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Heroes of Might and Magic V

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8.4 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 41 critic reviews
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Based on 57 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Nival Interactive

Genre(s): Turn-Based Strategy

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: May 23, 2006

Summary

The first game to reintroduce the video game legend to the public is Heroes of Might and Magic V, the sequel to the universally acclaimed turn-based strategy series with a touch of RPG. The new opus will benefit from the features and characteristics that established the success of the initial saga while offering a wealth of innovations such as a a highly immersive scenario, a variety of appealing factions, modern 3D graphics, a revolutionary tactical combat system and a story-based campaign mode. [Ubisoft]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Heroes of Might & Magic V: Tribes of the East Heroes of Might and Magic IV

Cheat Codes & Hints: GameFAQs

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Strategy Informer

I am truly spellbound by the splendor of this game.

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Pelit (Finland)

Heroes of Might and Magic V is like meeting an old friend. There is not really that much new if you have played the earlier games, but who cares when the new version is both addictive and beautiful to watch. [June 2006]

Game Chronicles

If you love deep, complex strategy games and fun online multiplayer action, you can’t go wrong with Heroes of Might & Magic V. What it lacks in technological flash it makes up for in smart, well-balanced gameplay.

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ActionTrip

You simply have to have the willingness to learn and give this game a chance. If you do this, you will be rewarded with an amazing strategy experience.

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PALGN

Heroes V is a presentation marvel. The game boasts some fantastic bright, colourful 3D graphics that bring the experience alive. It’s brilliant to see some of the old regular structures from previous Heroes games and recreated in 3D.

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GamePro

Hardly a turn passes in the game where you aren't faced with a potentially crucial decision, making for addictive, "just one more turn" strategy gaming at its best. And the best Heroes game since "HOMM III."

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Worth Playing

Regardless of these minor concerns, HoMM V is a shining example of how a turn-based strategy should be executed, and will no doubt set the standard for generations of the genre to come.

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Digital Entertainment News

I came to this series knowing not what lay ahead. Imagine my surprise when I found a beautifully crafted fantasy realm that reminded me both of the Disciples series and the more recent Warcraft III.

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eToychest

Heroes of Might and Magic V is certainly a good game, but it's flawed. That said, fans of the series, as well as those who simply enjoy turn-based strategy, will definitely enjoy it.

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Game Informer

Complaints and rough spots aside, this is a very solid and enjoyable effort. [July 2006, p.111]

The New York Times

Like the gameplay, the story also picks up, mainly because of an ingenious structure in which it is told not from the perspective of one hero but from the points of view of consecutive protagonists.

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PC Format

A good sequel that's faithful to its forebears in all the right places. [July 2006, p.98]

GameSpot

Skeptical Heroes fans, as well as anyone looking for a fun, long-lasting turn-based strategy game, will likely be pleasantly surprised by this one.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

V. With its beautiful fantasy graphics and huge amounts of depth, Heroes is back from the dead and ready for the next generation of RTS role players.

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PC Zone UK

Truthfully, HOMMV is better in every department than its predecessor. It's grittier, funnier, prettier, more accessible, more strategic and rammed full of multiplayer goodness.

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GameBiz

Heroes V brings all Heroes fans back to their origins as the game builds on all of the series' past experiences to make a truly epic game. Days of campaigning is involved in beating Heroes V, and RTS fans will most definitely feel that their money has been well invested.

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GameZone

Heroes of Might and Magic has always been about strategy in a board-game setting, where players take their time making decisions on each turn. Building up a huge army, amassing tons of money and resources and beating those pesky enemy heroes is what it’s all about. People new to the Heroes’ universe who enjoy a good strategy game should definitely give this one a try, as well.

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Eurogamer

It's not a great leap forward for gaming; but in terms of reassurance and welcome traditionalism, it's a small step for cosiness.

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Games Radar (in-house)

The long wait is now over: our gaping mouths declared it officially worth it after seeing the startlingly gorgeous Heroes world.

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RewiredMind

A credit to the series, a huge improvement on the previous title and a game you should definitely try if you like strategy games. In fact, it’s probably worth a try even if you DON’T like strategy games.

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Game Over Online

There isn’t anything new here, but the format works as well as ever, and the 30 campaign missions are good for over 60 hours of playing time.

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Sydney Morning Herald

The lovingly detailed graphics can be rotated and zoomed, but the core game mechanics remain intact.

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GamerFeed

Still, regardless of what might be missing, or the overall lack of anything incredibly new and unexpected, Heroes of Might and Magic V is still a very addictive game that easily sucks players in with its strategic gameplay. When you get right down to it, this is still HOMM, and it's still great.

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VideoGamer

Graphically light years ahead of everything else in the turn-based genre and is easily on a par with the best looking real-time strategy games, such as "Dawn of War."

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AtomicGamer

The single-player game is fun but manages to end sooner than it should with no possibility for player created campaigns (yet). Multiplayer is also lacking – a play-by-email system would have been a huge help to the game.

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Gamers' Temple

If you are looking for a fun, relaxing game, with great visuals, you have found it; if you are looking for a challenge, well, take a calculus class, or maybe intermediate accounting.

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IGN

While I adore the Heroes franchise, I feel that Nival played it a little too safe with this one. After seeing them show so a bit of originality in their other titles, this feels too much like development-by-the-numbers.

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Games Master UK

While nothing ground-breaking, this is a highly polished and likeable romp that will have the series' hardcore fanbase stroking their beards in delight. [July 2006, p.84]

GameCritics

Is HOMMV a good game? Absolutely. Is it essentially the exact same game as HOMMIV was? Oh yes.

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PC Gamer

And, unfortunately, despite extra time on the grill, Heroes V's ribs are tasty, but still a bit undercooked. [Aug 2006, p.48]

PC Gamer UK

Nice looking, moderately rewarding. [July 2006, p.78]

games(TM)

Heroes Of Might And Magic V has sufficient appeal to become an entry level into the genre for the mainstream player, at the price of not quite having sufficient subtlety and depth to completely satisfy its natural target audience: the lesser spotted geek. [July 2006, p.128]

Total Video Games

For fans of the series Nival has achieved the ultimate courtesy in that HOMMV retains that same spirit of its 3DO predecessors, but with a visual upgrade, and should put this revamped franchise in good stead for future instalments.

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GameSpy

On one hand, you can't ignore the game's various shortcomings, the lack of editing tools and failing multiplayer. But on the other hand, it's hard to dismiss a game that eats up late night hours faster than G-String Diva reruns on HBO, leaving you desperate to finish a campaign mission at 3AM before you pass out.

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Yahoo! Games

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.

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WHAM! Gaming

A decent but pretty run-of-the-mill RPG.

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Game Revolution

On the other hand, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and New World Computing should be very flattered indeed. Despite how derivative it is, Heroes of Might and Magic V is still a good, addictive game. It just isn’t a very new one.

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Cheat Code Central

This might be the last kick at the can for M&M but unless it can offer something more than some new graphics and a few new features, I can’t say I would be looking forward to the sixth version.

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G4 TV

Good looks and tactical high jinks aside, it's tough to recommend HoMM5 with a mere ten skirmish maps, no map editor (for shame!), and a barrel of bugs, e.g. random desktop crashes, missions that "break" if you perform certain tasks out of order, heroes that attack through castle walls, incorrect initiative bar tallies in battle, etc.

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Computer Games Magazine

While Heroes V might be a hard game to hate, it's also a hard game to love. [Sept. 2006, p.61]

1UP

While HOMM5 retains much that fans once cherished about this series, its imaginative yet hamstrung shift to 3D, poor A.I., clunky interface, stingy multiplayer maps, and intimidating bug list render what could have been the rebirth of a phenomenal strategy game merely an average rehash.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.4 (out of 10) based on 57 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Dawid K. gave it a9:
One of the best sequels so far. Gain of good looking without loss in Heroes climate. Only Heroes III is still better than this one. To arms brothers! Theres a game that is worth playing! ( something unusuall these days).

Jeffrey P. gave it a0:
This game sucks! Turns take TOOOO LOOONNNGGG! Even with coputer players! Stay away from this crap!

Sebastian C. gave it a3:
PATHETIC! You gotta wait for the editor, SIX MAPS!, and extremely cheesy graphics, I think this is seriously the end of heroes, no one can stand up again after two KOs. Heroes 4+5 are the end, thank god for Heroes 3 though....

Nina Aase gave it a10:
I really love this game, I must say I am addicted to it. I have played a lot of games like this one, but nothing can beat Heroes of might and magic. I have played true the campaigns several times, and I still got things to learn. The game might be a little difficult. But still, it's worth it.

Humanophage gave it an8:
A step backwards from HoMMIV, but a step towards what is good for the series. After all, the charm of HoMM lies in its noble simplicity, while the realm of mildly sophisticated fantasy turn-based strategies nowadays is ruled by the brilliant Age of Wonders. The gameplay in HoMMV is not as captivating as that of HoMMII or HoMMIII, I personally find it somewhat unfinished and raw as opposed to wholesome completeness of the early titles, but it is still fairly fine. The new graphical style looks rather cheesy, almost as cheesy as in Warcraft. It makes me wonder if in the future people shall talk about a peculiar early '00-ies style in 3D strategic games. HoMM5 graphics might be flamboyant and colourful, but only the castle screens can truly be called beautiful (I particularly like Haven). HoMM3 seem to be the best in the series in this aspect: tastefully schematic on the map, realistic and majestic on castle screens, battle fields, etc. To my mind, the perfect style would be a mixture of an upgraded HoMM3: RoE and M&M6 (that uses altered photographs as illustrations). But I digress. And graphics don't really matter, after all. What bothers me the most about HoMM5 is that they decided to screw the universe. Of course, things started to get funny around M&M8, but I still truly hope that continuity shall be restored later, now that M&M is seemingly ressurected.

D. Wills gave it a5:
biggest problem no editor, needs a switch to turn off 3d after a half hour. the game is all right.

R Nagle gave it a5:
So So describes Heroes 5 For starers the heroes don't look as good as their did in heroes 3, the fight sequences don't suit the game and to tell the truth after a week I'm bored with it. The campaign ideas are well thought out and thats the real thing only going for hreoes 5. So come on Ubisoft lift your game, if you can't maybe the 3DO should do heroes 6.

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Heroes of Might and Magic V

Game Info

Summary

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