Code provided with thanks to Hooded Horse.
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era – Bringing Back the Magic
Heroes of Might and Magic is a long-running, beloved strategy series from the golden days of PC gaming. I’ll be honest, despite my love for retro, I’ve never played the classic game, so I approached Olden Era with curiosity and a little bit of hesitation. These kinds of games can be pretty intimidating, especially for someone new to the genre.
Thankfully, after spending some time with the demo, I walked away pleasantly surprised. Olden Era manages to capture that classic strategy feeling while being welcoming enough for beginners to enjoy. It’s shaping up to be a confident return for the series, with a blend of nostalgia and modern design that works nicely.
Easing You Into the Experience
The demo offered a short but well-structured selection of content, including a tutorial and three different game modes. Starting with the tutorial, I was immediately struck by how much there is to learn, from exploring the map and gathering resources to recruiting new soldiers and commanding your army in battle.
There’s a lot to take in, but the tutorial balances detail with accessibility quite well”. Helpful visual cues and clear text kept me from getting lost, and by the end, I felt like I’d grasped the basics. It seems the full release will include more advanced tutorials too, which should be great for anyone (like me) who’s still learning the ropes.
Epic Battles
The heart of Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era lies in its battles, and this is where I spent most of my time. One of the demo’s quick-play modes lets you jump straight into combat against an AI opponent, ideal for players who just want to get stuck in.
You start by picking some combatants, dragons, necromancers, minotaurs, and other fantasy favourites. Next choose your commander and special abilities. There’s a lot of strategy even before the battle begins, you can spend ages fine-tuning your setup… or just hit random and dive straight in, which I often did.
Once the battle starts, the goal is simple: wipe out your opponent. Units take turns moving and attacking across a hex-grid map, each with its own strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. Some are melee specialists, others excel at ranged attacks or spellcasting. Commanders have powerful abilities of their own that can turn the tide, like devastating area spells or healing allies.
It all feels like a thrilling, tactical game of chess, except your pieces are more varied with fantasy creatures. Watching your troops execute a plan perfectly, or calling down a well-timed spell, is incredibly satisfying.
Strategy That Keeps Going
Another mode called classic in the demo gave me a taste of the more traditional Heroes of Might and Magic experience, exploring a large, randomly generated world map filled with resources to collect, enemies to battle, and secrets to uncover.
As you explore, fog lifts from the map, slowly revealing more of the world. You’ll make decisions constantly, whether to grab extra experience to strengthen your army or collect gold for future reinforcements. I appreciated how the game warns you about enemy difficulty before you engage, so you can gauge your chances rather than walk blindly into a massacre.
Even though I struggled a bit (I won’t lie, strategy games aren’t my strongest suit), I still found myself eager to try again. Multiple difficulty settings helped keep things manageable, and the sense of progression was rewarding even after a few defeats.
Fantasy Vibes Done Right
Visually, Olden Era nails the fantasy theme. Each faction has its own look and personality, from noble knights and nature-loving Sylvans to darker, creepier undead forces. The pixel art-style cutscenes and pastel-toned intro sequence set a great tone for the adventure ahead.
The music also deserves a mention. The orchestral score perfectly complements the game’s epic battles and sweeping exploration. Longtime fans will be pleased to know that legendary series composer Paul Anthony Romero returns for this one, joined by Cris Velasco (God of War, Bloodborne) and the talented *Heroes Orchestra. It’s an impressive lineup, and it shows. The soundtrack already feels grand and cinematic.
Final Thoughts: Changing My Mind
As someone completely new to Heroes of Might and Magic, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The strategy genre can be pretty dense, but Olden Era managed to ease me in gently while still feeling deep and rewarding.
By the time I wrapped up the demo, I found myself wanting more. The mix of turn-based tactics, resource management, and exploration clicked with me far more than I expected. And if a demo can turn a newcomer like me into someone genuinely curious about the full release, that’s a good sign.
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is currently listed as “coming soon” on Steam. Whether you’re a longtime fan or someone like me stepping into the series for the first time, this game is absolutely worth checking out; it might just win you over, too.
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