gameSlave whips up a new HoMM5 review

<strong>[ Review ]</strong>

<p><a href="http://www.gameslave.co.uk" title="sss">glameSlave</a> (Sadly not the oh-so deviant mix of S&M and gaming that you think it is) has the <a href="http://www.gameslave.co.uk/content/heroes-of-might-and-magic-v-review/" title="sss">newest review</a> of <a href="http://ashki.com.ru/photos/vertk/mathboy/2.jpg" title="he's on the right">Mathboy's</a> favorite turn-based strategy game, <a href="http://www.mightandmagic.com/HeroesV/us/intro.php" title="zzz">Heroes of Might and Magic 5: Video Drivers of Peril</a> . There biggest beefs with it seem to stem from the fact that they can't handle HoMM5 pure strategy rawness i.e. it's too hard.</p><blockquote><p><u><em><strong>The computer AI is no walkover either, offering up some tough battles for those who choose to just fling heavy numbers at their enemy.</strong></em></u> However the game does seem to get overly difficult in some missions. One particular mission in the second campaign must rank as one of the hardest levels I've ever had to play in a computer game - and I've played a few. The brick wall of difficulty can be very frustrating (elves and dragons are hard - you have been warned) and the learning curve of the game could definitely be paced better.</p></blockquote><p>Well, I think we found the root of the problem. </p>

 

I've had this problem as well. It's not that the game is too hard overall, it's just that some killer sections pop up all of a sudden in the campaign with no rhyme or reason. The first Inferno mission threw me through a loop this way.

 

Aside from the campaign, which I rarely play in strategy games, how are the skirmishes? Are the maps well done etc?

 

I've mainly been playing the campaign so metallix or one of the others could probably tell you better. I'll most likely dig into the skirmishes when the new maps are released (which should be soon).

 

Maps are pretty okay, except for the underground part of course. Funny thing is, all the few maps that are shipping with the game, iirc, contain the underground area. Oh and I should stress that there are really only few maps in the retail version. Some of em come with some sort of a story, but for a skirmish it's not really a noteworthy factor. So, overall, maps are much worse than in homm3. And that's disregarding the fact that the retail version did not contain map generator.

The most glaring flaw of the whole game is, of course, the 3D landscape travel map. Rotating all the time, polygon-hunting for treasure is just tedious to no end. In underground areas, things are twice as bad.

But the gameplay is quite okay, though i haven't had time to look into all the balance issues yet. The interesting and well-done combat makes it all worthwhile, really.

 

I still diagree about the 3D thing for the most part. For me, it adds to the whole sense of exploring a vibrant landscape with lots of hidden nooks and crannies. Of course, I'm probably coming to this with more of an RPG mindset so that may color my opinion.

You're right about the underground part, though. It's extremely frustrating trying to select a clearly visible location & not being able to because a transparent wall is in the way. It's right there, let me click it!