Summary
- The Heroes of Might and Magic series has gained more popularity than its source material, thanks to its unique blend of turn-based strategy, management sim, and role-playing mechanics.
- While the newer Heroes entries were not as well-received, the franchise still has a cult classic status in many countries.
- The spin-offs of Heroes of Might and Magic may not be as recommendable, but there are other spin-offs like Dark Messiah of Might and Magic and Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes that offer a different and enjoyable gaming experience.
Despite being a spin-off to the Might and Magic CRPG franchise, the Heroes of Might and Magic series has managed to amass a greater following and popularity than its source material in a relatively short period of time. The unique blend of turn-based strategy, management sim, and role-playing mechanics not only proved to be more engaging but also seemed better suited to the capabilities of PCs at the time.
Heroes of Might and Magic quickly became a massive hit within the PC gaming community in the 1990s. Over the two decades since the release of the first game back in 1995, the franchise ended up getting six sequels (and is still active). While the newest Heroes entries were not as well-received as earlier titles, the series still earned itself a cult classic status in many countries around the world.
Only the mainline entries will be included.
Updated September 10, 2024 by Mark Sammut: It has been a while since this was the case, but a new Heroes of Might and Magic game is on the way. Yes, Ubisoft has finally decided to revive the legendary strategy franchise by focusing on a mainline entry, the first since 2015's Might and Magic: Heroes 7. Hopefully, the Olden Era marks a great return to form for Heroes of Might and Magic.
Click here to jump to the section dedicated to this upcoming project.
7 Might And Magic: Heroes 7
Little Advancements On The Classic Formula
Might & Magic Heroes 7
Released in 2015, the seventh Heroes of Might and Magic title did little to improve upon the franchise's iconic gameplay loop. Even the graphical improvements weren't a huge step forward when compared to the sixth game, which came out four years earlier.
The game still had everything that made fans initially fall in love with the Heroes franchise, but after over 20 years of nearly identical gameplay, many people expected something new to reinvigorate the series and possibly attract a new generation of players. Heroes 7 also launched to its fair share of controversy: players who pre-ordered the Collector's Edition didn't receive a physical version that was promised in Ubisoft's marketing of the game.
6 Might And Magic: Heroes 6
Packed With Content & A Fair Few Quality Of Live Adjustments
Might & Magic Heroes 6
Despite the rebranding of the franchise into Might and Magic: Heroes, the sixth iteration of the hit turn-based strategy series remained true to its roots, with some much-needed quality-of-life improvements and a graphical overhaul. Heroes 6 also packed hundreds of hours of content, making it a much richer experience than its 2015 sequel.
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Granted, this title's storyline was largely forgettable, but it did introduce an interesting morality system that granted players various unique abilities, depending on the choices they made during a playthrough. In a way, due to Heroes 6 being so expansive and content-packed, its follow-up felt more like an expansion pack than a standalone game.
5 Heroes Of Might And Magic
An Impressive First Effort With Some Rough Edges
Heroes of Might and Magic
- Released
- May 6, 1996
- Platform(s)
- PC
- How Long To Beat
- 23 Hours
The game that started it all. Back when it came out, Heroes of Might and Magic felt like a revolutionary approach to the turn-based strategy genre, mainly thanks to its implementation of exploration mechanics previously associated with RPGs. The title also had players grow and take care of their castles (or cities), which provided them with increasingly powerful units to add to their heroes' armies.
Resource management and careful development of the character were equally crucial if one wanted to succeed in Heroes, and it was this blend of mechanics that initially pulled players to this title. The game itself was a bit rough around the edges, though, and its sequel brought a lot of much-needed polish to many of the mechanics.
4 Heroes Of Might And Magic 4
An Ambitious Attempt That Does Not Nail Every Evolution
Heroes of Might and Magic 4
- Released
- March 28, 2002
- Developer(s)
- New World Computing
- Platform(s)
- PC
- How Long To Beat
- 48 Hours
The fourth iteration of Heroes of Might and Magic was revolutionary in its own right, as it was the first title in the iconic turn-based strategy franchise to feature three-dimensional graphics. While that by itself didn't affect the gameplay in any meaningful way, the developers did try to implement certain changes to the formula, which greatly divided the fanbase.
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Heroes 4 changed the way players could manage their castles, forcing them to make choices regarding which creatures they could fully upgrade and recruit. It also locked heroes out of certain spells by creating a faction-based magic system and gave the heroes a more active role in combat, which rubbed some die-hard fans the wrong way. Some, on the other hand, loved the changes, especially those for whom Heroes 4 was their first foray into the franchise.
3 Heroes Of Might And Magic 2
A Giant Leap Forward For The Franchise And Strategy Games In General
Heroes of Might and Magic 2
- Released
- November 16, 1996
- Developer(s)
- New World Computing
- Platform(s)
- PC, Nintendo Game Boy Color
- How Long To Beat
- 57 Hours
The second Heroes title improved upon its predecessor in every way possible. It was released in 1996, only a year after the original, and while it didn't change much in terms of the basic gameplay loop, it polished every aspect of it, making the entire experience much more enjoyable and approachable for newcomers.
Heroes 2 also had fleshed-out campaigns with branching storylines. Although most people don't really play these games for the story, it did add another layer of immersion to the experience. Finally, the noticeable graphical improvements and the reduction in the size of some of the models made strategic decision-making easier during exploration and on the battlefield.
2 Heroes Of Might And Magic 5
A Return To Form And Normality After A Polarizing Experiment
Heroes of Might and Magic 5
- Released
- May 16, 2006
- Developer(s)
- Nival Interactive
- Platform(s)
- PC
- How Long To Beat
- 52 Hours
After the controversies caused by Heroes of Might and Magic 4, the fifth game in the franchise followed a more traditional Heroes formula. Released in 2009, the game earned itself high praise among die-hard fans of the franchise who were disappointed with the way Heroes 4 turned out.
The title brought back the unit upgrading and recruitment mechanics from Heroes 3, all the while reworking the game's graphics into an entirely 3D-rendered, fairy-tale-like style that was a joy to look at. It was the first Heroes game developed and published by Ubisoft.
1 Heroes Of Might And Magic 3
One of The Best Strategy Games Of All Time
Heroes of Might and Magic 3
No other entry in the series captured the hearts and minds of players in the same way that Heroes of Might and Magic 3 did. It featured a fully revamped art style while leaving most of the mechanics from Heroes 2 intact. The game also included multiple, gripping campaigns, and added more castles and units for players to experiment with.
The atmosphere of Heroes 3 also played a role in making this title so iconic, enjoyed by thousands of players even nearly 24 years after its release. The epic music that accompanies the start of every turn is instantly recognizable by anyone who played the game, and the environments, creature models, and art style are still aesthetically pleasing all these decades later.
Spin-Off Heroes Of Might And Magic Games
In recent years, Ubisoft has largely ignored the Heroes of Might and Magic series, and that does not seem likely to change anytime soon. However, long-time fans who have already played through all the main games and are craving some more Heroes content might want to check out some of the spin-offs. Obviously, there is also the Might and Magic RPG franchise, which produced its most recent entry in 2014.
Now, most Heroes of Might and Magic spin-offs are difficult or even impossible to recommend. 2008's Heroes of Might and Magic Online and Might and Magic: Heroes Kingdoms were both discontinued in 2014. Heroes Chronicles is an episodic game designed to ease newcomers into the turn-based strategy genre. While perhaps a bit too stripped down and simplified for experienced players, it is a viable option for completionists. The Game Boy Color's Heroes of Might and Magic games do a serviceable job of porting the original trilogy to the handheld system.
The best spin-offs are also the ones that deviate the furthest from the core series, and they are technically Magic and Might spin-offs. Arkane's Dark Messiah of Might and Magic is a really fun action RPG with a great combat system that rewards creativity. Meanwhile, Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes is a puzzle RPG that blends a few genres surprisingly well.
Upcoming Game – Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era
- Developer(s)
- Unfrozen
- Platform(s)
- PC
Finally, after a way-too-long wait, Ubisoft has confirmed that a new Heroes of Might and Magic project is in the works. Olden Era is set to launch in 2025, which will be roughly a decade since the last mainline entry in the franchise (not counting DLC or Might & Magic Heroes: Era of Chaos). The upcoming release is being handled by Unfrozen Studio, which previously released Iratus: Lord of the Dead. While not extremely well-known, the 2020 game was a solid attempt to blend turn-based combat with roguelike and RPG elements, and it is worthy of a playthrough for any fans of Darkest Dungeon.
Although not too much is currently known about the Olden Era, the game seems set to mostly honor the franchise's classic roots, albeit with some modern implementation and a heightened presence of RPG elements. The campaign will take place on Enroth's Jadame continent, which is a first for the franchise. In terms of gameplay innovations or changes, Olden Era will look to provide players with more influence over their factions and heroes' growth, along with introducing elements like secondary abilities.
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