heroes of etheria

This weekend I set aside some time to finish the Warlords IV demo I mentioned last week. It's amazing what has happened in the world of turn based fantasy games since the release of Warlords III. Heroes of Might and Magic III and it's many (well, two) expansions were released, and newcomers Age of Wonders and Disciples hit the scene. If Triumph Studios keeps up the good work, Age of Wonders just may take the turn based crown. Especially after the disappointing Heroes IV and the subsequent bankruptcy of 3DO.

Back to Warlords IV. The gameplay hasn't changed much in the last 6 years, which is most unfortunate. The mission in the demo consisted of your standard "hunt and demolish all opponents on the map" fare. Beyond the slight graphical overhaul they haven't really added anything of significance in the way of gameplay. Indeed, even the graphics are a bit campy looking in comparison to the cartoonish quality of Heroes III. The interface and world map have changed a bit, but it remains flat and boring and adds nothing to the experience. In all honesty, if I want turn-based action I'll just fire up the excellent Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic. It's a much more rewarding experience.

On a more hopeful note, the development of Warlords Battlecry III has officially been announced. There aren't too many details at this stage, but I can only imagine that it will continue the excellent combination of real-time strategy/roleplay that has been held dear by fans of the series.