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Heroes of Might and Magic 3 to return in HD, debut on tablets
Heroes of Might and Magic 3 is charging back into gaming with a surprise pincer attack. Not only is the 1999 turn-based strategy returning to Windows PC with widescreen-friendly HD visuals, but it's also coming to iOS and Android, albeit for tablets only. If that has strategists of a certain age fidgeting at the thought of more all-nighters, the good news is they've barely more than a month to wait. Both the PC and tablet games are already scheduled for release on January 29, 2015.
GOG puts daily sale to a vote, discounts The Witcher games
GOG.com started its "Battle of the Games" promotion today, in which players can vote on which games they'd rather purchase at a cheaper rate. The sale offers two sets of three games every morning at 7:00 a.m. ET, accumulating votes throughout the day to determine which set receives a 75 percent discount and which is 60 percent off the next day. Currently, the digital retailer is pitting the trio of Red Faction and Red Faction 2 as well as Chaser against Unreal Gold, Unreal Tournament and Unreal 2: The Awakening. To get the sale started, GOG.com is also offering discounts on six games for the day: The first three games in the Heroes of Might and Magic series for $2.49 each, Blackguards Special Edition ($22.49) and the enhanced editions of The Witcher ($1.99) and The Witcher 2 ($3.99). The Battle of the Games sale ends April 21. [Image: CD Projekt Red]
Might & Magic Heroes 6 'Shades of Darkness' standalone coming Feb. 28
Ubisoft has announced a release date for the upcoming Might & Magic Heroes VI standalone expansion. Shades of Darkness, as it's called, will be available worldwide on February 28, 2013. Set in time one century after the core game's events, Shades of Darkness will feature two storylines, setting two factions – the Dark Elves and the Necromancers of Heresh – against each other for the fate of Ashan.The expansion will be available independently or as part of a Might & Magic Heroes VI Complete Edition, which includes the core game and the expansion along with all bonus content, two DLC packs, and a full soundtrack. And Ubisoft has also premiered the Might & Magic web portal, featuring lots of information about the franchise's mythology, an interactive timeline about the world's history, and lots of new and info on the various games in the series. You can see some portal layouts and a bit of concept art for the expansion in the gallery below. %Gallery-172876%
Play me, my lord: Might and Magic Heroes Kingdoms fires up an interview
The Heroes of Might and Magic franchise has a long and rich history with PC gamers, although the series has somewhat fallen into obscurity as of late. Ubisoft is looking to thrust it back into the spotlight with the upcoming Might and Magic Heroes Kingdoms, a Civilization-type title. We've been tracking MMHK since this year's E3, and recently MMOsite.com grabbed some facetime with Ubisoft's Chris Early about the game. (Note that this isn't the Heroes of Might and Magic Online that's also nearing release.) A browser-based title imported from overseas, Might and Magic Heroes Kingdoms encourages players to slowly build up a city (and later, cities) and interact with their neighbors. This can take the form of peaceful resource trading, hostile skirmishes, or large-scale strategy. While MMHK is set in the Might and Magic universe, the game differs from Heroes of Might and Magic's playstyle -- for example, combat is automatically resolved instead of turn-based. One of the most interesting features of the game is that it has a six-month cycle, after which winners are declared and the server resets for another grand struggle. The interview spends a bit of time prodding Chris Early about the advantages -- and potential imbalance -- between free players and those who drop cash for advantages (such as more cities to control). Early claims that while paying players will have more options available, free players are still a significant force, especially if they specialize. You can read the whole interview over at MMOsite.com.
E3 2010: Might and Magic Heroes Kingdom preview
On Tuesday, we caught up with Chris Early, Ubisoft's Vice President of Digital Publishing, to chat about Heroes of Might and Magic's future with a new browser-based MMO. I must admit, I'm personally a bit skeptical about whether browser-based games can supplant full-fledged applications, but after talking with Chris, I'm sold on the concept -- at least insofar as Might and Magic Heroes Kingdom is concerned. First up, the basics. Just what is MMHK? Ubisoft calls MMHK a "strategic casual MMO." It's turn-based with more of real-time strategy vibe than we've seen in other MMOs and it's designed with people who may only have a few minutes a day to play in mind. Think of something along the lines of multiplayer Civilization with thousands of other people and you'd be near the mark. Now, whether "casual" turns into hours of "just one more turn" is another matter entirely. Gameplay and lore from the Might and Magic franchise we all know and love -- the goal with MMHK is just to throw more players into the mix. Want PvP? You can do that. Want PvE? You can do that. Want to advance as a merchant-type character purely for the pursuit of wealth without killing your fellow players? You can do that, too. Browser-based, which means you can play it on your PC, your Mac, or even your shiny new iPad -- wherever you've got an internet connection.This means there's no software to download or install. Free to play with an optional subscription fee. (Though Ubisoft hasn't announced pricing for the game's North American release, it's currently live in France, where a monthly subscription runs five euros.) If that sounds like something that might be up your alley, read on for more details. %Gallery-95376%
Ubisoft announces five new MMOs "in development"
EA recently announced their controversial Online Pass program, a business model that looked pretty appealing to Ubisoft. CEO Yves Guillemot says that they are "looking very carefully at what EA is doing," so we will probably see them adopting a similar program in the future. The Online Pass program requires players to either purchase the games new, or pay EA $10 to unlock online content on used or rented games. According to a recent report at Gamespot, that's not the only project going on at Ubisoft right now. While they are considering something similar to Online Pass for the future, the focus is more on the development side for the time being -- specifically the development of MMOs. They say they've got five free-to-play MMOs in the works, including the Heroes of Might and Magic MMO that we heard about last month. Heroes of Might and Magic, currently in closed beta, is the game we have the most information on, but we'll keep an eye out for news on the other four titles Ubisoft has planned.
Heroes of Might and Magic Online closed beta begins
Back in the day, the Heroes of Might and Magic series was the definition of "just one more turn!" gameplay. Even in the face of real-time strategy titles, HoMaM stuck to their turn-based guns and challenged players to explore a fantasy land, conquer towns, build up armies, and survive the inevitable epic conflict. Likewise, in the face of real-time 3D MMORPGs, Heroes of Might and Magic Online is holding tight to what made it so popular -- a lush isometric look coupled with turn-based exploration and combat. Hoping to recapture the players who loved the single-player titles -- and draw in a new crowd -- Ubisoft has announced the launch of the HoMaMO closed beta this past weekend. The closed beta will end with a data wipe, per the results of a player survey, so no need to worry about getting off on the wrong foot. With eight factions to choose from and exciting PvE and PvP campaigns awaiting, the temptation to explore Heroes of Might and Magic Online may prove strong indeed.
Heroes of Might and Magic Online beta announced
The Might and Magic franchise is coming to the MMORPG genre, courtesy of publishing giant Ubisoft and the Chinese development studio known as TQ Digital. The original Might and Magic series, considered by many to be a classic example of the early PC roleplaying game genre, was rebooted by Ubisoft in 2006 with Heroes of Might and Magic V, and later with Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. The new MMORPG, Heroes of Might and Magic Online, is slated for closed beta in May 2010. The game will marry elements from an early entry in the franchise, Heroes of Might and Magic III, to the visual upgrades established in the last two Ubisoft games, culminating in a 2.5D massively multiplayer experience featuring a turn-based persistent world. (Perhaps similar to the 3D but turn-based Atlantica Online.) The game will feature eight factions, sixteen classes, and a variety of campaign missions. Additionally, TQ Digital will be hosting a variety of PvP events, including Team PK, Extreme PK, and various Guild combat events. You can register for the closed beta as well as visit the official website, and don't forget to stay with Massively for more info on Heroes of Might and Magic Online as it becomes available.
Beyond Good & Evil, PoP: Sands of Time added to GOG's lineup
The fine purveyors of DRM-free classics at GoG.com have announced an agreement with Ubisoft, which sees good old(ish) games like Beyond Good & Evil and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time added to the downloadable lineup. Joining action journalist Jade and the time-swindling prince are ... the aeroplanes of IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946! We guess they weren't really going for much of a theme outside of all three costing $9.99 each.Other Ubisoft titles slated to hit the PC service "in the coming weeks" include Heroes of Might and Magic, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six and Not Tom Clancy's Far Cry.
Wax nostalgic over King's Bounty website, screenshots
King's Bounty. For the younger set the name might not mean much, though it's more likely that you're familiar with the series it later gave rise to in New World Computing's Heroes of Might and Magic. King's Bounty, released for personal computers in 1990 and even ported to the Sega Genesis a year later, was an early take on the turn-based strategy genre. Now, nearly two decades after the game's release, European studio 1C has decided to knock the dust off the old girl and give her a new coat of paint with King's Bounty: The Legend for the PC.1C describes the game as a "true rejuvenation" of the PC classic, though we're having to balance enthusiasm for revisiting our youth with the fact that the game is being coded by a completely unknown outfit known as Katauri Interactive. Still, judging by the title's newly launched website, which is home to details, videos, and enough screens to choke a horse, we can't help but be a little interested. Atari is set to publish the game when it's released, though it's currently anyone's guess when that will be. Even so, with both this, and Ubisoft's previously announced Heroes of Might and Magic Kingdoms in the pipeline, those of us at Joystiq proper with a thing for strategy are feeling a sensation all too uncommon. Is this love?%Gallery-17829%
Ubi brings free Heroes of Might and Magic MMO to the web
When looking for games, the web browser is the sort of place we expect to find casual knock offs or children's MMOs. It's certainly not the first place (or even the twelfth place) we'd expect to play the next big strategy release from Ubisoft, yet that is exactly what the powerhouse is planning with Heroes of Might and Magic Kingdoms, an upcoming free to play web-based entry in the long-running HoMM franchise. According to Ubi, the game will not require players to download or install any software, and just to make things a bit more strange, Kingdoms is described as a persistent MMO, meaning you may soon be defending your castle walls from assault by a preteen boasting an unhealthy cocktail of vitamin-R and bone dragons. Heroes of Might and Magic Kingdoms is expected to make its online debut worldwide next spring, though Ubi notes that Heroes of Might and Magic: Complete Edition, which ships today in Europe, will include beta keys for those eager to get a jump on the rest of us.
Freeverse drops critical update for Heroes of Might and Magic V
Macworld's got the tip that Freeverse has released what they're calling a "critical" update for the Mac version of Heroes of Might and Magic V. They say the update to the pretty well reviewed fantasy turn-based strategy game includes "stability and display issues," and a fix for "registration issues." Interesting. Doesn't sound like it'll change the gameplay much, but stability is always a plus.The update is available for download over on the Heroes page and will bring the game up to 1.5.1.
Freeverse product update (Macworld Expo)
Freeverse occupies a typical booth at the Macworld Expo in an atypical space; instead of joining the few Mac gaming companies located in the North Hall, Freeverse holds down a corner of the bustling South Hall. Brothers Ian Lynch Smith and Colin Lynch Smith gave us updates about the company. (Full disclosure: this writer has occasionally created trailers for Freeverse games.)The longtime Mac developer and publisher chose the South Hall because, like other Mac game publishers, Freeverse has diversified and sells "more than just games," according to Colin. (Indeed, vector graphic app Lineform, audio recorder Sound Studio, and comic maker Comic Life Deluxe are on display.)For games, the company is showing its nearly-finished Mac version of Heroes of Might and Magic V, the first game published using the quick-port Cider technology. Cider helps translate Windows APIs, but the resulting games require an Intel Mac -- which is itself basically PC hardware. As the Cider guinea pig, Freeverse is looking forward to charting the game's sales against its costs.Big Bang Brain Games -- Freeverse's take on Brain Training -- the latest Burning Monkey Solitaire, and other titles are also being showcased. The brothers remained cautiously optimistic about game sales, saying they expect 2007 to be better than 2006's transition to Intel hardware.
Heroes V: Hammers of Fate goes gold
Strategy fans will have no shortage of new releases to pick from this holiday season with expansions available for Empire at War, Battle for Middle-earth II, and Dawn of War. If dwarves are your preferred faction, you'll be pleased to know that Hammers of Fate -- Ubisoft's first expansion pack for Heroes of Might and Magic V -- has gone gold and is on target for a Tuesday release. Independent fan site Age of Heroes has some unofficial details about our bearded friends, as well as the new renegades for hire and neutral units that debut in Hammers. Which strategy title is at the top of your list?See also: Metareview - Heroes of Might and Magic V
Heroes V hits Macs for the holidays
The Heroes of Might and Magic series has long been a mainstay of Mac gaming, and Freeverse plans to continue the tradition by delivering HoMM V for OS X this Christmas. However, it is uncertain if Ubisoft's popular strategy title will ship as a native Mac app, or if it will come wrapped in TransGaming's Cider emulation software.Freeverse's Colin Smith had previously indicated the game would be a full blown port, but at the end of last week, he told Inside Mac Games that his company is now "actively evaluating" Cider for HoMM V. This would be an interesting test for Cider, given Heroes V's hefty hardware requirements, and it could be just what TransGaming needs to get their new portability engine off the ground.See also: Cohen on Mac Pro's gaming prowess
Metareview - Heroes of Might and Magic V
It's been a trial by fire for Ubisoft and Russian developer Nival Interactive as they have attempted to revitalize the Heroes of Might and Magic franchise. The re-launch of one of the longest running strategy series has suffered delays, beta tester petitions, and negative previews, but Heroes V has finally made its way to store shelves. The game includes a slick new 3D engine, lengthy campaigns, and six colorful factions that fans will instantly recognize. In addition, most of the critics agree that Nival nailed the fundamentals of the traditional Heroes of Might and Magic combat formula. However, a major criticism of Heroes V is its small number of maps, as well as the initial absence of a map editor (due this summer, according to Nival). GameSpot (82/100) was impressed with the enhancements to online multiplayer: "Heroes V makes a few efforts to speed up online play by offering options for quick stat-based combat resolution, timed turns, straight hero-versus-hero duels, and the new 'ghost mode'." GameSpy (70/100) did a lot of camera spinning: "The switch to 3D, while a successful one, has its drawbacks. The camera is a tad finicky when moving on the underground map. It can be hard to place the camera where you need it and it's also too easy to miss objects that are hiding behind a tree or a mountain." Yahoo! Games (70/100) cautions new players unfamiliar with the sometimes complex attack orders and unit stats: "The biggest failing of Heroes V, which you can almost anticipate from its emphasis on looking so good, is that it's stingy with information. And the bad documentation here kills a lot of what makes the series great."
Heroes of M&M V updated trailers
Ubisoft's long-awaited update to the Heroes of Might & Magic franchise arrives next Tuesday, and two new trailers are available at WorthPlaying. The first trailer consists of some elaborate CG sequences and gameplay footage from HM&M V's campaign mode. During the second movie, Ubisoft producer Fabrice Cambounet demonstrates various multiplayer features including the new Ghost mode, in which you can direct supernatural agents to spy, haunt opponent resources, and even possess enemies. Stay tuned for reviews.See also: Download Heroes of Might & Magic V demo
HOMM V: Nival (An SAT analogy question)
(a) Phantom: Infinium Labs (b) Duke Nukem Never: 3D Realms (c) Area 51: Guantanamo Bay (d) None of the above If you answered (a), you're correct! Read aloud, the question-answer pair go like this: "Heroes of Might and Magic V is to developer Nival as the Phantom console is to Infinium Labs." Quick summary for those of you puzzled by the suggestion that HOMM V is another Phantom or Duke Nukem Forever: Kevin Bachus (whom you might remember from his role co-creating the first Xbox) recently quit as CEO of Infinium Labs, the company that promised to deliver the Phantom game console. Kev then took a job as CEO of Nival Interactive, the hybrid LA-Russian (like, whatever, Comrade, I'm so sure) developer that is responsible for developing and releasing HOMM V. HOMM V recently made headlines because beta testers complained so loudly about the poor quality of the beta that Nival was forced to scrap its release plans and send the game back to developers in Russia. (In Soviet Russia, beta test plays YOU.) So now Bachus is promising a launch of HOMM V some time in 2006, according to a GameCloud chat with Mr. Bachus. We are therefore suggesting (via analogy) that this promise too may be broken. In our gamer heart of hearts, however, we're hoping that HOMM V does indeed launch soon and that Mr. Bachus will shake his Phantom legacy.
A first look at Heroes of Might and Magic V
Following a petition by frustrated beta testers to delay Heroes of Might & Magic V until improvements were made, Primotech has added a rather negative preview of the game to Ubisoft's list of criticisms. The reviewer cites problems with the battle system, the resource trading process, and the time limits imposed on town management. So how much time does developer Nival have to polish up this reinvented franchise? Gamespot lists an April 4 release date, the Ubisoft site says May, and Amazon's projected availability is June 30. Unless we see some positive press soon, the later date is probably the safer bet. [via GameBanshee]
Might & Magic V: new screenshots
Yesterday, we reported that Heroes of Might & Magic V would be making its way to the Mac this Spring. Today, Italian game site Tiscali has provided us with over 20 new screens from Ubisoft and Nival's continuation of the classic strategy franchise. [via GameBanshee]
