I think I should start with a disclaimer: I've played every HoMM game, starting with the very first one when I was a kid. This is probably pretty obvious, as it would be very difficult to rate the game without playing whole series.

In my opinion, HoMM 3 is a game that should be pre-installed on every PC, like Klondike Solitaire or Minesweeper. But Olden Age has major problems, and the reason is not that it's "not like Heroes 3."

The series is objectively dead: Ubisoft, after acquiring the rights to the game, tried several times to restore it to its former glory. Clash of Heroes and Dark Messiah are excellent games in the Might and Magic universe, in my opinion, but overall, Heroes 5 is considered the last good numbered game.

Can Olden Age be considered a worthy continuation of the series?
Absolutely not, at least for now. For me it feels like a concept of a soft, save try to reboot the series. A chance to find out what players want in a new big-budget game and evaluate whether it's worth the effort and expense.

I'm confused by the fact that the developer in charge of the development is not very experienced (as far as I see, Unfrozen only have one game in their portfolio - Iratus), whether they can make not just a good game, but also a good game in a place where Ubisoft-led studios have failed remains to be seen.

I can note for myself that the game is trying too hard to be like Heroes 3 and 5 (75%/25%). I won't even describe the lack of some gameplay features, it's still a demo after all. Perhaps if we support their efforts now, we'll get something more in the future, but in recent years, players have increasingly been disappointed by the trust they place in developers and publishers.

I can see the developers' enthusiasm, their desire to create something new in the genre and the series as a whole, but desire and zeal alone aren't enough, and experience and skill are apparently lacking, because my main complaint isn't so much with the gameplay itself as with the gameplay decisions.

While playing, I couldn't shake the persistent feeling that I was playing a PC port of a mobile game – weak, blurry graphics, poor animations, a terrible user interface, strange button placement, drawn-out battles, weak unit design, and the choice of in-game castles.

It's funny, but in this sense, Songs of Conquest or Age of Wonders 4 feels more like a proper sequel to HoMM than Olden Era itself. That's why I think the developers made the right decision by delaying the Early Access release. Heroes has a unique and dedicated community, which is why it's a very easy-going crowd that will settle for anything, but I think the series deserves a better approach, so please take criticism, improve, and refine the game, work with it as long as it needs to make a good game. Remember that BG3 showed everybody that devs, who were in close contact with the audience, managed to create an excellent and highly replayable game that players wanted.

I really don't want to see another Heroes VI disaster, not again.

I think I should start with a disclaimer: I've played every HoMM game, starting with the very first one when I was a kid. This is probably pretty obvious, as it would be very difficult to rate the game without playing whole series. In my opinion, HoMM 3 is a game that should be pre-installed on every PC, like Klondike Solitaire or Minesweeper. But Olden Age has major problems, and the reason is not that it's "not like Heroes 3." The series is objectively dead: Ubisoft, after acquiring the rights to the game, tried several times to restore it to its former glory. Clash of Heroes and Dark Messiah are excellent games in the Might and Magic universe, in my opinion, but overall, Heroes 5 is considered the last good numbered game. Can Olden Age be considered a worthy continuation of the series? Absolutely not, at least for now. For me it feels like a concept of a soft, save try to reboot the series. A chance to find out what players want in a new big-budget game and evaluate whether it's worth the effort and expense. I'm confused by the fact that the developer in charge of the development is not very experienced (as far as I see, Unfrozen only have one game in their portfolio - Iratus), whether they can make not just a good game, but also a good game in a place where Ubisoft-led studios have failed remains to be seen. I can note for myself that the game is trying too hard to be like Heroes 3 and 5 (75%/25%). I won't even describe the lack of some gameplay features, it's still a demo after all. Perhaps if we support their efforts now, we'll get something more in the future, but in recent years, players have increasingly been disappointed by the trust they place in developers and publishers. I can see the developers' enthusiasm, their desire to create something new in the genre and the series as a whole, but desire and zeal alone aren't enough, and experience and skill are apparently lacking, because my main complaint isn't so much with the gameplay itself as with the gameplay decisions. While playing, I couldn't shake the persistent feeling that I was playing a PC port of a mobile game – weak, blurry graphics, poor animations, a terrible user interface, strange button placement, drawn-out battles, weak unit design, and the choice of in-game castles. It's funny, but in this sense, Songs of Conquest or Age of Wonders 4 feels more like a proper sequel to HoMM than Olden Era itself. That's why I think the developers made the right decision by delaying the Early Access release. Heroes has a unique and dedicated community, which is why it's a very easy-going crowd that will settle for anything, but I think the series deserves a better approach, so please take criticism, improve, and refine the game, work with it as long as it needs to make a good game. Remember that BG3 showed everybody that devs, who were in close contact with the audience, managed to create an excellent and highly replayable game that players wanted. I really don't want to see another Heroes VI disaster, not again.