Image credit: Unfrozen
To call Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era “old school” would be an act of criminal understatement. When it comes to weighty, strategic fantasy RPGs, the venerable Heroes of Might and Magic series isn’t so much “old school” as it is the school.
The curriculum is old, ancient even. The series began in 1995 with the original Heroes of Might and Magic, and Olden Era marks the first entry in 11 years. Olden Era’s early access launch comes at an odd time. It could be poised to reinvent the series, offering an accessible reimagining, perhaps with more emphasis on narrative elements or a revamped combat system.
Olden Era boldly rejected this idea. Every inch of it, from the pixel-style graphics to the granular systems and deliberate pace, speaks of a game that’s determined to re-state the case of its predecessors.
A Game of Thrones
A game of Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era will have you taking turns to move a hero (or heroes) around a pixel-art map. You’ll pick up upgrades and explore, engaging in simple, yet rewarding little interactions.
Eventually, you’ll run into hostiles. Here, Olden Era places you in a hex-based grid where stacks of your units will engage in turn-based battles, trading blows and using abilities until only one side is left standing. Your hero will be working to support your army, casting spells and using abilities to help you secure victory.
However, none of this happens in a vacuum. Your map will be populated by opposing heroes who will also be rushing to gain strength and influence, eventually with the goal of crushing you underfoot. To this end, you control a range of cities which you’ll use to produce units and garner crucial mechanical bonuses for your war effort. As you expand your dominion, you’ll conquer more cities.
Maps can be procedurally generated, or you can choose a pre-made sandbox. The latter is a crucial element of campaign mode, which sprinkles a (very) light dusting of narrative direction over proceedings.
However, despite lackluster storytelling, there is a real sense of charm to Olden Era’s unrepentantly generic factions. There are six, each offering distinct playstyles and aesthetics. Dungeon’s elite, highly specialized troops contrast wildly with the staple yet easily replaceable footsoldiers of Temple.
However, some factions go a little more off-piste. Necropolis allows you to field an army of glass cannons where draining life from your enemies isn’t just a feature, but a necessity. While mostly bland, there is a certain charm to the bold colors with which developer Unfrozen paints its game world.
Replayability, of which there’s a great deal, is rooted in how you grow and customize your heroes. Your parade of protagonists is replete with equipment slots, and, as you level up, you’ll be prompted to make meaningful decisions about the direction of growth. Do you develop passive buffs for your units, improve your hero’s magic, or simply make them better at learning?
There are tasty, chewy decisions to be made across a game of Olden Era – a testament to its willingness to stick to the mechanical guns of its predecessors.
Once more, with feeling
This is Olden Era’s greatest strength, as well as its most profound weakness. Yes, as you navigate the map, you’ll be confronted with layers of decision-making, but, while satisfying to the initiated, those unfamiliar with Heroes of Might and Magic will likely find themselves lost.
Without familiarity with the formula, most of the decision trees feel bereft of context and grounding. For instance, you could choose to fight some nasty opponents to seize a magic item. However, if you don’t know exactly how significant magic items are in practice or how difficult your casualties are to replenish, then how are you supposed to make a meaningful decision? Without context, you’re left to flounder, and, unfortunately, context is not something that Olden Era surrenders easily.
While the gentle on-ramp of the campaign’s more tutorial-centered early missions offers some assistance, the complex decision trees of the Olden Era will likely bewilder the uninitiated. Perhaps this will change; the game is only in early access after all. However, as it stands at the time of writing, Olden Era pushes you into the deep end without a life jacket.
For fans and lovers of the format, Olden Era is a love letter. It’s already perfect for you; the pixel-art graphics, anachronistic game systems, and nostalgia-laden sound design are all the endorsement you might ever need. Outsiders, however, will find themselves staring at the unforgiving, ancient edifice of a learning cliff.
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era launches into early access on April 30; a preview code was provided by the publisher.
FAQs
While a Steam demo is currently available, Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era will be entering full early access on April 30.
No. Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is a prequel set in the distant past of the Might and Magic setting.
Heroes of Might and Magic offers a deep strategic RPG experience that blends elements of games like Dota 2 with turn-based strategy.
Yes, Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is a strong return for the series. That said, while Olden Era doesn’t compromise on the qualities that make the series great, its bland setting and steep learning curve may be off-putting for some.
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