Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era gets it right

GAMING NEWS AlexP - 2 hours ago

Gameplay

For a lot of strategy fans, this is the one. Not just another attempt to revive a legendary name, but the first time since Heroes of Might and Magic III that a new entry actually feels like it understands why people fell in love with the series in the first place. Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era brings back the classic formula that defined countless late-night gaming sessions back in the day, but it does it without feeling stuck in the past.

The moment you jump into a map, the old-school vibe hits immediately. Resource piles scattered around the world, heroes riding across fantasy landscapes, towns slowly turning into massive fortresses, and armies clashing in turn-based battles that can completely fall apart because of one bad move. It feels familiar in the best possible way. At the same time, the game cleans up a lot of the rough edges older strategy games had. The visuals are sharper, the interface is easier to work with, and the combat systems have more depth without becoming bloated.

One of the biggest strengths of Olden Era is its faction lineup. The game launches with six factions, each with its own look, units, mechanics, and identity. Temple covers the classic knight and holy kingdom fantasy, Necropolis brings back the undead armies everyone remembers, Dungeon leans into dark underground creatures, Grove focuses on nature and mystical beasts, Schism delivers chaotic demonic energy, while Hive introduces insect-like monsters that feel completely different from the rest of the roster. Every faction plays differently enough that switching armies changes how you approach exploration, combat, and hero building.

A return to tactical fantasy warfare

The story takes players to Jadame, a continent longtime fans have heard about for years but never fully explored in the main games. Since Olden Era is a prequel, it digs into the earlier history of the world while still being easy enough for newcomers to jump into without needing to study old lore. The campaign mixes political conflicts, magical disasters, ancient threats, and rival factions fighting for survival, all wrapped around that classic fantasy adventure feeling the series became known for.

Gameplay is exactly what fans hoped for. You explore giant maps, gather resources, recruit units weekly, capture mines, level heroes, collect artifacts, and slowly build unstoppable armies. Battles stay heavily tactical, especially once spells, terrain effects, and unit abilities start stacking together. It scratches that same itch Heroes III fans have been chasing for years.

If you’ve been waiting for a strategy game that actually remembers what made this genre special, this might be it. And if you’re planning to jump in, make sure to use our price comparison tool to find the best deals for Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era.