Our strategy gaming veterans dive deep into two major fantasy strategy releases, examining Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era’s return to its classic roots and Endless Legend 2’s innovative approach to 4X gaming, while exploring how both titles represent different philosophies within the broader strategy genre and whether they signal the emergence of a new character-focused strategy subgenre.

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This episode provides comprehensive reviews of two significant fantasy strategy releases from Hooded Horse: the Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era Steam Next Fest demo and Endless Legend 2’s full launch. Jack experiences Heroes for the first time while Adam brings his extensive Polish gaming perspective to a franchise that holds legendary status in Eastern Europe. The hosts explore how Heroes modernizes its classic formula while staying faithful to the beloved third instalment, then examine Endless Legend 2’s unique blend of civilization building, RPG elements, and emergent storytelling. The conversation analyses technical issues, crashes, gameplay loops, and ultimately questions whether these games represent a new character-focused strategy subgenre distinct from traditional 4X titles.

Critical Moves Podcast Episode 52 Show Notes

Episode Title: Heroes of Might and Magic: OE or Endless Legend 2
Hosts: Jack, Adam
Episode Length: ~55 minutes

Episode Summary

The fifty-second episode of Critical Moves examines two significant fantasy strategy releases through the lens of first impressions and veteran perspectives. Adam, bringing years of Heroes of Might and Magic experience from Poland where the series holds legendary status, discusses how Olden Era successfully captures the spirit of the beloved third instalment while introducing modern improvements. Jack, experiencing Heroes for the first time through the Steam Next Fest demo, contrasts his fresh perspective with his extensive hands-on experience with Endless Legend 2, a game that impressed him despite constant technical crashes. The conversation explores how both games handle turn-based combat, hero management, city building, and emergent storytelling, ultimately questioning whether titles like these represent an emerging character-focused strategy subgenre that blends 4X, RPG, and tactical elements.

Heroes of Might and Magic: A Polish Perspective

Cultural Significance and Tournament Scene

Adam explains that Heroes of Might and Magic 3 holds legendary status in Poland, with annual tournaments drawing thousands of viewers on Twitch and featuring substantial prize pools. This cultural phenomenon creates immense expectations for any new instalment attempting to recapture that magic. The franchise’s popularity in Poland extends beyond casual gaming into competitive esports-adjacent territory, making Olden Era’s return particularly significant for Eastern European audiences.

The tournament scene demonstrates the game’s longevity and competitive depth, with players still actively competing in a decades-old title. This sustained interest reveals both the quality of the original design and the absence of worthy successors, creating a vacuum that Olden Era aims to fill.

Franchise History and the Seven-Year Gap

The Heroes series experienced dark times with the seventh instalment’s release around 2015, suffering from numerous bugs including campaign missions that couldn’t be completed even after patches. This catastrophic launch created a downward spiral where poor sales led to reduced development support, effectively killing the franchise’s momentum under Ubisoft’s management.

The franchise’s problems stemmed from attempting to change too much with each instalment rather than maintaining the core experience that made Heroes 3 beloved. Unlike the Anno series, which successfully maintained its identity across iterations, Heroes repeatedly attempted to reinvent itself to appeal to broader audiences, alienating the dedicated fanbase that sustained the series.

The timing of Heroes 7’s failure aligns with broader industry trends around 2015 when major publishers pushed franchises to evolve beyond their established formulas. Ubisoft’s mismanagement extended across multiple properties during this period, with Heroes becoming another casualty of misguided attempts at modernization and monetization.

Olden Era’s Return to Roots

Olden Era explicitly aims to recapture the spirit of Heroes 3 while incorporating quality-of-life improvements and features from later instalments. The game allows players to choose between two upgrade paths for units, a system borrowed from Heroes 4, while maintaining the core gameplay loop that made the third game legendary.

Jack’s first impression highlighted the beautiful hand-drawn fog of war, intuitive point-and-click movement, and the satisfying daily interaction with map structures to collect resources. These design choices modernize the presentation without fundamentally altering the gameplay systems that defined the series.

The city building interface drew comparisons to mobile games, but the charming aesthetic and production quality demonstrated genuine investment rather than cheap imitation. Small details like skeletal goats running across the map showcase the developers’ attention to atmospheric elements that create world immersion.

Mobile Graphics Controversy and Visual Design

Community reactions during Steam Next Fest included significant uproar about the mobile-style graphics, with some declaring Heroes “no longer Might and Magic”. However, the controversy overlooks how the visual style successfully modernizes the classic aesthetic while maintaining recognizable franchise identity.

Adam emphasizes that the graphics feel thoughtfully designed rather than cheap mobile knockoffs, with careful attention to detail throughout the presentation. The UI may resemble mobile conventions, but the underlying game systems remain complex and suited for traditional PC gaming audiences.

The comparison between Olden Era and genuinely exploitative mobile games reveals substantial differences in design philosophy and production values. While sharing some visual language with mobile titles, Olden Era maintains the strategic depth and complexity expected from PC strategy gaming.

Gameplay Complexity and Modern Features

Some players complained that Olden Era is more complicated than classic Heroes, but Adam argues this reflects how games have evolved as players have become more sophisticated. Modern audiences expect additional systems and features beyond what satisfied players two decades ago, requiring developers to balance faithful recreation with contemporary expectations.

Adam notes he never felt overwhelmed despite being a Paradox player accustomed to complex systems. The added complexity serves gameplay depth rather than overwhelming players with unnecessary busywork, maintaining accessibility while rewarding strategic thinking.

The spell screen received specific criticism for being unreadable, lacking the beautiful graphics and clear organization players expected. This represents one area where modernization failed to improve upon classic design, potentially requiring revision before full release.

Map Design Philosophy Concerns

Adam expresses concern about the apparent procedural generation of maps rather than handcrafted scenarios, which were central to Heroes 3’s lasting appeal. The demo featured three game modes: battle skirmish, standard Heroes gameplay with three available maps, and a single-hero variant designed for multiplayer.

The absence of clearly handcrafted maps raises questions about replayability and whether procedural generation can deliver the strategic depth and memorable scenarios that defined classic Heroes experiences. Random generation offers variety but potentially sacrifices the carefully balanced challenges that made specific Heroes 3 scenarios legendary.

Multiplayer Focus and Community Features

Adam noticed descriptions and tips suggesting significant multiplayer focus, including features allowing players to ban heroes from opponent selection. This competitive emphasis makes sense given Heroes 3’s tournament scene in Poland, but raises questions about single-player campaign priorities.

The single-hero game mode specifically targets multiplayer balance and faster competitive matches. However, the tutorial missions and available scenarios still maintain traditional Heroes single-player feel, suggesting the developers haven’t abandoned campaign experiences in favour of competitive play.

Developer Passion and Unknown Track Record

Adam researched the development team but found limited information about the studio’s previous work or experience. This unknown quantity represents both risk and opportunity, as Ubisoft essentially gambles on a relatively unproven team to revive a legendary franchise.

Watching development diaries revealed genuine passion from the team, reminding Adam of the Victoria 3 development team’s obvious excitement about their project. Developer enthusiasm doesn’t guarantee success, but suggests the team understands what makes Heroes special rather than treating it as a mercenary commercial project.

Given the franchise’s dormant state, experimental approaches with passionate smaller teams may prove wiser than entrusting Heroes to a large established studio that might impose inappropriate design philosophies or monetization schemes.

Jack’s First Heroes Experience

Tutorial Accessibility and Gameplay Loop

Jack found the tutorial missions engaging and accessible despite never playing previous Heroes games, with the hand-drawn fog of war and intuitive movement systems immediately appealing. The daily interaction with map structures to collect resources created satisfying gameplay loops without overwhelming new players with complexity.

The city building, while resembling mobile aesthetics, proved charming and functional rather than off-putting. Jack appreciated how the game clearly descended from classic Heroes design while modernizing presentation for contemporary audiences, making the older games on GOG still appealing despite dated graphics.

Turn-Based Combat Impressions

Jack enjoyed the turn-based combat systems and siege battles, finding them entertaining alongside resource management and city development. The combat maintained tactical depth while remaining accessible, allowing new players to understand basic concepts while suggesting advanced strategies for experienced commanders.

The siege mechanics specifically impressed Jack, though he acknowledges needing more time with sandbox modes to fully appreciate their strategic implications. The demo’s tutorial focus provided sufficient introduction without showcasing the full combat system’s possibilities.

Comparing to Civilization’s Accessibility

Jack notes how Civilization games feel remarkably accessible with intuitive flows that quickly engage players even after gaps between instalments. Heroes achieved similar accessibility despite different design philosophies, suggesting Olden Era successfully balances depth with approachability for new audiences.

This accessibility proves crucial for franchise revival, as solely appealing to existing Heroes fans limits commercial potential. Drawing in strategy gamers unfamiliar with the series while satisfying veterans represents a significant design challenge that Olden Era appears to navigate successfully.

Endless Legend 2: Emergent Storytelling Meets 4X

Civilization Mechanics with Paradox Depth

Jack describes Endless Legend 2 as essentially a Civilization-style game where players send settlers to found cities, expand territories tile by tile, and compete for natural resources and victory conditions. The familiar 4X framework provides accessible entry points for players experienced with other turn-based strategy games.

However, the game distinguishes itself through Paradox-style pop-up events and emergent storytelling that creates investment in specific campaigns beyond simple mechanical optimization. Anomalies and character interactions provide narrative context that transforms abstract strategic decisions into memorable story moments.

The combination creates what Jack describes as “playing Civ but if it was a Paradox game,” merging accessible 4X gameplay with the narrative depth and reactive storytelling that makes Paradox titles compelling beyond their mechanical systems.

Hero Management and RPG Elements

Heroes in Endless Legend 2 function like Heroes of Might and Magic rather than Civilization’s great people, embodying armies and developing individual skills and magic as they level up. Players invest in these characters personally, building their capabilities and assigning complementary troops to create effective combined forces.

The companion system allows two heroes to form bonds providing mutual bonuses when traveling together, creating emergent storytelling opportunities as players develop relationships between generated characters. These mechanics encourage players to create narratives around their heroes’ adventures rather than treating them as abstract statistical bonuses.

Jack found himself more invested in his hero roster than city development, spending considerable time optimizing hero builds and equipment. One hero specialized as a rogue archer, another as a cleric knight, and a third as a defensive tank, with Jack assigning troops and developing skills to enhance each character’s role.

Tidefall Mechanic and Map Evolution

The unique Tidefall mechanic progressively lowers ocean levels throughout the game, revealing more explorable map as eras advance. Each era begins with increasing storms and dangerous creatures, creating tension before the oceans recede to expose new territories, resources, and opportunities.

Jack initially worried that exposed areas might become flooded again at era’s end, creating temporary exploration windows, but the oceans simply continue lowering until completely gone. This permanent expansion rewards exploration and creates dynamic strategic situations as new territories become available for colonization and conflict.

The oceanic planet’s gradually lowering seas provides thematic justification while creating interesting gameplay progression. Early game focuses on limited coastal territories before mid and late game open up vast new regions, naturally pacing expansion and preventing early game sprawl.

Combat System Depth

Unlike Civilization’s automated battles, Endless Legend 2 features detailed turn-based tactical combat where players position units on hex grids considering terrain advantages. Each unit takes individual turns like turn-based RPG party members or tactics game soldiers, creating substantially more involved combat than typical 4X games.

The tactical layer demands consideration of unit stats, equipment, positioning, and terrain, transforming combat from abstract number comparisons into engaging mini-battles. This depth appeals to players seeking more involved combat systems while potentially overwhelming those preferring streamlined 4X experiences.

Discovery and Exploration Systems

Exploring the map reveals special buildings and locations with Paradox-style narrative pop-ups describing atmospheric details like soldiers approaching ruins and hearing strange noises. These encounters introduce characters offering services or presenting moral choices, creating memorable moments distinct from generic resource bonuses.

NPCs may offer assistance in exchange for immediate help, disappearing for many turns before returning to fulfill their promises or fail. This delayed consequence system creates investment in specific campaign narratives as players remember and anticipate resolution of earlier encounters.

Players discover dungeons to explore with their armies, fighting bosses for relics and special rewards. These adventure game elements integrate exploration rewards directly into gameplay rather than relegating discovery to abstract bonuses or flavour text.

Technical Issues and Endless Crashes

Jack experienced constant crashes approximately every 10 minutes throughout his playthrough, making “Endless Crash” an unfortunately apt nickname. Administrative mode, sandbox starts, and new saves failed to resolve the stability problems, creating significant frustration during the review process.

Despite severe technical issues, Jack remained sufficiently engaged to repeatedly reboot and continue playing, losing only minimal progress between crashes. This persistence testifies to the game’s compelling design, as even constant crashes couldn’t overcome Jack’s investment in his campaign and heroes.

The crashes represent the primary negative in an otherwise extremely positive first impression. If stability issues affect broader audiences, they could significantly impact reception despite strong underlying gameplay and design.

Comparing 4X Subgenres and Defining New Territory

Beyond Traditional Civilization Games

Adam argues that games like Endless Legend 2, Age of Wonders 4, and Songs of Conquest represent a distinct subgenre rather than simple Civilization alternatives. While superficially resembling 4X games with hex maps and city building, their focus on heroes, characters, and emergent narratives creates fundamentally different experiences.

Players seeking streamlined Civilization experiences may find these games unappealing due to hex-based tactical combat, equipment management, and character progression systems. The additional complexity and different strategic priorities serve different audience desires than traditional 4X optimization and expansion.

Character-Focused Strategy Design

The proposed subgenre emphasizes investment in individual characters over abstract civilization management, with gameplay focusing on hero development, army composition, and tactical combat rather than pure economic and technological optimization. Players build smaller, more specialized forces commanded by developed heroes rather than mass-producing generic units.

This design philosophy creates different strategic priorities where understanding individual unit capabilities, hero synergies, and tactical positioning matters more than raw production capacity or technological advancement speed. Victory emerges from superior tactical execution and character development rather than overwhelming numerical superiority.

Layered Mechanics and Paradox Influence

Adam describes how Paradox games build layers of mechanics upon layers, creating depth that initially intimidates but rewards sustained engagement. Games like Endless Legend 2 adopt similar philosophy, introducing multiple interconnected systems that create emergent complexity beyond any single mechanic.

When Adam played Endless Legend 1 years ago, the layered complexity felt overwhelming compared to streamlined Civilization games, but modern audiences increasingly expect and appreciate this depth. Features like hero family systems and complex diplomacy create richness that wouldn’t exist in simpler designs.

Naming the New Genre

The hosts struggle to name this emerging category, with suggestions including “heroes-like” games drawing parallels to “souls-like” or “vampire survivors-like” genre descriptors. However, no single game definitively established the template the way Dark Souls or Vampire Survivors did for their respective genres.

The category combines elements from 4X games, tactical RPGs, Heroes of Might and Magic, and Paradox-style narrative systems into something distinct from any single influence. Perhaps “character-focused strategy” or “hero-centric 4X” better describes the design philosophy than comparing to specific games.

Stellaris as the Paradox 4X Blueprint

Jack argues Stellaris succeeded as Paradox’s 4X game by combining Civilization-style planetary development with emergent storytelling through anomalies and character development. The game’s popularity demonstrates audience appetite for 4X experiences enhanced by narrative depth and character investment.

Stellaris planets, districts, and building systems resemble Civilization more than Victoria or Crusader Kings, but anomalies and scientist development create RPG-like investment. Scientists gain experience, traits, and unique stories through exploration, transforming them from abstract bonuses into characters players care about.

DLCs like Galactic Paragons further enhance character focus, introducing important figures with personal storylines and meaningful choices. This design evolution suggests Paradox recognized the appeal of character-driven narratives within grand strategy frameworks.

Publisher Landscape and Industry Context

Hooded Horse’s Growing Portfolio

The discussion reveals Hooded Horse’s significant role supporting both Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era and Endless Legend 2, alongside numerous other strategy titles. The publisher’s aggressive expansion into strategy gaming raises questions about long-term sustainability and whether they can maintain quality across an expanding portfolio.

The comparison to Embracer Group and Saber Interactive suggests potential concerns about overextension. While currently delivering quality products with effective marketing, rapid growth could strain resources and dilute the focused attention that makes their current releases successful.

Ubisoft’s Franchise Management

Ubisoft’s willingness to license or rent franchise rights suggests recognition that internal development wasn’t serving Heroes of Might and Magic effectively. Rather than continuing to mismanage the property, allowing external developers passionate about the series to attempt revival represents pragmatic business strategy.

This approach contrasts with Ubisoft’s handling of Anno, which maintained consistent identity across iterations despite changes. The different strategies reflect lessons learned about respecting franchise identities versus chasing broader market appeal at the cost of alienating core audiences.

Steam Next Fest Success

The Heroes demo’s availability through Steam Next Fest provides crucial exposure for the returning franchise, allowing sceptical audiences to experience the game before committing to purchase. This demo strategy demonstrates confidence in the product while addressing legitimate concerns about whether Olden Era successfully captures classic Heroes appeal.

The demo’s potential persistence beyond Next Fest could provide ongoing marketing value, continually introducing new players to the franchise and building community anticipation for full release.

Game Pass and Franchise Accessibility

Ubisoft Archive Integration

Despite controversy surrounding Game Pass, the service’s inclusion of Ubisoft Archive brings the entire Heroes of Might and Magic back catalogue to PC subscribers. This accessibility could introduce new audiences to the franchise’s history, building appreciation for what makes Olden Era’s return significant.

Adam specifically recommends starting with Heroes 3 or waiting for Olden Era rather than exploring weaker instalments. While franchise access provides value, the varying quality across entries means not all games represent the series effectively.

The timing proves fortuitous for Hooded Horse and the Olden Era developers, as increased franchise visibility through Game Pass could directly benefit the new instalment’s reception and sales.

Technical Quality and Release Concerns

Early Access Philosophy

Endless Legend 2’s technical state despite full release suggests treating it partially as early access, with developers posting roadmaps for upcoming features and improvements. This approach reflects modern reality where even “finished” games require substantial post-launch development and refinement.

The constant crashes Jack experienced represent serious quality concerns that could significantly impact reception if widespread. However, the underlying gameplay’s strength suggests the game could achieve strong success once stability improves.

Preview Build Reliability

Adam warns that impressive preview builds sometimes result in disappointing launches, urging caution about final release quality. The strategy gaming community has experienced numerous examples where promising demos preceded problematic launches, making scepticism about Olden Era’s final state reasonable.

However, both games currently available for play allow direct assessment rather than relying solely on preview coverage. This transparency helps audiences make informed decisions about purchase timing and expectations.

Looking Forward: The Renaissance of Fantasy Strategy

Genre Health and Diversity

Adam celebrates the abundance of quality strategy games across subgenres, from space 4X titles to heroes-like games to civilization builders. The variety provides options for different strategic preferences while maintaining overall genre health through competition and innovation.

Specific mentions include Songs of Conquest, Age of Wonders 4, Millennia, and Ara: History Untold alongside the reviewed titles. Each brings unique approaches to strategy gaming, collectively demonstrating the genre’s vitality and creative diversity.

The Return to Roots Movement

The episode contextualizes both games within broader industry trends of returning to franchise roots after years of misguided evolution. Major franchises across gaming currently attempt to recapture what made their classic entries special, learning from the failures of unnecessary innovation and change.

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era exemplifies this philosophy by explicitly modelling itself on the beloved third instalment rather than attempting to reinvent the series. Similarly, other upcoming titles like Dawn of War 4 aim to recapture original games’ appeal rather than iterating on less successful sequels.

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Episode Verdict

This episode successfully captures both the excitement and caution appropriate when evaluating major franchise returns and ambitious new strategy releases. Adam’s cultural perspective on Heroes of Might and Magic’s significance in Poland adds depth often missing from Western coverage, while Jack’s fresh eyes on both franchises provide valuable insights about accessibility and modern appeal. The discussion of potential new subgenres within strategy gaming proves particularly interesting, suggesting these titles represent evolution beyond traditional 4X conventions.

The technical issues plaguing Endless Legend 2 temper enthusiasm for an otherwise exceptional game, while Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era’s successful modernization of classic formula demonstrates how to respect franchise heritage while updating for contemporary audiences. Both games justify attention from strategy enthusiasts, with caveats about launch quality and final feature sets.

Next Episode: New Year, New Game.