HwKeeper
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A bit more press, summarized on the Nival website. Full versions are naturally to be read in the respective magazines.
HoMM, sweet HoMM
A heavily loaded train, wheels screeching strainedly and scattering showers of sparks, slowed its momentum as it rolled toward a crowded halt. The wheels thundered one last time; white clouds of steam enveloped the sleek lines of the chrome locomotive, licked the "Nival" inscription embossed on the side, and were swept away by the wind. An endless string of freight cars and open platforms, hitting the motionless bulk of the locomotive, rattled their couplings and finally stopped. The multi-voiced roar of unknown monsters echoed over the train; the people gathered on the platform instinctively recoiled; a griffin sleeping on one of the platforms woke up, raised its head, and curiously surveyed the motley crowd. Heroes V arrived at the "Open Beta Test" station exactly on schedule.
To everyone who lacked the connection to pull the substantial beta from the depths of the internet, I want to say the following: Friends, stop making assumptions and guessing what HoMM 5 will be like. Clear your mind; scrape out of your brain everything you've imagined and dreamed up while the game was in development. It will be easier for you to handle the shock that awaits you. I am not talking about the graphical shell, although there is plenty there to make one's eyes bulge and leave them speechless. I am talking to you about the internal combat mechanics and the logic of hero development.
At first, it seems like these aren't "Heroes" at all; it seems that Nival overhauled the entire internal structure of the game and produced something completely new. However, after a dozen duels and several matches on a large map, you suddenly catch yourself thinking that almost everything is familiar. The gameplay mechanics have been carefully preserved but are designed and presented in such a way that it's simply incomprehensible how four parts could be made without implementing such seemingly obvious things. It's surprising that NWC didn't think to add an element to the interface showing the sequence in which creatures will move. This immediately changes the player's approach, allowing for the planning of multi-move combinations almost like in chess. True, it won't be pure chess. As before, creature morale and player actions affect the turn order. Any reshuffling is immediately reflected on the panel, and the player can instantly adjust their plan of action. In general, it should be noted that Nival tends to display only useful information. Even the traditional tooltip doesn't look like in the fourth part: "Squad attacks with strength 17-38," but rather quite specifically: "Damage dealt will be 12-19, estimated losses: 1-2 creatures." Let us return, however, to the innovations.
Read the full text of the article in Navigator Igrovogo Mira magazine №2’2006
ON THE CARPET! HEROES OF MIGHT AND MAGIC V
Not every project is destined to make it onto the cover of "PC IGRI." The competition is serious: only twelve issues are released a year, and no one has counted how many games appear in that same period—one could easily lose track. Even own-weight hits are born several times more often. Realize the importance of the moment: the strategy Heroes of Might and Magic V has occupied our cover for the second time already, even though the game's release hasn't happened yet.
Such attention to the fifth "Heroes" is quite explainable—they mean too much to us (and surely to you as well). This is the main release in the turn-based strategy genre, which has long been neither alive nor dead; it is the hope for the revival of a great and truly beloved series in our country; and it is the loudest Russian project, after all. And we, perhaps even more than Nival itself, need only victory—that is, a perfect game—and we won't spare any price for it.
Anyway, enough rambling. The reason for writing this piece is more than worthy—the developers have finally shown their game, so to speak, face-to-face. To hell with idle speculations, absurd assumptions, and questions that have no answer. Now all the dots over the I's are placed; we know exactly what the project represents.
But before moving to business—an important note. As it happened, two correspondents went to see the game. The first disappeared for a long time in the world of the fifth "Heroes," and when he emerged from it, he could talk about nothing but the beauties there. You will find his impressions in the second part of our "Cover Story." I, on the other hand, tried not to pay attention to the fairytale landscapes (easy to say, hard to do) and focused on the features of the Gameplay. The graphics have already been praised more than once or twice, and we've taken plenty of screenshots—you can see everything with your own eyes. For any fan of strategic projects, the subtleties of gameplay are far more important than the game's appearance. That is what we will be talking about!
Read the full text of the article in PC Igry magazine №3 2006
The fifth series of Heroes of Might and Magic is coming. All guesses regarding the castles are behind us; the faction composition has been approved and is not subject to appeal. Many inhabitants of Ashan are our old acquaintances, and in this regard, one wants to look back and cast a glance at the loyal units that fought and died for the glory of their heroes throughout the series. In the article, we consider only those creatures that were present in all previous parts and provide their image from Heroes of Might and Magic V (if such exists, of course). To make it easier for you to understand which part is being discussed, we use the names of the worlds. The action of the first and second "Heroes" series unfolded in Enroth, the third—in Antagarich (and the kingdom of Erathia), and the fourth part—in Axeoth.
Peasant
An unsightly little man with a pitchfork—traditionally the weakest warrior in the game, all of whose parameters in the first part were equal to 1. In Enroth, he lived in Knight castles and helped achieve the first victories. In Erathia, no place for peasants was found in cities, and only the Necromancer, who knew how to turn every weakling into a full-fledged skeleton, rejoiced at finding a peasant settlement. But in Axeoth, peasants, homeless again, became "meatier," and in hundreds, they could even stab a dragon! Furthermore, they paid taxes, and their desire to join the ranks of subjects was welcomed in every way by the commander.
Fairy
"Butterflies," as they are called for their characteristic wings, were a very fragile unit, useful at all stages of the game thanks to their same-turn strike. In Enroth, fairies lived in the Sorceress castle and inhabited numerous field dwellings, of which there were as many as two types. In Antagarich, where they were sheltered by elementalists, they became the only first-level army capable of destroying large squads of slow pedestrians. In Axeoth, fairies settled with elves again, becoming the main force of the castle at the start of the game, and could still exhaust "slowpoke" armies without losses; and if comrades covered the battlefield with quicksand, then any infantry at all, up to a Megadragon.
Centaur
First-level cannon fodder, centaurs were constantly "moving." In Enroth, centaur archers were the only shooters in the Warlock castle and the strike force of the first week. In Antagarich, they took root with elves, fought with spears, and were first-class infantry useful throughout the game. In field battles, they shielded elves with their bodies, and during assaults, they distracted tower fire, saving the scrawny shooting squad. And in Axeoth, centaurs were welcomed with open arms by barbarians. There they learned to throw—albeit not far—their spears.
Read the full version of the article in №4-2006 of "Strana Igr" magazine.
HoMM, sweet HoMM
A heavily loaded train, wheels screeching strainedly and scattering showers of sparks, slowed its momentum as it rolled toward a crowded halt. The wheels thundered one last time; white clouds of steam enveloped the sleek lines of the chrome locomotive, licked the "Nival" inscription embossed on the side, and were swept away by the wind. An endless string of freight cars and open platforms, hitting the motionless bulk of the locomotive, rattled their couplings and finally stopped. The multi-voiced roar of unknown monsters echoed over the train; the people gathered on the platform instinctively recoiled; a griffin sleeping on one of the platforms woke up, raised its head, and curiously surveyed the motley crowd. Heroes V arrived at the "Open Beta Test" station exactly on schedule.
To everyone who lacked the connection to pull the substantial beta from the depths of the internet, I want to say the following: Friends, stop making assumptions and guessing what HoMM 5 will be like. Clear your mind; scrape out of your brain everything you've imagined and dreamed up while the game was in development. It will be easier for you to handle the shock that awaits you. I am not talking about the graphical shell, although there is plenty there to make one's eyes bulge and leave them speechless. I am talking to you about the internal combat mechanics and the logic of hero development.
At first, it seems like these aren't "Heroes" at all; it seems that Nival overhauled the entire internal structure of the game and produced something completely new. However, after a dozen duels and several matches on a large map, you suddenly catch yourself thinking that almost everything is familiar. The gameplay mechanics have been carefully preserved but are designed and presented in such a way that it's simply incomprehensible how four parts could be made without implementing such seemingly obvious things. It's surprising that NWC didn't think to add an element to the interface showing the sequence in which creatures will move. This immediately changes the player's approach, allowing for the planning of multi-move combinations almost like in chess. True, it won't be pure chess. As before, creature morale and player actions affect the turn order. Any reshuffling is immediately reflected on the panel, and the player can instantly adjust their plan of action. In general, it should be noted that Nival tends to display only useful information. Even the traditional tooltip doesn't look like in the fourth part: "Squad attacks with strength 17-38," but rather quite specifically: "Damage dealt will be 12-19, estimated losses: 1-2 creatures." Let us return, however, to the innovations.
Read the full text of the article in Navigator Igrovogo Mira magazine №2’2006
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ON THE CARPET! HEROES OF MIGHT AND MAGIC V
Not every project is destined to make it onto the cover of "PC IGRI." The competition is serious: only twelve issues are released a year, and no one has counted how many games appear in that same period—one could easily lose track. Even own-weight hits are born several times more often. Realize the importance of the moment: the strategy Heroes of Might and Magic V has occupied our cover for the second time already, even though the game's release hasn't happened yet.
Such attention to the fifth "Heroes" is quite explainable—they mean too much to us (and surely to you as well). This is the main release in the turn-based strategy genre, which has long been neither alive nor dead; it is the hope for the revival of a great and truly beloved series in our country; and it is the loudest Russian project, after all. And we, perhaps even more than Nival itself, need only victory—that is, a perfect game—and we won't spare any price for it.
Anyway, enough rambling. The reason for writing this piece is more than worthy—the developers have finally shown their game, so to speak, face-to-face. To hell with idle speculations, absurd assumptions, and questions that have no answer. Now all the dots over the I's are placed; we know exactly what the project represents.
But before moving to business—an important note. As it happened, two correspondents went to see the game. The first disappeared for a long time in the world of the fifth "Heroes," and when he emerged from it, he could talk about nothing but the beauties there. You will find his impressions in the second part of our "Cover Story." I, on the other hand, tried not to pay attention to the fairytale landscapes (easy to say, hard to do) and focused on the features of the Gameplay. The graphics have already been praised more than once or twice, and we've taken plenty of screenshots—you can see everything with your own eyes. For any fan of strategic projects, the subtleties of gameplay are far more important than the game's appearance. That is what we will be talking about!
Read the full text of the article in PC Igry magazine №3 2006
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The fifth series of Heroes of Might and Magic is coming. All guesses regarding the castles are behind us; the faction composition has been approved and is not subject to appeal. Many inhabitants of Ashan are our old acquaintances, and in this regard, one wants to look back and cast a glance at the loyal units that fought and died for the glory of their heroes throughout the series. In the article, we consider only those creatures that were present in all previous parts and provide their image from Heroes of Might and Magic V (if such exists, of course). To make it easier for you to understand which part is being discussed, we use the names of the worlds. The action of the first and second "Heroes" series unfolded in Enroth, the third—in Antagarich (and the kingdom of Erathia), and the fourth part—in Axeoth.
Peasant
An unsightly little man with a pitchfork—traditionally the weakest warrior in the game, all of whose parameters in the first part were equal to 1. In Enroth, he lived in Knight castles and helped achieve the first victories. In Erathia, no place for peasants was found in cities, and only the Necromancer, who knew how to turn every weakling into a full-fledged skeleton, rejoiced at finding a peasant settlement. But in Axeoth, peasants, homeless again, became "meatier," and in hundreds, they could even stab a dragon! Furthermore, they paid taxes, and their desire to join the ranks of subjects was welcomed in every way by the commander.
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|  | |
| ||
Fairy
"Butterflies," as they are called for their characteristic wings, were a very fragile unit, useful at all stages of the game thanks to their same-turn strike. In Enroth, fairies lived in the Sorceress castle and inhabited numerous field dwellings, of which there were as many as two types. In Antagarich, where they were sheltered by elementalists, they became the only first-level army capable of destroying large squads of slow pedestrians. In Axeoth, fairies settled with elves again, becoming the main force of the castle at the start of the game, and could still exhaust "slowpoke" armies without losses; and if comrades covered the battlefield with quicksand, then any infantry at all, up to a Megadragon.
| ||
|  | |
| ||
Centaur
First-level cannon fodder, centaurs were constantly "moving." In Enroth, centaur archers were the only shooters in the Warlock castle and the strike force of the first week. In Antagarich, they took root with elves, fought with spears, and were first-class infantry useful throughout the game. In field battles, they shielded elves with their bodies, and during assaults, they distracted tower fire, saving the scrawny shooting squad. And in Axeoth, centaurs were welcomed with open arms by barbarians. There they learned to throw—albeit not far—their spears.
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Read the full version of the article in №4-2006 of "Strana Igr" magazine.