Discussion about Heroes 4.

...it's a completely and utterly different game.

That's right! But just because it doesn't resemble something familiar doesn't mean it's bad. For example, I tried playing the fifth installment several times, but I couldn't get into it. I just don't connect with it because of its complexities. However, I don't go into discussions about the fifth game and bash it.
But that's exactly what's happening with the fourth game. Even relatively experienced players start criticizing the game without even trying to understand it, because they didn't get what they expected. And beginners would like to understand the game, but after hearing such categorical reviews from more experienced players, they won't even play it. They won't think that if someone is an expert in the third or fifth game, then they are a newbie in the fourth.
By the way, the fourth game has more in common with the second than with the third.
I think it's not a "resentment syndrome" here, but a "objectivity syndrome."
Combining the third and fourth games would probably not result in anything good. Each of these games is comprehensively developed and complete; all individual modules (heroes, units, magic, skills, etc.) are interconnected, and if you change one parameter, others will follow. It's better to create such games from scratch; otherwise, it will be like with WoG – the ideas are good, but all these complexities only worsen the game. New objects look alien on the old map, a three- or four-fold upgrade of monsters only creates confusion, commanders who level up at an incredible rate, and so on. The game should be intuitive, without complicated terms – after all, it is designed for a wide audience, not for the chosen few.