Might & Magic: Clash Of Heroes Preview: The Might Of Mana…
The Might & Magic series is more commonly associated with hardcore role-playing game or turn-based strategy combat – but Ubisoft is going for another reboot of the series with Clash of Heroes.
The game is still turn-based and there’s still a lot of strategy involved. But this adorable DS game is more of a puzzle game than an RPG, even if it does have the anime cut scenes and party stat balancing. Secret of Mana fans and Puzzle Quest-ers alike will definitely want to take a look.
What Is It?
Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes is a puzzle RPG where players build up an army of various units to take into battle. Combat is all about forming lines of like-colored units – horizontal for defence and vertical for attacks – and trying to do as much damage to your opponent’s hit point gauge before he wrecks yours by shooting attacks through or over lines of defence.
What We Saw
Games writers got a crash course of the tutorial levels and a glimpse at one of the more complex battles (which can last up to 30 minutes, it sounds like). Later I was able to sit down with the entire tutorial section and two early quests, one story and one optional.
How Far Along Is It?
The game is due out this fall.
What Needs Improvement?
No Quicksave Option: I realise that the DS can go into hibernate mode just by closing the lid, but I’d really like a quicksave option for the middle of boss fights. You know, just in case I’m tempted to rage quit or enter a hospital’s intensive care unit where the doctors will get uppity with you for not turning your handheld devices completely off.
What Should Stay The Same?
Easy-to-Learn, Difficult-to-Master: Based on the pace of the tutorial and first missions, I’m pretty sure most players won’t have trouble picking up the game’s controls. However, based on the sheer number of units you can accumulate (way more than can actually be deployed in battle at one time) and the fact that there’s local multiplayer versus, I think this is going to be a tough game to truly master. Exactly the kind of thing you’d look for in any game, even a handheld.
Final Thoughts
I really liked this game both because the puzzle combat was solid and because the 2D sprite and anime cut scenes were so cute. It reminded me of Secret of Mana, Puzzle Quest and the anime Record of Lodoss War all at once – and at the same time, Clash of Heroes felt like a totally unique experience. Very impressive.
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
@Mikatro: They could probably port 3 without leaving anything out. Except new content for those who already played that one for years.
Nirual
@salaminizer: By making games that seem to have nothing to do with the main franchise yet sharing the name? I wish I had your optimism, but the way it took them two expansions to make Heroes 5 a decent game kinda left a bad aftertaste for me.
Nirual
@wandering_nomad: Same could be said of Dark Messiah with it's near-inexistent ties to even Heroes 5.
What bothers me the most is that this one yet again uses a completely different style, and I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't really tie into Heroes 5 at all, either. Seems like Ubisoft is using the franchise like EA tried with C&C Generals. Might and Magic no longer refers to a specific setting, but rather to games in a fantasy setting.
@reality.exe.torrent: Yeah, you'd be tempted to think that considering they forgot they promised another patch for Heroes 5...
Then again, I heard they also sold out the license for an MMO.
Nirual
I've been eye'ing this one for a while now. Glad to hear it's shaping up. The combat sounds like it could be a lot of fun.
HarvMalbert
"It reminded me of Secret of Mana, Puzzle Quest and the anime Record of Lodoss War all at once"
I LOVE Secret of Mana. ::Interest sparked::
dr1v3n
@Methusalah: Well, I guess it could be both, but in this instance I think it is being used as a verb.
@Xagest: Clash is a verb.
Looks fun, but I wish they'd make a proper new Might and Magic game. Heroes of Might and Magic 3 and Might and Magic 6 and 7 are still amongst my favorite games!
Thut
Can we PLEASE stop this endless train of games with the "Noun of Noun" pattern!? It is not original, and it does not make your game sound cool!
Xagest
@wandering_nomad: It's Ubisoft, look at Far Cry 2.
But the game looks.. interesting. But im kinda bored with the whole cutesy art style everyone uses on the DS.
i dont see anyone from the might and magic seris... wheres my dungeon dwellers and my barbarian hordes?
Not a Hex grid? I'll give it a look when it comes out.
Esper mind tricks
Man, 30-minute battles always put me off in theory, though I usually spend more time with that when I actually play.
Hence why I didn't touch Generation of Chaos after the initial bubble of interest burst, because I realized I spent hours upon hours on maximizing my army during each battle.
@wandering_nomad: Well, at least it's a tiniest sign Ubisoft hasn't forgotten that they bought Might and Magic :/
@Fallible.: You know, the less points spent on graphics, the more he can spend on skills he actually need/can exploit
If only they would make a DS or PSP Heroes of Might and Magic. They could just port 2 to the DS and I'd be a happy camper.
Mikatro
@cavalerie: First time for everything.
@wandering_nomad: Otherwise, it'd be too similar to ClasS of Heroes!
looks good. I know it's the norm to be angry with "milking", but hopefully it means they'll reboot the franchise with a proper treatment after this one.
salaminizer
Cute.
Personally, I've been waiting for more word on Heroes of Might and Magic: Kingdoms, the browser-based MMO thing they're working on. But it's been in a very tight-lipped beta for more than a year now, and I'm no longer very optimistic.
Improbable
Red Mage is badly pixelated.
I might be alone on this one, but I would really love to see a Heroes of Might and Magic game on the iPhone
CapitalJigga
I don't remember any anime characters in any M&M game.
cavalerie
@sentroshi: Quite, I've never heard of this game before today. May very well be the next surprise hit RPG I'm looking for.
@wandering_nomad: Nope, it doesn't. But it does serve to get my attention. I'm sold on 2 points. Puzzles, and it's a Might and Magic game. Gotta catch 'em all.
The DS has to be one of the greatest systems ever. So many great games to play!
UsernameOfTheDead
Actually looks amazing. Thanks Glasser.
mrgregs
This was ... unexpecting.
I need to play this to see it's potential future.
Looks like fun. Doesn't need "Might and Magic" in the title at all.