HwKeeper
On April 30, Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era was released in early access, and in the two weeks since its release, a considerable number of reviews have accumulated – both in Russian and Western languages. Let's take a look at what the Unfrozen studio has created and how the press has received the game.
Olden Era is an official prequel to the Heroes universe, developed by Unfrozen and published by Hooded Horse in collaboration with Ubisoft. The game is set on the continent of Jadame in ancient Enroth – centuries before the events of the first installment. In early access, 6 Factions, a classic mode, "Single Hero," Arena, scenarios, the first act of the campaign, and a map editor are already available.
The Steam rating at the time of writing is 89% positive ("Very Positive"). According to PC Gamer, the game has sold 250,000 copies and recouped its development costs in one day.
• PC Gamer writes: "Olden Era is not a reimagining or a divisive reinterpretation; it's just a brilliant strategy game." The publication notes that the game accurately conveys the feeling of classic HoMM games without attempting to copy the third installment frame by frame.
• IGN writes: "A good starting point that is already capable of satisfying both veterans of the series and newcomers." Reviewer Jarrett Green highly praised the combat system on the hexagonal field, the variety of Factions, and the Arena mode, but criticized the campaign for its unskippable cutscenes and limitations in construction. The reviewer's favorite new Faction is Schism – "an ice cult of elves who went too deep into the water and brought with them nightmarish entities from other planes."
• GamesRadar called Olden Era "the best installment in the series since the legendary Heroes 3."
Now let's turn to the Russian press:
• iXBT.games titled its review "You want to play, but not read" – and that says it all. The gameplay is praised: "Rarely does a modern game make me want to explore every corner of the map." However, the campaign's plot was criticized – huge plot holes, forced dialogues, and characters that "overall, you don't care about." A problem with the AI is also noted – it "sometimes fights intelligently, sometimes according to logic known only to itself," and the siege mechanics are underdeveloped.
• Playground.ru published a review titled "The Return of the Legend" and characterized the project as a careful return to the roots of the series. The author highlights the new visual style with watercolor drawing, the Faction laws system, focus points in combat, and the updated magic system with spell cooldowns. Verdict: "The project already looks cohesive and engaging. It is capable of interesting both veterans and new players."
• VK Play released a piece titled "Don't fix what isn't broken" and recommends the game to everyone – both fans and newcomers: "Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era does almost everything well: it provides a good challenge, surprises, and captivates – so much so that it makes you stick to the screen."
• StopGame gave a more restrained assessment, pointing out the cartoonish visual style, reminiscent of mobile games, and the simple cutscenes in the campaign. However, in terms of gameplay, the game is true to the spirit of the series – there are no complaints here.
Conclusion:
Almost all reviewers agree on one thing – Olden Era has brought back the magic of Heroes. The "one more turn" effect works flawlessly, six Factions offer radically different gameplay experiences, and there is plenty of content for early access. The campaign's plot, the visuals (some call it "cozy," others "mobile"), interface quirks, and sometimes unpredictable AI are mainly criticized. But almost all authors agree on one thing: even with its flaws, you sit down to play the game late at night and can't tear yourself away.