It's time for some critics.

[Smash]

It is time for some harsh words. Game was charged for full price in Poland and it really give little in back. To make some things clear i am big fan of homm3 and disciples 2 but i hate homm5 for various reasons.

Overall game looks rushed:
- nothing worth calling intro
- pathetic story, beginning looks great especially myth style prolog but more deeper more nonsense.
- first 2 lands look rich but later i got feel of rush, less of everything.
- very small creature poll, especially when most of them are similar (bears) or are blank (zombies, dwarves, miners) or looks very similar orc -> orc veteran what can piss off. To much run skill (run for zombie? wth?) give you feeling of lack of ideas (btw, no lvl 5 human unit? oO).
- not as much random mostly because of small creatures and items poll, plus some plays will always has specific type of creature.
- To much ideas from others place making game funny maybe at first glance but it only show that they didn't have ideas so they borrow. Everyone love easter eggs but this whole game is easter egg. Most irritating thing? turtle and world.
- when you see in dwarves mines magma rock showing that demons are slowing taking land from dwarves plus war mention plus all this defense with cannons you are expecting to see some cool ingame battles between two forces, at least cut scene, nope nothing in other words world is too static, nothing happen, no adrenaline pump until you are running away from beholders
- AI, word pathetic is too weak, most stupid ai i have yet to see, ai casting blind on one of your soldiers just to attack them right away? Omg.
- flat, boring battlefield, common we have, let me check end of 2008? After playing homm3 for over 7 years this will not increase my interest. No treasures or statues make a job. Please more ingenuity.
- fighting with bosses where somehow refresh but only 3? And you meet them in first half of the game? No end game boss? WTH? No time, money or ideas?
- Talent tree very boring and too much useless skills, no game changing skills as much as i hate homm5 in term of hero progression aka skills it beats kb on head.
- Spells lack something, like f.e. not enough mass spells, if there is precision where is bloodlust, shield etc.
- Rage spirits are just spells for warrior, i really missed two things with them first some more buff debuff spells, too much not worth damage spells and theirs presence on the battlefield as powerful units.
- path finding issues, really i would love to click on some long distance and watch as my hero move there not watching as he crash on nearest obstacle or even not move in first place so have to do step by step sometimes.
- < reserve slot for more complaints >

On plus i like environment very much especially this jumping from tree too tree squirrels, battlefield which is not random but bigger version of where you met opponent (impressive), art works and elvish music

But seriously i doubt that they will rid me of money for their expansion if they don't put more effort into it.

[Zhuangzi]

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it. My comments on what you said:

Story

For me, I agree that the story is pretty lame, but at least you don't have to suffer through it as you would in a game with lots of cutscenes. You can just click through the text if you want to.

Originality

No, it's not an original game. So what? For me a game has to be fun, not original. And this game (for me) is insanely fun.

Lack of Intro/Cutscenes

Not an issue. If I want 'cutscenes' I will watch a movie.

Variety between Lands

Darion is the best land, I agree. It is amazing. Freedom Isles looks amazing but turns out to be a bit of a grind. Kordar is my least favourite, but what's the problem with Ellinia/Land of the Dead? Plenty of detail there. Haas' Labyrinth is interesting (but annoying to navigate) and Murock is poor. I would agree that Murock seems rushed.

Lack of Creatures, Lack of Abilities

What are you on about here? There are dozens of creatures and abilities.

Weak AI

Yes, the AI is weak. But I would like to see multiplayer so that we could test the strategies that work so well against the AI on each other.

Flat, Boring Battlefield

TOTALLY disagree. I have been playing turned based strategy games for about 15 years (approximately since Master of Orion 1) and I say that this is one of the best TBS experiences in that time. Amazing battle world.

Only 3 Bosses

I will admit that its a bit strange that all 3 bosses are in the first half of the game. But when you think about it there are several other major fights (Karador, Baal, Bagud) but they are not 'boss fights.' I agree they could have been spread better over the game.

Talent Tree boring

Nope, disagree.

Spells boring

No, I love the range of spells in this game.

Rage spirits just for warrior

Um, no. This is wrong.

For me, some of your complaints are somewhat valid or true. But you are missing the central fact that keeps many people playing for over 200 hours. The game is insanely fun. The world is well constructed and full of interesting things to do. And most of all, the battle mode is one of the best TBS experiences in the past ten or fifteen years of TBS games.

[Smash]

Originally Posted by Zhuangzi

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it. My comments on what you said:

Story

For me, I agree that the story is pretty lame, but at least you don't have to suffer through it as you would in a game with lots of cutscenes. You can just click through the text if you want to.

Originality

No, it's not an original game. So what? For me a game has to be fun, not original. And this game (for me) is insanely fun.

Lack of Intro/Cutscenes

Not an issue. If I want 'cutscenes' I will watch a movie.

Variety between Lands

Darion is the best land, I agree. It is amazing. Freedom Isles looks amazing but turns out to be a bit of a grind. Kordar is my least favourite, but what's the problem with Ellinia/Land of the Dead? Plenty of detail there. Haas' Labyrinth is interesting (but annoying to navigate) and Murock is poor. I would agree that Murock seems rushed.

Lack of Creatures, Lack of Abilities

What are you on about here? There are dozens of creatures and abilities.

Weak AI

Yes, the AI is weak. But I would like to see multiplayer so that we could test the strategies that work so well against the AI on each other.

Flat, Boring Battlefield

TOTALLY disagree. I have been playing turned based strategy games for about 15 years (approximately since Master of Orion 1) and I say that this is one of the best TBS experiences in that time. Amazing battle world.

Only 3 Bosses

I will admit that its a bit strange that all 3 bosses are in the first half of the game. But when you think about it there are several other major fights (Karador, Baal, Bagud) but they are not 'boss fights.' I agree they could have been spread better over the game.

Talent Tree boring

Nope, disagree.

Spells boring

No, I love the range of spells in this game.

Rage spirits just for warrior

Um, no. This is wrong.

For me, some of your complaints are somewhat valid or true. But you are missing the central fact that keeps many people playing for over 200 hours. The game is insanely fun. The world is well constructed and full of interesting things to do. And most of all, the battle mode is one of the best TBS experiences in the past ten or fifteen years of TBS games.

I am confused, how fights are better or even different than this in homm3 or 5 apart from smaller creep and items poll.
Compare skill wheel from homm5 or even skills from homm3 to talents (a'la WoW) in KB:L. I guarantee that you will have more fun in building your hero in any homm (even 4).
Can you write what making you playing this game fun so far (i personally got bored on my second go with warrior and leaved game staying near demonis portal). How is your experience with homm3 or at least homm 5? Did you played Disciples 2 (great story)?

[Zhuangzi]

Smash, I haven't played the HOMM series. I completely missed the first 4 and then when 5 came out I played the demo and didn't like it. I thought it was slow and cumbersome. So I am yet to play HOMM V.

Disciples II on the other hand is one of my favourite games. I played it and all the expansions (except the Elven one) many times. I see KB as closest to Disciples II in gameplay, with KB being superior. Even though D2 has more of a strategic overview (with the resources, castles etc) there were a lot of things I found annoying in time, such as the way you could only take one hero to the next map. The turn based play also got very tedious at times (I mean on the strategic level, not the tactical battles). And the battles were more limited than they are in KB.

So it might be true that one of the reasons I love KB so much is that I haven't played the HOMM series. But for whatever reason I have played this game now well over 200 hours now, and that's more than more than all but a handful of games in the last ten years.

[Smash]

This is inexcusable,it is blasphemy , your TBS expierence means nothing if you didn't touch the king, go repair this right now and buy Heroes of Might and Magic III gold edition (started with shadow of death expansion and go skirmish). Do it right now!!! What you waiting for? GO! (and don't bother with homm5)

warning! if you do this your personal life is over, you are lost to this world, sorry i warned.

After play go back and we will have some serious talk.

[Zhuangzi]

Don't bother with HOMM V? I was just investigating the possibility of buying that game. It turns out that Ubisoft are about to release all HOMM V and the 2 expansions in one budget disk (That's Hot range) which will be like $20 for me! So why shouldn't I play HOMM V?

I think I saw a HOMM 3 + 4 complete DVD a while back...

[Amamake]

Intresting arenas? In MY Homm3?

[Wenla]

IMHO:

OP hasn't noticed that this game is not HoMM, this is KB...

Wenla

[Gatts]

Well, I would agree on most of the points from Smash post, BUT
the overall negativeness is for me making impression only up to 10% from all game impressions, this leaves me 90% of the game which I like (or let say 20% where I may feel netural - like "well, I have seen that" but still 70% where I fell " WOOOW" )

Also if this is not the best place to start - I believe that HOMM V is fine and I liked it from first betatesting till 3.1 version (till now) and the skill tree is great in HOMMV (is perfect for multiplayer - as you may plan whatever tactics - but if you don't get the skill you planned - you have to improvize... great great)

So I will absolutely buy Armored princess! (even if I still am afraid that my 10% which I strongly dislike on KB will be still in Armored princess... but I don't care - it is part of the game)

FYI - most games from 07, 08 that were released I felt bad above 60% and was neutral for 20% ~35% - so KB is my personal game hit in my likenss table - as 70% of "I totally love" hasn't got last two years no game in my personal table of good games. - bun in 09 will be Disciples 3 out, and I can't wait to have dilemma home - which game to start? D3 or KB AP?

[travelingoz]

I have to agree to with some of the points made. I felt that half the areas looked rushed and were frankly quite boring to work through, especially demons land....the floating platforms reminded me of a low budget movie! ( one hot sex scene to make up for lack of special fx!)

The skill tree also leaves a lot to be desired and many skill slots are redundant. Some of the spells are great, however many others are useless. Who's ever used greasy mist? And there are some strange omissions. Why no morale boosting spell?

As opposed to the original poster, i actually love HOMM5. While it has a few flaws, KB could adopt some of the skill tree ideas. However i'd also love to see the geyser spell in HOMM!

Having said the above, i love this game! It's fun to play and most importantly challenging. I used to play "Thief 1~3" and i love 'sneaking' around seeing where i can get into and out of without getting busted. Certainly getting chased by pissed off beholders is as good an a adrenaline buzz as i've ever got out of a FPS!

Can't wait 4 the expansion. In the meantime, i'm on my 4th run through trying Paladin on impossible with no losses this time.