Problems with Heroes of Might and Magic IV.

My opinion of games is 80% based on the first impression. When I first launched the fourth installment, I didn't like anything about it: squeaky music, angular, poorly drawn graphics, a bunch of new features with an incomprehensible, deep philosophical meaning, resembling the fantasies of small children... Later, I played it again and played it a lot, all three parts (original, Storm and Whirlwind), but the opinion formed during the first impression did not change.

People played the first part. They liked it, they were waiting for a sequel. The second and then the third came out. The game is successful, everyone is eagerly awaiting the release of the fourth. And here it is. And now these are no longer heroes, but some kind of mixture of RTS, TBS, and RPG. You asked for dark chocolate with 90% cocoa, and they brought you a white bar.

Yes, this is well said. The fourth installment is less like a strategy game and more like an RPG. The need for RPG-style heroes is not entirely clear, especially since there is M&M. To be more precise, it is quite clear that they are not needed.