Might & Magic Heroes VI – Review (PC)
| Game Name: | Might & Magic Heroes VI |
| Platforms: | PC, Steam |
| Publisher(s): | Ubisoft |
| Developer(s): | Black Hole Entertainment |
| Genre(s): | Turn Based Strategy |
| Release Date: | Available Now |
| ESRB Rating: | Teen |
Turn based strategy games are the primary reason that I became a PC gamer in the early 90′s. I spent entire summers cutting my teeth on games franchises such as Civilization, Master of Orion and Heroes of Might and Magic, so it pleases me to no end, that turn based strategy games can still exist in 2011. One immediate change to the 6th installment of this beloved franchise is the naming convention, the words may be changed around a bit, but I can assure you, Might & Magic Heroes VI is still very much a HOMM game.
It’s hard to make broad and meaningful changes to a strategy game like Might & Magic Heroes without fundamentally changing the game itself. Ubisoft has done well in streamlining the experience and wrapping it up in a nice slick package that makes the game feel fresh and relevant in this modern era of PC gaming. Much like other recent Ubisoft titles, one of the first things you’ll notice is the outer shell, that includes Uplay points and associated unlocks. Everything you do in all modes, feeds back into your Dynasty progression, allowing you to unlock perks to be used in game via the Alter of Wishes.
Might & Magic Heroes VI is a prequel to the main campaigns of HOMM V, consisting of 5 campaigns with interlocking story lines. A once vanquished demon has returned to take revenge, and you have to round up armies and do battle across campaign maps, while leveling up your Hero. Game play wise, here is where some of the minor changes to the formula take place. The amount of resources you need to manage has been stripped from 7 to 4, making things much more streamlined. Also gone is the Mages guild for acquiring spells, as your Hero gains experience and level up, you get to choose new spells and abilities via a branching skill tree. As you gain these new powers, you can take them in to battle as well as the artifacts you find littered across the maps.
The battles take place on a seperate grid as usual, similar to fighting on a chess board. There is a strategic advantage to being the army that initiates the combat, as moral and initiative determine what units move in what order on the first and subsequent turns. The AI in this game is smart and can be relentless as it identifies what units in your army pose the biggest threat and they react accordingly. You have to be on your toes to protect your Archers and Healers, or you will lose them quickly. The AI seems to attack those units first and without mercy. Positioning becomes important as well. Units that are next to other units will get bonuses, so spreading your forces is not the best tactic. Proper usage of Hero spells and attacks can also determine the outcome of battles, and how many forces you lose. There is quite a lot of depth to the strategy here, and seeing close up animations of critical attacks never seems to get old.
In addition to the campaign maps, which can take upwards of 2 or 3 hours per map to clear on their own, there are custom maps, and a multiplayer mode. You can go into multiplayer lobbies and chat rooms, separated by regions, and find a match at any time. If no one is on your time zone, just jump to European room and have at it there. Creating and joining matches is simple and easy, and you can play basic 1 vs 1, and 2 vs 2 as well as a new addition featuring siege maps. In this mode, opposing armies are on opposite sides of a fortified wall and you must beak through with a catapult and melee units before both sides can get it on properly. During the siege turns, Archers and ranged units can still attack forces on the other side, so ranged units are very important early in these matches.
The presentation, graphics and sound design are all top notch for a genre that has never really relied on any of these things. But with the gameplay and franchise legacy to back it all up, Might and Magic Heroes VI is an incredibly solid package that is a lot of fun to play. I wholeheartedly recommend this game, and it seems the franchise is in good hands with Black Hole Entertainment developing and Ubisoft publishing. Might and Magic Heroes VI earns a solid 5 out of 5.
