Top 10 VG Countdown - #9: HEROES OF MIGHT AND MAGIC V

Heroes of Might and Magic V is a fantasy strategy turn-based game, the fifth in the series. It was released in 2006. My brother and I have played this game to death (in other words, it is great fun multiplayer). This one is my favourite of the Heroes games so far.

The object of the game is to build up your army, gain experience for your hero and conquer the other heroes and armies on the map. There are six different factions to choose from: Haven (the humans), Inferno (the demons), Necropolis (the undead), Academy (the wizards), Dungeon (the dark elves), Sylvan (the light elves--also, my faction of choice. I know, I am such a girl in this case. I like fairies and unicorns and ents and dragons, okay? Well I guess the ents and dragons aren't so bad). Additional expansion packs add two more factions: Fortress (the dwarves) and Stronghold (the orcs). Each faction is unique and comes with different abilities, which is a big part of why I love this game; you have to play according to the strengths of your faction.

You also customize your heroes. As you play and win battles, you choose what skills to give your hero. There are many options, from logistics (allowing your hero to move farther), to luck (giving your troops bonus damage), to attack (increasing your troops' attack), to light magic (allowing your hero to cast light magic spells). There are more abilities available than your hero has slots for, so choosing them wisely is part of the fun.

There is a huge difference in the quality of graphics from this game and the previous ones--I love the intricate city designs and the detail of the troops and landscapes. Though I'm not sure how practical it is to be able to zoom around your castle and check out the pretty buildings, it does add to the fantasy ambiance. This game is really nice to look at.

Gameplay is turn-based, which can get annoying when you are playing with other people (especially if you are playing with more than one other person), because the turns can take a while. Battles are fought using the grid method, where some creatures can move farther than others, and some get turns more often than others. I am very impressed with the variables in this game; not only are your heroes customizable with their abilities and artifacts you collect, most creatures have different special abilities you can use in battle too. With all the variables it may sound a bit overwhelming to learn, but it is really what makes the game fun and challenging, and if you love strategy, you will probably love this game.

Played any of the Heroes games? I don't hear much about them very often, so I feel like I am a niche player where this game is concerned.