Evolution of the AI. Auto-translated

All Black Dragons in Might and Magic and Heroes of Might and Magic:

WHICH ONE IS THE MOST POWERFUL?

What a pathetic Demon in Heroes of Might and Magic VI. He's all skinny, and there's no sense of his power. These strange lights, and that ghostly tail...

They tormented the poor guy...

Yes, if you look at this picture, the best Black Dragon is in the fourth game (strong and well-fed). But in the fifth and sixth games, the Black Dragons are more like spectral dragons, which necromancers starved and then resurrected. In the second and third games, the Black Dragons are also quite good, and in Might and Magic VIII, they don't evoke pity. But in the fifth and especially the sixth game...

In Heroes of Might and Magic V and VI, the Crystal Dragons resemble spectral dragons that were starved by necromancers and then resurrected.

The image of the dragon from Heroes of Might and Magic V isn't very flattering. In reality, it looks quite impressive and not emaciated.

In the 4th installment, it's the best, a classic version without flashy effects and other unnecessary additions.

a little about the canceled game:
After the release of Heroes 4, 3DO was no longer involved in the Might and Magic universe. However, there is evidence that the struggling company still tried to develop Heroes 5.

This is what the Black Dragon might have looked like in that unreleased game. Its skills, which have remained unchanged throughout the previous four installments, would likely have remained traditionally the same, and the Black Dragon would have remained true to itself.

What are the differences between Heroes of Might and Magic V/VI and Heroes of Might and Magic III/IV?

What is the difference between Dark Messiah 5/6 and 3/4?

Only the color and shape of the wings.
P.S. It's a pity that I can't create a poll.

Basically, I understand it this way: if 3DO had remained, *Dark Messiah of Might and Magic* would have been a true *Dark Messiah* – beautiful, powerful, and so on. But instead, they decided to turn a fighting pit bull into a mongrel. Not all branches of evolution lead to good results – sometimes they end up as dead ends.

I've said it before, I really liked the dragon in the sixth installment; it's a case where they experimented and did it right. In all the previous games, the dragon was more or less just a big lizard, but in the new version, it has a certain cosmic power (it can just grab a galaxy and smack you with it!).
As for the fifth game, yes, it's not the most successful design. In the game, it looks very dangerous, and it's not much different from a "pit bull," as dnaop-wr put it. At the same time, its proportions are much better compared to earlier dragon versions: in its case, you really subconsciously believe that it can fly; before, when the dragon was flying, it seemed like it was just slowly falling...
In my humble opinion, the fourth game's version is the least successful of all. It looks more like a frog, at best a toad, but it's definitely not a dragon.
I won't say anything about all the swords and magic, as well as Heroes 1; I think these dragons have nothing to do with the black dragon, and they were probably added here by mistake.
In Heroes 2 and 3, of course, it's a classic: a beast that sits in caves on treasures and eats people little by little. But in the third game, among them, the black dragon is the best, again, in my opinion, as someone who has played the third game a lot...

No, in Heroes of Might and Magic IV and Heroes of Might and Magic V, even the bone dragon looks like a quite powerful fighter. Even considering that they are constantly sleeping, guarding treasures, they don't lose their form. But the beggar mega-dragon really looks like some kind of fat toad – it can't even fly. And the magic dragons in Heroes of Might and Magic IV don't look too combat-ready.
Dragons, by definition, are reptiles, in some ways primitive, in some ways wise, but definitely not aliens from space. 3DO didn't deviate from the classic concepts, unlike its successors... I won't stray from the topic – this is just my personal opinion.

No, in the fourth game and in Chronicles of Darkness, the bone dragon looks like a quite powerful fighter.

Well, that's your opinion. As for me, I just need to look at... well, even at his paws to understand that

Dragons are, by definition, reptiles.

in his case, it doesn't work; it's clearly a toad. His paws are in exactly the same position as a frog's. And in general, he looks kind of soft and slimy, although reptiles are always quite muscular and have absolutely dry skin.

The 3rd Clan of the Dungeon didn't quite like the air of Axeoth and they mutated slightly, becoming somewhat similar to crocodiles.

the dragon from the 5 heroes (2006) looks the coolest.