Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era preview – An accessible restart

by

Unfrozen faces an intriguing task when it comes to the game “Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era”. This series is cherished by numerous PC gamers, but it’s been inactive for a decade. During that time, other games like the acclaimed “Songs of Conquest” have stepped into the gap left by the former ruler of the genre. Essentially, Olden Era doesn’t get to claim its rightful place on an empty throne without first demonstrating its worthiness of the legacy it aspires to carry forward. In simpler terms, the game comes in as a contender seeking to prove itself deserving of the mantle it wishes to assume.

As a passionate fan, I’ve eagerly taken on the challenging task of pitching Unfrozen to Ubisoft, inspired by my own nostalgia from playing earlier versions of this beloved series in my teenage years. The unique origin of our project, involving such an unexpected turn of events, has now been amplified with Hooded Horse joining us. This renowned strategy game publisher, recognized for its proficiency in Early Access launches, came on board earlier this year.

To regain a long-lost throne, it seems there are two primary strategies. Firstly, stay true to the fundamental elements of the genre and remain loyal to the original franchise’s values. Secondly, incorporate elements inspired by contemporary gaming trends to attract a fresh player base.

Let’s dive right into it! Alongside the conventional single-player and multiplayer campaigns that you’d typically find in games of this type, Olden Era introduces a compact PvE (Player vs Environment) and PvP (Player vs Player) mode. This mode is reminiscent of Hearthstone’s Arena, where you create an army and spells from a variety of options, facing off against another player who has done the same in a single battle. While this mode requires less time compared to a full-blown multiplayer campaign, it still offers the excitement of constructing and customizing your army, ready for action on the battlefield. This innovative approach not only appeals to newcomers but also caters to long-time fans who might be short on time to invest in a single campaign.

In terms of the fundamental gameplay, Olden Era stays true to the roots of the franchise. For instance, all battlefields are flat instead of having terrain variations like cliffs as seen in Songs of Conquest. The developers purposefully avoid adding such features to prevent overwhelming players and believe that it didn’t mesh well with the original formula, making it feel less reminiscent of the classic Heroes series. Some advanced mechanics like backstabbing and flanking are absent, but combat isn’t lacking in complexity. Each unit has one or more active abilities, and there are heroes’ spells and unique faction mechanisms to consider. Additionally, morale plays a role, influencing extra moves for units, which is an interesting touch.

While the game primarily utilizes the left mouse button for gameplay, relying on single or double clicks, it seems the right mouse button is seldom used. I find this distribution of commands a bit one-sided, and having some functions assigned to both buttons would make the controls feel more balanced and intuitive to me.

In a combat scenario, maneuvering units can be rather awkward as well. Instead of moving your units first and then selecting an enemy within range, you’re required to designate the enemy for attack before making any movement at all. This necessitates precise planning for subsequent positioning, making it quite delicate to handle.

As a seasoned gamer, diving into this game feels like stepping back into the golden era of gaming. The gameplay harks back to the classics: You begin your journey with a lone hero and a humble town, expanding your territories, vanquishing rogue forces, amassing wealth, and more, all with the ultimate goal of building an empire and crushing your foes. The graphics are a visual treat, reminiscent of intricate hand-drawn art, albeit with a somewhat crowded overworld map at times, making it tricky to spot interactive locations quickly – but don’t worry; you can easily highlight these areas for easier navigation.

In response to diverse opinions about the game’s aesthetics, the creators incorporated multiple color settings, enabling players to personalize the appearance of the game extensively. This means you can make it more vivid or toned down according to your preferences and current feelings.

In the narrative of the Olden Era’s story campaign, there are three distinct acts, with the first act ranging approximately between 15 to 20 hours. This game departs from the usual format by providing a single continuous experience for all players, featuring the same group of heroes. However, unlike traditional games that have separate campaigns for different factions, players in Unfrozen can choose their alliance within the story on a mission-by-mission basis.

This approach creates a more character-focused experience, with an emphasis on the individual stories of the heroes. Furthermore, due to its non-linear nature, the game offers increased replayability value, as certain choices may prevent access to specific missions while unlocking others.

A map editor isn’t an exception when it comes to exploring this genre, and the developers have plans to expand its features, including the capacity to design personalized campaigns from scratch, progressively over time.

Unfrozen is devoted to offering a refined Early Access launch, understanding that the market dynamics surrounding this model have evolved. Today’s players demand more polish and content compared to what they did five years ago. As the developers state, it needs to be engaging right from the start in order to grab some interest.

In other words, when it comes to Olden Era, the developers aren’t merely making promises; they plan to offer a greater variety of spells from the beginning itself, ensuring a more comprehensive gaming experience for players at launch.

As an ardent admirer, I long for the day when this cherished franchise regains its former glory, having lain dormant for far too long. New generations are unaware of Heroes’ captivating allure, and I yearn to introduce them to this beloved game, shining a light on it that it so richly deserves.

After an hour’s interaction with the game developers, I believe they have a promising potential to achieve their goal, due to its user-friendly nature and innovative approach. However, whether it will surpass the popular Songs of Conquest, which has already attracted many fans of this genre, still remains uncertain.

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is set to be released for PC in 2025.

More features on DBLTAP:

Read More

2025-08-29 18:17