Customer Reviews

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been playing Puzzle Quest now for quite some time (8 months or so). I have no idea how many hours I have into it--easily hundreds. When I complete I just start over as another type of character (warrior, wizard, knight, etc). It is that addicting!

Although I've enjoyed other puzzle/seek and find games like Professor Layton, Touchmaster, or Millionheir nothing has come close to knocking out PQ as my main game. Until now that is. Might & Magic has replaced PQ as my favorite puzzle game. It is new, fresh, and clever. A mix of luck and strategy Might & Magic grips you from the beginning. The story is interesting if a bit LOTR inspired (an elf named Anwen?). The graphics are outstanding--not 3D but that's perfect for me..I love me some sprites..the 3D graphic Chibi characters just look funny to me. About the only game I loved them in was Suikoden Tierkreis (another excellent game if you like RPG).

Although this is a "sort of" match 3 title it is so much more. Each type of unit has different strengths and weaknesses. Quite often your goal is not to just destroy the enemy but to accomplish a specific task--that keeps it varied and interesting. The puzzle's are really intriguing and I've spent many an hour trying to figure them out. Unlike something like Professor Layton I was driven to figure it out myself without help. Is it frustrating? Undoubtedly--especially since luck does play a part. But after each defeat I found myself more determined to win the next time by using a different strategy.

Getting around works fine with the Dpad or the stylus (I always prefer D pad). The main story has 5 characters and you play one at a time--in this respect this is similar to Dragon Quest IV. The items you get always help you and you've got to decide which one to go with. It is a very nice balance between items you buy and items you get. I did not have a problem having enough funds to buy what I wanted most of the time.

I'll agree with the other gripe that it would be nice to see level of the person you are battling with before the battle starts because once it starts you're in it to win it. Occasionally when you are a level 2 and the other a level 5 it can be a bit of a massacre but I just move on and come back later. I love that it is not just a simple match 3 but has so many other elements.

Overall Ubisoft has done a remarkable job on this title. I wish it had not come out so close to Zelda as I think it won't be able to compete but, honestly, I've got both games and I prefer this one. Nothing wrong with Zelda but this title just feels really fresh to me and it is way more addicting!

If you can find it purchase it. If this thing takes off it will be hard to find a copy. I had to wait for a copy to show up on the shelves. I should have ordered from amazon. It is very worth your dollars!

I just completed this game after about 25 hours of playing and, as the title of this review indicates, I'm impressed. This is a solid game through and through- the graphics are excellent, the music is some of the best on the DS (I usually listen to my own music while playing, yet I actually hooked my DS up to my stereo for this one), the dialogue and story are well done, and the battle system is VERY addicting. Battles in MoM aren't your typical RPG turn-based fare, there's a lot of thought and planning that goes into every enemy encounter here. Instead of choosing commands from a menu, players are rewarded for being creative and using their wits. It's more puzzler than an RPG as far as the battles are concerned and it can be a lot of fun. Also, this is the first DS game I've actually felt compelled to complete in months... and that speaks volumes for the quality as I unfortunately do not have much time to dedicate to gaming anymore.

As for the bad, it would have been nice to allow some sort of indication the level of your enemy BEFORE you are locked into battle with them. A majority of the battles in MoM are not random encounters, players have to actually engage the enemy yet what is the point if they are just going to completely destroy you? At the very least make the player aware of the opponent's level so they could avoid pointless battles and wasted time. This is a minor complaint and if they make a sequel (which I wouldn't be surprised if they did) I'd assume they'd implement this.

Second, while the graphics look fantastic there is a strange design choice the developers choose in which the characters are always facing the player. At times it can look absolutely ridiculous when there's a bunch of little characters running around on screen, walking backwards all over the place. This is yet another minor flaw but it was on my mind through the entirety of the game.

Lastly, this game can be VERY frustratingly difficult at times. While that isn't necessarily a bad thing, depending on the player, I thought it prudent to mention that the difficulty can be outrageous. There were more than a few occasions where I'd of liked to rip my DS in half; a majority of the frustration stemming from the optional puzzle battles to be found throughout the game. Think of the puzzle portion of Tetris Attack and you have a pretty good idea what to expect. Also, the boss battles can be difficult and drawn out, most players may have to fight a certain boss multiple times before winning through sheer luck. You've been warned.

Overall I'd give this one a solid four stars. It's one of the better games I've played in a long time, and I should also note that I've been playing this and Zelda: Spirit Tracks simultaneously and so far this is the better game. It's probably going to lose out on some major sales this Christmas by going head-to-head with a new Zelda game, though I hope they do sell enough copies to warrant a sequel. Highly recommended for fans of RPG and strategy games.

I'll be brief: I am an adult gamer who has enjoyed strategy and RPG games since FF1 and Dragon Warrior. I really dig the retro games being published on the DS. That being said:

This is not your traditional RPG. This is a strategy RPG, puzzle game combined. But it is amazingly fun!

Graphics are good, but I play on the DSI XL, I can't imaging trying to differentiate the colors of some of the units on the smaller screen (the bears and Unicorns in particular). The characters don't actually 'move' as much as they shuffle as if on a game board. You don't move freely but instead hop from point to point. So there is no real exploration to speak of. The character models during the dialogue are very artistic and very well done, though they have just a few expressions.

The story is good, though nothing original. The characters are all very endearing though, and the supporting cast is quite lively and entertaining. Even the demons have a grim humor about them. But you will find yourself rooting for the good guys and genuinely concerned about the fate of the heroes.

You follow each of the main characters from level 1 to 10 in order. This gives you the chance to control a good variety of unit types: (elves, knights, undead, demons, etc...). Each unit has a unique ability, stats, and levels up (as a unit type, not each individual unit). You receive unlimited core units, but have to purchase the Elite and Champion units. I found the most difficulty was in winning battles while keeping your Elite units alive (if they die, they're gone for good until you buy more). Some of the puzzle battles are fun, but once you have a good grasp of the battle mechanics, they can be rather easy.

The music is among the best on the DS, though it contains a limited number of scores. I would say that the quality is only rivaled by Castlevania Order of Ecclesia.

This is a worthy DS game and a game that does find a good home on the DS. Just note that it is easier to differentiate the units on the DSI XL.

Pros: good story, fun and inventive battle system, music, save anytime option (while not in battle), lot's of random encounters that are skip-able.
Cons: cheesy game board interface with shuffling character sprites, sometimes too easy, other times very challenging, CPU very predictable.

Worth an addition to any DS library.

Update 3/3: Finished the game. Pretty good, though towards the end you don't get to select your hero (out of the four). Not a lot of extras so once the game is done there isn't much point in playing unless you battle online or quick battles against CPU. Lacks the depth and replay value of other traditional RPGs. It is fun to play battles on the vs mode, but since there aren't really any additional unlockables, side quests or alternate endings on the main story mode, there isn't much else to gain from subsequent plays through. But it's still fun to play the vs mode. =)

I have been eying this game since it came out, but I wanted to wait until I could buy it for $20 before getting yet another DS game to add to my collection. Now that I finally have gotten it, I wonder why I had waited so long; this game is amazing.

You can tell that the development team really put some effort into creating a battle system that is fun and innovative. The game has pretty much endless replay value and great multi-player support precisely because of this. The basics are simple and easy to understand, but like a good classic board game, from the simple rules emerge plenty of complexity. It's challenging without being frustratingly impossible, and the pace is refreshing. Even if you're normally bored by strategy games, it's almost impossible to get bored with this. However, don't be fooled by the strategy-lite appearance; as others have mentioned, this game will provide some challenges (and surprises).

This game has succeeded where other games have failed. It's easy to pick up and play for short amounts of time before putting it back down again. The game follows a fairly linear track, which is OK with me because it places more emphasis on the battles and keeps you from getting lost if you don't just sit and play it for hours on end. You'll find many similarities between this game and other DS titles such as Children of Mana and Luminous Arc. I think this game trounces all of them, and it contends ferociously with Fire Emblem as the king of its genre on the DS. While my hat goes of to Fire Emblem for being a more traditional and, naturally, hardcore strategy, Clash of Heroes definitely wins points for being innovative and balanced. In terms of single player campaign, which game is better is up to personal tastes, but Clash of Heroes wins hands down in multi-player and its quick battle feature (which I don't believe Fire Emblem even has). It's a perfect fit for a platform such as the DS.

Clash of Heroes is not really an RPG, although it has heavy RPG elements. I think players who expect an RPG out of this game are going to be disappointed but still delightfully surprised by what they discover. I give this game a perfect rating, which I try not to do very often, and consider it an essential title for its platform. If you own a DS, no matter what kind of gamer you are, you need to get this game. This naturally makes it an excellent gift for anyone who doesn't already own it, and with the E10+ rating, it's fun for (almost) the whole family.

Gameplay aside, I must say that the artwork for the game is delightful and refreshing, and I agree with other reviewers that the music is top notch. The story writing is entertaining and varied as well, possessing a nice creative touch. I don't see that to often these days. That being said, all of these things are icing on the cake.

Challenging and fun. While game play is unlike any of the previous Heroes of Might and Magic titles, the races and units will be somewhat familiar to experienced Heroes players. The battle system is both innovative and complex. The RPG elements are fairly simple, but add to the overall experience. Highly recommended.

These are my thoughts after finishing the game a few minutes ago:

First of all, forget anything you may have read about this game being an RPG. I know some websites, even recognized gamer webzines, have labeled this game as "role-playing" among other qualifiers. This is actually very far from the truth: there is NO character development in Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes. For some reason I was aware of that and actually bought it expecting a strategy game, not a real RPG. There's side quests and experience gain, but many modern strategy games implement that as well (and obviously doesn't count as character development or decision making, thus no RPG).

This is a hybrid strategy/puzzle game. At that it almost excels in my opinion, except for a few drawbacks that I will outline along with some highlights. I'll do my best to keep this spoiler free.

As the strategy game it is, the campaign mode puts you in command of all characters, one by one, whose stories are linked with each other. As you progress you need to gather resources (from battling or raiding treasure chests) to buy more units. Some units will need to be "unlocked" as side quests (you get them to join your cause) and each faction (or character) can unlock an extra hidden character usable in quick battle mode. Battles are basically a puzzle: your units are arranged on a grid and you need to relocate them making a clever use of the available moves per turn, so that they may "charge" (build up their energy) and attack when they are done charging. This demands strategy to understand which units to charge at the same time, and when their attack will release. Clever combinations lead to devastating attacks. There are also defensive moves that create walls. The story is pleasantly narrated using text and illustrations, and the music is actually enjoyable to listen to. Very epic game indeed.

The modes (Cons - and Pros +):

* Campaign:
- Movement is extremely limited to only predefined points on the map. There is of course no free exploration but that's not what the game is about. It's easy to get used to after a little while.
- For some advanced battles, success is heavily influenced by luck, i.e. your starting grid layout.
- Some battles, specially boss battles, have obviously been programmed to have a specific starting layout. This can increase their difficulty, and maybe that's exactly the point.
- One boss battle around half of the game is exceptionally hard, bordering on frustrating.

+ Excellent story-telling, with beautiful illustrations.
+ Interesting and amusing characters, younger versions of characters found in Heroes of Might and Magic.
+ Great dialogue.
+ Great artwork.
+ Harder battles demand a great deal of STRATEGY and understanding of both your units and your enemy's and their charge times.
+ Excellent music.
+ Using the right units and artifacts can change a battle's outcome.
+ Puzzle battles are SUPER fun.
+ Unlocks quick battle characters.
+ Unlocks hidden elite or champion units for each faction.
+ Good animations and graphics, awesome 2D fun! (evokes nostalgic memories of a bygone generation of games!)

* Quick battle:
- No retribution from playing quick battles (no experience gain, no extra artifacts).
- Aren't really THAT quick... can take quite a few minutes depending on AI difficulty. This isn't necessarily bad.

+ Provides for virtually infinite replayability.
+ Haven't played against another person but this of course is a MAJOR plus (single cartridge compatible).

All in all, this game is a great experience if you like STRATEGY and PUZZLE games. The only RPG-esque element it has is experience gain, which is not RPG exclusive anymore. The battle system is innovative and a lot of fun, demands a good deal of planning ahead and reading your opponent's moves. Gameplay is very enjoyable once you get used to the limited movement. I just wished it were longer so I could keep playing story mode. Too bad the DS/DSi isn't really good for DLC.

In conclusion, if you expect a strategy game with hybrid strategic/puzzle battling, linear but entertaining story telling, and not a real RPG with lots of decisions, consequences, character development and interactive dialogue (heck, action RPG's don't even have any of that...) then DO GET THIS GAME!

*This review contains elements of game play, but does not spoil the overall story*

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes is a turn based RPG in which you maneuver idle units in horizontal or vertically lines of 3 to create active attacking units or walls, respectively. From what I have experienced with this game, you will probably get anywhere from 25-35 hours easily. It has a great storyline for each of the 5 characters will you be controlling that all come together for a great overall conclusion.

I did feel that the game was a little lacking in combat. After the first 2 character's scenarios combat does begin to feel a little repetitive. There are special combat missions in which a certain objectives must be met in order to complete the battle. Along with the special missions, there are several side objectives that you can do and are not necessary to complete a story arc. There are also puzzle missions in which you have 1 turn to kill all enemy units using a certain predefined attack combination. All these add an extra element to the fighting but are somewhat few and far between when you're playing 25+ hours. Also, if you don't do the side missions, it makes it increasing difficult to complete a story, because you may not collect certain items and your units will be under leveled.

Along with the 5 main characters, each with their own unique magic and ability, each character can control 8 units in battle, up two 5 at a time that max out at level 5. Of these 8, you have 3 basic core units that can be used in any of the 3 color slots (matching 3 together of the same color to form an attack or wall, similar to destroying a row in Bejeweled), and 5 more powerful units that have an extra ability besides extra damage. The 5 powerful units can be set but their color is randomized in the battlefield. The powerful units take up two vertical spaces and some even require 2 horizontal. These units also require 2 or 4 units of the same color to be set behind them to bring them active, adding another element of strategy into your move process. Just an FYI, on the final battle, you play 4 of the different characters back to back in a chain of battle who are maxed out at level 10. On the final boss, the last character you play is not automatically maxed out, so be prepared to do a little grinding to get your units and character up to withstand the final boss.

All and all, the game is definitely unique and worth a buy. Although I may seem to be poo pooing on it, I really enjoyed the experience that Might and Magic has to offer. This challenging RPG puzzle may not have much replay value, but for the price you owe it to yourself to try it out. Also, there is a multiplayer mode. Beating story arcs will unlock more characters in multiplayer mode, so if you know anyone with this game, let the fun ensue. I didn't know anybody with this game other than myself, but just playing random battles with the computer I think the multiplayer is a big hit point on this game. Had I had a chance to play multiplayer against another person, this probably would have set the game up for a 4.5 or 5 stars and increased the replay value immensely.

I absolutely love this game. I purchased it the other day on a whim because I had always been a fan of the Might and Magic series, and since then I find myself not being able to put it down. Although the game is "part of the series" it has nothing to do with any of the previous games other than the fact battles are turn-based and it's in a fantasy world setting. It does have a few unit and building references, but apart from that it pretty much stands apart from the series.

Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes is an RPG with strategy and puzzle elements. The thing that's made this game unique and such a joy to play is the battle system. This isn't your average run-of-the-mill RPG battle where you choose fight, magic, special ability, or run. You essentially are presented with a randomized battlefield of various units with different colors that you have to match up to create attack and defense formations. You're given a certain amount of moves per turn and by using a bit of forethought and strategy you can pull off some pretty cool combos for added bonuses. The battle system is just so awesomely fun and tactically challenging that you are left feeling very satisfied after every victory. Some of the battles I've had have been pretty epic taking upwards of 20-30 minutes to complete and me barely winning by a single turn.

The only gripe I have is that Quick Battle and Multiplayer seem a tad limited. I think I'm about halfway through the Campaign and like every other RPG I don't see it having a huge amount of replay value.

Other than that, I really can't complain. The gameplay is awesome and the visuals are very good as well. I'm definitely happy with the purchase and would recommend this game to anyone who is a fan of tactical strategy and puzzle. I also heard it can be compared to Puzzle Quest. I've never played Puzzle Quest, but I'm definitely going to check it out because I certainly do enjoy this RPG/Puzzle hybrid genre!

I just finished Might and Magic this weekend.

I originally got this game as a filler to make it to 25 dollars to get free shipping with a game deal of the day that was under 25 dollars, one of my best choices this year.

This game is in my top 5 of best games ever.

I'm big on RPGs and puzzles and I really couldn't ask for more in this game, it was fun and challenging.

It's a very good story, normally I don't read the story in puzzle games but this was a very interesting story and lots of good artwork is displayed when they tell the story.
The music was fantastic also; normally I turn off the music in most games but this one I listen too.

You basically play different characters throughout the game starting at the lowest level (except for the last character you play) and you work through the story till you beat that story line, the max level is 10 but you can beat the story line with less than that usually.

At first a lot of the battles were pretty easy but I think the game is trying to give you a feel for the game and make your comfortable with it.

Tip - for all the story lines you should just follow the story till almost the very end, basically before you battle the boss for that chapter because if you do side quests they are almost always at high levels making them tough to beat.

The bosses! Some of them are pretty hard. I spent a good Saturday trying to beat a bossy, even if you have a good strategy it's hard to execute when your stuff isn't in the right spots, but I think that's what makes it challenging. I think not being able to beat a bossy for a while and then beating them is so satisfactory, it made me feel very warm and fuzzy.

The game said it took me 17 hours to beat the game, but I would say it took more like 25+ hours for me to beat the game because of all the battles I had to redo from dying.
I'm a pretty causal gamer and I was able to play this off and on for 1-2 hour increments except for the very end, where you many battles in a row and you can't save in the middle so if you are nearing the end watch out for that, I had to replay a couple of battles I won because I didn't have time to get to the next save point.

I guess my only real complaint and it might because I haven't figure it out yet, but there are some "puzzle" battles that I tried and couldn't figure out, and now that I have beat the game I thought I could go back to them but it seems like I can't, I really did want to figure out those "puzzle" battles. I guess I'll have to replay the whole game again which might do anyways because it was lots of fun.

Overall very good game! Definitely worth the price it is currently. If you're on the fence about it definitely go for it, you won't regret it!

For folks that like a good strategy game, you'll want to check this one out. Way more than a "match 3" game. Light RPG with excellent turn-based strategic battles that are NEVER the same. The strategy options are almost endless and allow for thoughtful gameplay. I really enjoyed the original PuzzleQuest and although this has some of the same concepts, I like this game better.