Best Heroes of Might & Magic game

[Jasede]

It's 2. 2 is the answer.
3 is also acceptable.

 

[InD_ImaginE]

Most people probably will agree that its HOMM3. HOMM 2 is like proto 3. HOMM 5 is like 3 cousin. They are pretty adjacent to each other. I like the alternative upgraide of Tribe of East in theory but in practice lot of the time which one is better is kinda obvious instead having alt-upgrade as alternative build.

Style wise though, like art and all 4 is probably the best.

 

[Jasede]

The thing is, HOMM 2 to me has:

- a nicer cartoony art-style (though HOMM 3 also looks great)
- better operatic music (though HOMM 3 has great music too)
- more fun unbalanced things
- less complexity, but the complexity it has feels meaningful
- a fun campaign (whereas I remember nothing about the HOMM 3 campaigns)

I mean, ultimately it does not matter that much because they are both great.


I have never played 4. Was that a mistake?

 

[luj1]

I have never played 4. Was that a mistake?

Its just different but fun in its own way

sometimes I get an itch to play 4 specifically

it has actually nicer terrain music than HoMM 3 if you can believe that (also by Romero)

id definitely choose 4 over any 3D heroes such as 5, 6, 7, 8

 

[AdamReith]

I've been cycling maps between 2, 3 and 5. They all have something unique to offer I think.

fheroes2 has sound issues though, 5.5 is a little jerky graphically but 3 HD mod is perfect in every way.

I had graphics shock the first time I played 4, similar to when I first played aow2. Maybe I'll give it another go at some point.

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

Good luck talking some sense into H4 lovers

The thing is, HOMM 2 to me has:

- a nicer cartoony art-style (though HOMM 3 also looks great)
- better operatic music (though HOMM 3 has great music too)
- more fun unbalanced things
- less complexity, but the complexity it has feels meaningful
- a fun campaign (whereas I remember nothing about the HOMM 3 campaigns)

I mean, ultimately it does not matter that much because they are both great.

Speaking more in gameplay terms, one big difference in favor of H2 is economy, particularly gold. In H3, it quickly stops being an issue even on impossible (and it's one of the biggest reasons for impossible or at least expert being mandatory to properly enjoy the game), which is p. decline. In H2 things are not so simple even on normal which adds a lot of c&c and higher difficulties are brutal when it comes to affording stuff, as they should be.

 

[Grunker]

The thing is, HOMM 2 to me has:

- a nicer art-style

 

[Blake00]

I quite like HoMM4's map graphics, especially the grassland & forest areas, other terrains look a bit weak & bland though, and yeah battle screen graphics and some creatures are pretty bad compared to what came before. Hell pretty much everything to do with the battle screen feels worse lol.

 

[InD_ImaginE]

Yeah battle screen is worse. But the map is amazing in 4. Music is amazing as well

 

[Arthandas]

I just started V with the 5.5 mod (I'm at the fourth mission in the haven campaign) and I must say it's the most boring game in this genre I have ever played.
I spent a lot of time in Disciples II and various Age of Wonders and I'm accustomed to having an actual opponent in the campaign. Someone who actively scours the map, kills neutral stacks and is generally a constant threat.
Here it's basically you vs neutral stacks, you have all the time in the world and it's impossible to actually lose. Is that how the campaign looks in every HoMM game?!

 

[Storyfag]

I just started V with the 5.5 mod (I'm at the fourth mission in the haven campaign) and I must say it's the most boring game in this genre I have ever played.
I spent a lot of time in Disciples II and various Age of Wonders and I'm accustomed to having an actual opponent in the campaign. Someone who actively scours the map, kills neutral stacks and is generally a constant threat.
Here it's basically you vs neutral stacks, you have all the time in the world and it's impossible to actually lose. Is that how the campaign looks in every HoMM game?!

No, and even V itself gets better. II and III can get pretty brutal.

 

[spectre]

The whole Haven campaign in V is basically an extended tutorial, almost entirely scripted. It has a cute twist at the end, but it's a darn shame you need to slog through it to unlock the rest.
Vanilla campaigns in V weren't great, but I haven't played them in ages. It gets better in the expansions.

II has a pretty rough campaign, it can really ramp up the challenge depending on the choices you make as you play through and the quests you do or do not do.
Although, I consider it more of a puzzle (pleasantly challenging, but still), because you will usually find there's one optimal path.

For what you're saying you're looking for, I think, skirmish (or custom maps) vs multiple AIs with ramped up difficulty is where it's at.
If you absolutely need your fill of storyfaggotry, some user-made maps were known to go heavy on this. There should be a few for V, but III will have the biggest selection.

 

[Arthandas]

My problem is it plays like King's Bounty (or the newest Disciples) where you run around the map with no real opposition.
I checked some YouTube let's plays and it seems the game introduces enemy champions in later missions so I'll just force myself to finish the Haven and see if it gets better in Inferno.

 

[Blake00]

Is that how the campaign looks in every HoMM game?!

If you're new to HoMM series then 5 is probably not the best starting point as it's early campaigns are heavily scripted and was the beginning of the Ubisoft era which ended up being the death of the series. Most people will say HoMM 3 or maybe 2, as they were the peak/heyday of the series and also right from the get go there are enemy heroes that explore the map clearing out neutrals in their campaigns.

 

[Arthandas]

Most people will say HoMM 3 or maybe 2, as they were the peak/heyday of the series and also right from the get go there are enemy heroes that explore the map clearing out neutrals in their campaigns.

Which HoMM 3 campaign is the best gameplay wise? Are there any rebalancing mods like 5.5? After a quick google search the only thing I've found is SoD_SP.

 

[visions]

I liked the Armageddon's Blade campaigns the most in HoMM 3. Restoration of Erathia campaigns are mostly too easy and Shadow of Death campaigns could get annoying at times. HoMM 2 campaigns are also cool.

 

[octavius]

Most people will say HoMM 3 or maybe 2, as they were the peak/heyday of the series and also right from the get go there are enemy heroes that explore the map clearing out neutrals in their campaigns.

Which HoMM 3 campaign is the best gameplay wise? Are there any rebalancing mods like 5.5? After a quick google search the only thing I've found is SoD_SP.

AB and SoD provide some challenge, but often with lazy design like one way portals (which made Darth Roxor bitch). Most of the individual maps can be blitzed, though.
None of the HoMM3 campaigns are really good, unlike the HoMM2 campaigns. The best one IMO is a user made one called Eternal Love.

 

[Grunker]

Most people will say HoMM 3 or maybe 2, as they were the peak/heyday of the series and also right from the get go there are enemy heroes that explore the map clearing out neutrals in their campaigns.

Which HoMM 3 campaign is the best gameplay wise? Are there any rebalancing mods like 5.5? After a quick google search the only thing I've found is SoD_SP.

unlike the HoMM2 campaigns

And HoMM5 campaigns. Which get even better with 5.5 mod (which just got a massive Campaign update). You have to suffer the horrible aesthetics tho

 

[Anthedon]

Is there any difference between the DOS version of Heroes II Gold and the Windows version (both are included on GOG)?

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

One runs in emulated dos, the other on windows.

 

[octavius]

One looks stretched on modern monitors, the other has correct aspect ratio.

 

[Anthedon]

One looks stretched on modern monitors, the other has correct aspect ratio.

I assume the DOSBox version has the right aspect ratio? Or something is wrong with my eyes. The Windows version doesn't even start, so it's a moot point anyway.

 

[octavius]

Yes. But I guess you can get the Windows version to both work and with correct aspect ratio if you use a wrapper like DgVoodoo or something.

 

[Cael]

Which is the one with the expansion with campaigns that are weird combos of magic (life/death, order/chaos, etc.)? The original game had a campaign with the genie turning against its master and joining with the protagonist due to respect.

Was that 3 or 4?

 

[Nahel]

Its 4.