Heroes of Might and Magic IV Preview

The foundation of New World Computing's extremely popular Heroes of Might and Magic turn-based strategy series, and the Might & Magic role-playing series that inspired it, is balance. Just as the "might" and the "magic" in the titles evokes a sense of conflict between two powerful diametrically opposed forces, so is the Heroes of Might and Magic series best known for its deceptively simple-looking yet very deep strategic gameplay. The charming graphics, excellent audio, and rich fantasy settings of these games have also played no small part in their success, and as a result, the Heroes of Might and Magic series now commands an extremely loyal following of fans. Late this fall, these and other players will be treated to the next installment in the series. Like its predecessors, Heroes of Might and Magic IV is a carefully crafted turn-based strategy game set in a highly detailed fantasy world. Yet the designers aren't taking the easy route by just adding more to the successful formula; instead, they're making many meaningful, interesting changes in Heroes of Might and Magic IV. It'll still be a turn-based game, and the fundamental design will remain closely akin to its predecessors. Yet the differences in Heroes IV promise to reinvent the accomplishments of the series rather than simply reproduce them. The resulting game should be very engaging both for Heroes of Might and Magic fans and those getting into the series for the first time.

Isometric combat is one of the most notable changes in Heroes IV.

As in its predecessors, in Heroes of Might and Magic IV, you'll have to build a thriving, well-fortified town as you field armies of fantastical creatures led by your hero characters, with whom you'll expand your kingdom. The game will feature seven distinct single-player campaigns, multiple single-skirmish scenarios, multiplayer support, and a full-on campaign editor. There will be more than 60 different types of creatures in the game, six different town types, more than 10 different starting hero classes, 27 different skills heroes can learn, as well as spells in five discreetly different schools of magic. The game will support screen resolutions up to 1280x1024, and the graphics and sound will be brand new. Of course, the most interesting aspects of Heroes IV aren't in the raw numbers--they're in the details themselves.

One of the new towns in Heroes IV.

For example, the combat in Heroes IV will be completely revamped. The biggest difference will be immediately obvious to Heroes fans: Combat now takes place on an isometric battlefield, rather than from a side view as in the previous games. In addition, your hero characters won't just stand on the sidelines shooting off spells every now and then. They're now in the thick of it along with all your other units, and can engage in battle directly. There are other more subtle but equally significant changes to the combat, such as the inclusion of some basic line-of-sight rules, as well as major changes to the way retaliation attacks now work. And of course, the actual creatures on the battlefield will be quite different as well. Read to learn what will be so special about each of them.