What were your expectations for Heroes 4?

I played the second game for a long time, then the fourth... Then back to the second. ))) I loved both parts immensely. I couldn't stand the third part: because of the terrible graphics and design (as it seemed then), the silly number of castles, and the overloaded interface. But I got used to it over time. And I also accepted, understood, and loved the third game. )))
The fourth game is definitely a worthy game. And I only expected one thing from it - the magic of heroes (not in a narrow sense). ))) I wasn't disappointed.

The best music. The right balance of castles. And completely appropriate innovations regarding the heroes. The only downside is the not-so-successful campaigns. But the latter didn't significantly affect the overall impression. )))