes II added more scenarios to the game and a proper campaign, where the player chooses the good or evil side and plays a series of scenarios using the three factions of that side. Victories in certain scenarios give the player lasting bonuses that carry over to future scenarios, and the player can choose a starting bonus before each scenario starts, based on what strategy they take.

Story[edit]

The canonical ending of Heroes I results in Lord Morglin Ironfist's victory. In the following years, he has successfully unified the continent of Enroth and secured his rule as king. Upon the king's death, his two sons, Archibald and Roland, vie for the crown. Archibald orchestrates a series of events that lead to Roland's exile. Archibald is then declared the new king, while Roland organizes a resistance. Each alignment is represented by one of the game's two campaigns. Archibald's campaign features the three 'evil' town alignments, while Roland's campaign features the three 'good' town alignments.

If Archibald is victorious, Roland's rebellion is crushed, and Roland himself is imprisoned in Castle Ironfist, leaving Archibald the uncontested ruler of Enroth. The canonical ending, however, results in Roland's victory, with Archibald being turned to stone by Roland's court wizard, Tanir. This event is referenced later in Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven, when Archibald is freed of the spell. He goes on to be a significant NPC in Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor.

Development[edit]

Much of the core programming of Heroes II was carried over from the original Heroes, thus the game actually took less time to develop than the original Heroes.^{[citation needed]}

The soundtrack produced primarily by Paul Romero.

Reception[edit]

In December 1996, PC Gamer reported that Heroes of Might and Magic II was 'doing particularly well in retail, with every 3DO retailer reordering the product.'^[6] Combined sales of the Heroes of Might and Magic series, including Heroes II, surpassed 500,000 copies by October 1997.^[7] This number rose to 1.5 million copies by December 1999.^[8]

Next Generation reviewed the Macintosh version of the game, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that 'as role-playing games are few on the Mac, HM&MII, with its mix of character and Warcraft-like game elements is a welcome addition.'^[3]

Computer Gaming World called Heroes I a 'strategy game that amaze[d] everyone with its surprising, addictive qualities and amazing ease of use' and found that Heroes II was 'much better than the original Heroes of Might and Magic.' Apart from two gameplay issues - the lack of a wait function, and not being able to control your hero if all of your units are disabled, the reviewer found the game 'nearly perfect.' ^[9]

The editors of PC Gamer US named Heroes of Might and Magic II 1996's 'Best Turn-Based Strategy Game', and called it 'clearly a cut above' the rest of its genre that year.^[10] The game was nominated for Computer Gaming World's 1996 'Strategy Game of the Year' and Computer Game Entertainment's 'Best Strategy Game' prizes, as well as Computer Games Strategy Plus's award for the top turn-based strategy title of 1996, but lost in all of these categories to Civilization II.^[11][12][13] It was also a finalist for the Computer Game Developers Conference's 1996 'Best Strategy/War Game' Spotlight Award,^[14] which ultimately went to Command & Conquer: Red Alert.^[15] The editors of Computer Gaming World wrote, 'The simplicity of King's Bounty-style tactical combat is the perfect counterpoint to the surprising depth of the strategic game, and unlike Heroes I, the campaign is much more satisfying.'^[11]

Legacy[edit]

Heroes of Might and Magic II was named the 25th-best computer game ever by PC Gamer UK in 1997.^[16] In 1998, PC Gamer US declared it the seventh-best computer game ever released, and the editors called it 'the most dangerously addictive turn-based strategy game in the history of PC gaming (with the possible exception of Civilization II).'^[17]

Expansion[edit]

The Price of Loyalty is the expansion pack for Heroes II, released on May 16, 1997. The expansion adds four new campaigns, new artifacts, new scenario maps, new in-map buildings and an improved map editor. The expansion also added a new structure for the necromancer faction - the shrine that enhances the heroes' ability to raise the dead (Necromancy Skills). Each new campaign had a totally different story that doesn't have any connection to the original game or the other campaigns.

References[edit]

1. ^Chin, Elliott (February 1997). 'Classic Heroism'. Computer Gaming World (151): 216, 217.
2. ^Soete, Tim (1996-11-26). 'Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars Review'. Retrieved 2012-04-27.
3. ^ ^ab'Finals'. Next Generation. No. 33. Imagine Media. September 1997. p. 144.
4. ^Tafel, Kathy (October 1997). 'Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars'. MacAddict. Archived from the original on May 5, 1999. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
5. ^Klett, Steve. 'Heroes Of Might & Magic II: The Succession Wars'. PC Games. Archived from the original on July 11, 1997. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
6. ^Staff (December 17, 1996). 'Short Items... Heroes of Might and Magic II Selling Well'. PC Gamer US. Archived from the original on December 23, 1996. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
7. ^Staff (October 30, 1997). '3DO in Flux'. PC Gamer US. Archived from the original on February 18, 1998. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
8. ^'3DO Ships Heroes of Might and Magic(R) III for Macintosh(R)' (Press release). Redwood City, California: PR Newswire. December 21, 1999. Archived from the original on April 25, 2001.
9. ^Chin, Elliott (February 1997). 'Classic Heroism - Heroes II Is An Amazing Sequel To '95's Best Strategy Game'. Computer Gaming World. Ziff-Davis. pp. 216, 217. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
10. ^'PC Gamer Reveals Its 1997 Award Winners'. Business Wire (Press release). Brisbane, California. February 6, 1997.
11. ^ ^abStaff (March 25, 1997). 'Computer Games Strategy Plus announces 1996 Awards'. Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on June 14, 1997. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
12. ^Staff (July 1997). 'The Computer Game Entertainment Awards 1996'. Computer Game Entertainment (1): 54–58.
13. ^Staff (May 1997). 'The Computer Gaming World 1997 Premier Awards'. Computer Gaming World (154): 68–70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80.
14. ^Staff (April 15, 1997). 'And the Nominees Are...'Next Generation. Archived from the original on June 5, 1997. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
15. ^'Spotlight Awards Winners Announced for Best Computer Games of 1996' (Press release). Santa Clara, California: Game Developers Conference. April 28, 1997. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011.
16. ^Flynn, James; Owen, Steve; Pierce, Matthew; Davis, Jonathan; Longhurst, Richard (July 1997). 'The PC Gamer Top 100'. PC Gamer UK (45): 51–83.
17. ^The PC Gamer Editors (October 1998). 'The 50 Best Games Ever'. PC Gamer US. 5 (10): 86, 87, 89, 90, 92, 98, 101, 102, 109, 110, 113, 114, 117, 118, 125, 126, 129, 130.

Heroes of Might and Magic IV is a turn-based strategy game developed by Gus Smedstad through New World Computing and published by the 3DO Company for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers in 2002. A Macintoshport was subsequently developed by Contraband Entertainment and released by the 3DO Company. The fourth installment of the popular Heroes of Might and Magic franchise, it is the sequel to Heroes of Might and Magic III, and was the last to be developed by New World Computing.

Gameplay[edit]

Heroes of Might and Magic IV introduced a number of major changes to the series.

Heroes[edit]

Unlike previous games, where they had little active role in combat, heroes became present on the battlefield with their troops. They can attack, and be attacked. If a hero is killed in combat he/she must be brought to a friendly town to be revived. It is possible to have armies with more than one hero, or with no heroes at all, although armies without a hero are incapable of performing certain tasks, such as capturing enemy towns or structures.

The skill system also underwent a significant overhaul, and all Heroes of a given class start out with the same skills. The player has significantly more control over the development of the Hero than in previous games in the series, and Heroes 'evolve' into over 40 different specialized classes. A Hero can select up to five of the nine available primary skills, and each primary skill makes available three secondary skills. Each of these 36 skills have five levels of progression as opposed to the three levels in the previous games.^[3]

Combat[edit]

Both the adventure and combat maps were converted to a fixed-view isometric 3D display. The traditional hexagon-based battle grid was converted into a much higher-resolution square-based grid, making it easier to feature units of different sizes. Non-hero spellcasting units were given proper spell selections. Retaliation was allowed simultaneously with the attack, and ranged units were given the capability to retaliate against ranged attacks. Projectile attacks and spells now required direct line of sight to the target.

World map[edit]

Each individual troop unit was given its own movement allowance on the adventure map, with units possessing the ability to split off independently of the main army; however, the troops can no longer be 'shuttled' from hero to hero to move an army large distances in a single turn. Logistics were restricted by eliminating or weakening travel spells. This, in turn, was partially compensated for by the elimination of the need to revisit resource-producing structures each week, and the introduction of caravans, which can quickly and safely transport heroes and remotely recruit troops from external dwellings.

Units[edit]

A small number of these skills are shared with earlier games, and some of the new skills can dramatically affect strategy (e.g., a Hero with Grandmaster Stealth is invisible to all non-allied units). Troop units may no longer be upgraded, and there are four recruitable ranks of units, down from seven. Each rank has two dwellings that can be built, but beyond the first rank, building one dwelling precludes the other. The creature dwellings themselves accumulate new creatures every day, as opposed to the start of each new week.^[4]

Story[edit]

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Following the events of Heroes Chronicles: The Sword of Frost, Gelu, the leader of AvLee's Forest Guard and wielder of Armageddon's Blade, attacks Kilgor, the Barbarian King of Krewlod, in an attempt to claim and destroy the Sword of Frost. As foretold by a prophecy, when Armageddon's Blade and the Sword of Frost clash in battle, the result is a massive explosion (known as the Reckoning), which destroys the world of Enroth. Many of the inhabitants of the planet, however, escape through mysterious portals that appear during the Reckoning that lead them to another world, called Axeoth – also the setting for Might and Magic IX.^[5] Included among the refugees are many of the heroes of previous installments of the series, and many return to their old ways shortly after arriving on their new home.

The story of Heroes of Might and Magic IV unfolds primarily through the game's six campaigns, each of which establishes how the major kingdoms of one of Axeoth's continents were forged in the wake of the Reckoning, and the arrival of the Enrothian refugees on Axeoth. Each of the campaigns centers on a faction leader, and tells the story of how that leader came to prominence. Unlike Heroes of Might and Magic III, all of the six campaigns are accessible from the beginning, and each unfolds as a stand-alone tale.

• In the Haven campaign, The True Blade, Lysander, a loyal knight formerly in the service of Queen Catherine Ironfist, rules over the nascent kingdom of Palaedra, inhabited mainly by refugees from the kingdom of Erathia. His command, however, is challenged by a usurper named Sir Worton, who claims to be the only surviving heir to the Gryphonheart dynasty. Many of Lysander's generals are drawn to Worton, forcing the lord to expose Worton as a fraud or lose control of his kingdom.^[6]

• At the start of the Stronghold campaign, Glory of Days Past, Waerjak, a barbarian chieftain, despairs over the changes that have come over the barbarian community. In the wake of Kilgor's death, his people have descended into interfactional strife, and are in danger of wiping themselves out. Intent on restoring the barbarian kingdom to its more peaceful state before Kilgor's ascension, Waerjak sets out to prove his strength and to subdue his rivals, guided by his mentor, Tarnum (previously the protagonist of the Heroes Chronicles series).^[6]

• The game's Academy campaign, The Price of Peace tells the story of Emilia Nighthaven, the peasant daughter of an Enrothian glassblower. On Axeoth, however, she finds herself taking command of a community of frightened refugees and forging them into the kingdom of Great Arcan. Queen Emilia's success, however, attracts the attention of Gavin Magnus, the Immortal King of Bracada from Heroes of Might and Magic III and Might and Magic VII, and his genie servant, Solmyr, who seek to prevent Axeoth from meeting the same fate as Enroth (i.e. being destroyed) by magically depriving its entire population of their free will.^[6]

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• In the Preserve campaign, Elwin and Shaera, Elwin, a simple elf from the Elven kingdom of Aranorn (mainly populated by survivors from AvLee), is in love with Shaera, but their romance is threatened by Lord Harke, a powerful rival for Shaera's affection. Elwin's continued pursuit of his beloved plunges the region into internecine war, and whoever emerges the victor will not only win Shaera's hand in marriage, but the throne of Aranorn, as well.^[6]

• Half-Dead, the Necropolis campaign, relates the tale of Gauldoth Half-Dead, the half-human, half-lich victim of a necromantic spell that he cast to save his life which went horribly wrong. Tired of living on the scraps of food he can steal from fearful villagers, Gauldoth unites the forces of the surviving Necromancers and demonic Kreegans from Enroth's old kingdoms of Deyja and Eeofol into Nekross, a powerful and feared kingdom, but he is forced to act as a protector for both the living and the dead when a powerful being from another dimension arrives with plans to end all life in the universe.^[6]

• A Pirate's Daughter, the game's Asylum campaign, introduces the only daughter of a famous pirate, Tawni Balfour. Tawni inherits her father's ship and crew following his unfortunate death. Sailing down the coasts of the Gold Sea, fighting feared buccaneers, sea monsters and mermaids alike, Tawni intends to claim her father's mantle as Axeoth's most feared pirate captain, all while having to face her own shady past.^[6]

Expansion packs[edit]

Two expansion packs were released for Heroes IV: Heroes of Might and Magic IV: The Gathering Storm (2002) and Heroes of Might and Magic IV: Winds of War (2003), both for Microsoft Windows only.

The Gathering Storm offers six campaigns, more than 20 maps, 16 additional artifacts, four new creatures, and a multiplayer update. Each of the first five campaigns features a new specialty hero. The Gathering Storm also features an upgraded editor, which allows full access to new heroes, adventure objects, artifacts and creatures. A new soundtrack is also included.^[7]

Winds of War introduces three new creatures and six new campaigns, which collectively tell the story of the invasion of the kingdom of Channon by the leaders of its five neighboring kingdoms.^[8]Winds of War was the last installment of the entire Heroes of Might and Magic series to be developed by New World Computing. Afterwards, the bankruptcy of the 3DO Company led to the sale of the Might and Magic franchise to Ubisoft for $1.3 million.^[9]

Reception[edit]

Sales[edit]

In the German market, Heroes of Might and Magic IV debuted at #5 on Media Control's computer game sales chart for April 2002. It climbed to fourth in its second month,^[10] before dropping to 12th and 19th in June and July, respectively.^[11]

Critical reviews[edit]

The critic aggregator Metacritic determined that reviewers found the game to be generally favorable, with a weighted score of 84 out of 100.^[12]GameSpot wrote that 'Heroes IV is clearly a worthy successor to the series and has very clearly been worth the wait', praising New World Computing for being 'able to incorporate so many new and interesting features into this sequel while still making sure it kept all the core elements that made all the previous games so great'.^[14] PC Gameworld was slightly less favorable, saying, 'The spark might be there, but it doesn't burn as bright as it has in the past.'^[15]

The expansions were less well received by professional reviewers, with metascores of 64 out of 100 for The Gathering Storm^[16] and 58 out of 100 for Winds of War.^[17]

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Heroes of Might and Magic IV was a nominee for The Electric Playground's 2002 'Best Strategy Game for PC' award, but lost to Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.^[18]

Notes and references[edit]

1. ^Chris McVeigh. 'Heroes of Might and Magic IV: New Heroes for a New World.' November 2002. Apple - Games. Last accessed on 21 January 2006.
2. ^Rocco J Carello. 'Macintosh Heroes of Might and Magic.' 3 May 2004. Last accessed on 21 January 2006. Archived December 2, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
3. ^'Heroes of Might and Magic IV / Heroes 4 - Age of Heroes'. www.heroesofmightandmagic.com. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
4. ^Harukaba. 'Heroes of Might and Magic IV → Overview.' 12 May 2005. Celestial Heavens. Last accessed on 21 January 2006.
5. ^'Might and Magic IX for Windows (2002)'. MobyGames. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
6. ^ ^abcdefKalah. 'Celestial Heavens: Heroes IV Text Collection'. www.celestialheavens.com. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
7. ^Butts, Steve (14 October 2002). 'Heroes of Might and Magic IV: The Gathering Storm Review'. IGN. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
8. ^Butts, Steve (25 March 2003). 'Heroes of Might and Magic IV: The Winds of War Review'. IGN. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
9. ^O'Mara, Matthew (30 September 2015). 'Heroes of Might and Magic: A retrospective'. Financial Post. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
10. ^'Zeitraum: Mai 2002' (in German). Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland. Archived from the original on June 15, 2002. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
11. ^'Zeitraum: Juli 2002' (in German). Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland. Archived from the original on August 17, 2002. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
12. ^ ^ab'Heroes of Might and Magic IV for PC Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
13. ^Staff. 'Heroes of Might and Magic IV'. MacHome Journal. Archived from the original on December 19, 2005.
14. ^Park, Andrew (2 April 2002). 'Heroes of Might and Magic IV Review'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
15. ^Krol, Scott R. (12 May 2002). 'Heroes of Might and Magic IV'. PC Gameworld. Archived from the original on 19 February 2003. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
16. ^'Heroes of Might and Magic IV: The Gathering Storm'. Metacritic. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
17. ^'Heroes of Might and Magic IV: Winds of War'. Metacritic. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
18. ^Staff. 'Blister Awards 2002'. The Electric Playground. Archived from the original on March 8, 2003. Retrieved January 13, 2020.

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External links[edit]

• Heroes of Might and Magic IV at MobyGames
• Heroes of Might and Magic IV at Curlie