I finally managed to launch the game on Windows, even though it took quite a bit of effort. But I don't regret it at all: the game is quite interesting, although very unusual for a Heroes player. I would highlight the following features:
1) An interesting plot, written based on the plot structure in Heroes V.
2) The graphics are primitive, but I can't bring myself to call it a drawback. It pleases the eye, and that's enough for me.
3) Gameplay. On the adventure map, the player moves along special points, forming a kind of path. The paths can branch, but this movement still looks very linear, which I didn't like. The combat is completely different from Heroes, but it is somewhat similar to the combat in Heroes VI. I want to outline the essence separately, noting the similarities:
- the battlefield is conventionally divided into columns and rows; creatures do not move freely on it, as in Heroes, but they take certain positions on it. At the beginning of the battle, they are scattered randomly on it; then, some creatures can be removed if they spoil the positions, and others can be moved from the end of one column to the end of another.
- creatures are divided into core, elite, and champion (here is the first similarity).
- the number of core creatures is, in general, unlimited. They are summoned to the battlefield at the beginning in a certain number; then, depending on the player's actions on the battlefield, it is possible to summon them as reinforcements.
- the situation with elite and champion creatures is similar, but their number is limited: how many you hire before the battle, that's the maximum number you can summon, no more.
- creatures have three colors. Each type of core creature (assuming their set is complete) has its own color. For example, archers are green, bears are orange, and fairies are blue. Elite creatures (and, it seems, champions too) can be of any random color.
- core creatures can take an attacking or defensive position. To take an attacking position, creatures of the same color must stand in one column in a row of three. Then they form a combat formation and, after a certain number of turns (depending on the specific units), they will attack. If they stand not in a column, but in a line, they will form a wall that will take on some of the damage from enemy attacks.
- elite creatures cannot attack on their own; for this, two core units of the same color must be placed behind the elite creature; then they will form a combat formation with special bonus abilities that will attack after a certain number of turns. The same applies to champion creatures, but there you need five core creatures.
- the attack can hit enemy units (if they are in the same column as the attacking formation) or the hero (otherwise, as well as if the killed enemy units could not fully absorb the blow). The battle is lost when the hero has no health left (health depends on the level).
- factions have certain abilities that accumulate during the battle (again, Heroes VI). For the elves, this is a powerful shot that deals a lot of damage to creatures and the hero in the selected column.
4) The game has resources (used to hire champions and elites), artifacts, and all this can be found on the global map; it's almost like in Heroes.
5) The game has a wonderful atmosphere; this point was criticized in the Heroes VI beta, and I agree with those who criticized it, but I have no complaints here.
Conclusion: a very unconventional game for Heroes fans, but in my humble opinion, it deserves much more attention than Heroes VI (at least in its beta version), even though it was unfairly overlooked against the backdrop of the new project being prepared by Ubisoft.