Heroes of Might & Magic V

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,150 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Heroes of Might & Magic V Game Cover
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Heroes of Might & Magic V is a turn-based strategy game set in a rich fantasy universe, where players must lead hero characters, assemble armies, and defeat enemies using the active-time battle system. The game boasts cutting-edge 3D graphics and a sophisticated modern fantasy universe, with a focus on building and managing forces to achieve victory in both offline and online modes. Players must defend against demon swarms and uncover the secret goal of the Demon lords to save the world from chaos.

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Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,150 reviews
story61 positive mentions
stability15 negative mentions
  • HoMM5 is considered one of the best games in the Heroes series, offering a nostalgic experience for fans.
  • The game features well-balanced gameplay, a fun campaign, and a variety of factions with unique abilities.
  • It has great graphics for its time, enjoyable music, and is highly addictive, making it a great choice for strategy game lovers.
  • The game suffers from bugs and glitches that can hinder progress, particularly in campaign missions.
  • Some players find the campaign difficulty uneven, with certain missions being frustratingly hard.
  • The AI can be unbalanced, often leading to situations where it feels like the player is at a disadvantage due to the AI's ability to spawn large armies unexpectedly.
  • story195 mentions

    The story in "Heroes of Might and Magic V" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its classic fantasy elements and intricate lore, while others criticize it for being cliché and poorly executed. Many reviews highlight the engaging campaign structure, featuring multiple factions and missions, but also note significant issues such as bugs and frustrating difficulty spikes that detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the narrative has its charms, it often feels underdeveloped and hampered by lackluster writing and voice acting.

    • “With its intricate storyline, diverse set of heroes, and detailed fantasy world, it offers a rich gaming experience.”
    • “In Heroes of Might and Magic V, you follow a classic story about saving the kingdom, repelling invading factions like demons, undead, and creatures of the deep, and becoming the hero that saves the day.”
    • “The campaign is fun and challenging with an interesting story and lore.”
    • “However, the cringe and cliché story really hammed it up to 1000% and had me laughing at the amount of tropes they were able to fit into one storyline.”
    • “Ubisoft and Nival decided to scrap the rich and beautiful lore of the previous games, and now what we've got instead is an absolute disaster of a story that can only be described as an utter disappointment.”
    • “The writing is laughably bad at times (as is the voice acting), the story is predictable and very generic, and the whole plot overall feels like a discount store version of Heroes 3's campaign, Restoration of Erathia.”
  • graphics157 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reflecting its mid-2000s release, but many players still find them acceptable and even enjoyable for their time. While some appreciate the colorful and cartoonish art style, others feel it lacks the charm of earlier entries in the series. Overall, the visuals are seen as a mixed bag, with decent design and animations that complement the engaging gameplay, though they may not meet the expectations of players accustomed to modern graphics.

    • “The graphics are impressive for the time, and the various factions and units are all well-designed and visually distinct.”
    • “Great graphics, addicting gameplay, and overall a nicely designed game in many different aspects.”
    • “The graphics are great for the time and the animations of the units and environmental buildings are nicely done.”
    • “The graphics are outdated, but the gameplay and story are very good.”
    • “I'm normally the last person to complain about graphics but these graphics have aged so poorly.”
    • “The graphics of the game are fairly basic and even for their time they weren’t anything special.”
  • gameplay116 mentions

    The gameplay of Heroes of Might and Magic V is generally praised for its addictive and well-balanced mechanics, offering a rich and engaging turn-based strategy experience. While some players note that the graphics are dated and the writing could be improved, the core gameplay remains enjoyable and accessible, with a good mix of exploration, combat, and faction progression. Overall, it provides hours of replayability and is considered a solid entry in the series, appealing to both newcomers and veterans alike.

    • “Well balanced, addictive gameplay, plenty of content and fun campaign, good music, pleasant graphics.”
    • “The gameplay is simple to pick up, but there's a lot of room for difficulty and min-maxing games.”
    • “Amazing gameplay, with an incredibly long campaign, and some of the best soundtracks, fitting for each faction.”
    • “The gameplay is tedious, strategy is lacking, storyline is bland.”
    • “Mindless animations laying over the top of impeded gameplay make for an extremely frustrating experience.”
    • “The gameplay in itself is bad enough and due to the lack of being able to even out unbalances during the game's progress and the dishonest presentation doesn't help either - but on the other hand, the game is also very addicting, has great potential and the fantasy aesthetics are gripping.”
  • music53 mentions

    The music in the game receives a mixed reception, with many praising its composition by veteran Paul Anthony Romero, highlighting its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere and gameplay experience. While some players find the soundtrack fantastic and nostalgic, others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking the charm of earlier titles in the series. Overall, the music is generally considered a strong aspect, though opinions vary on its memorability and variety.

    • “The game's atmosphere, storyline, and music all add up and provide hours of gameplay.”
    • “The music is also fantastic as it was composed by the series veteran composer Paul Anthony Romero, and it's always a joy to listen to.”
    • “Amazing gameplay, with an incredibly long campaign, and some of the best soundtracks, fitting for each faction.”
    • “But the music in V could really use some new tracks; I find myself throwing on a Spotify playlist and basically muting the game music because it's just too repetitive.”
    • “The voice acting is subpar, the music is lacking compared to IV, and the combat is boring.”
    • “The soundtrack isn't as good as earlier HOMM editions either.”
  • replayability19 mentions

    Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its diverse factions, strategies, and gameplay mechanics, with many players noting the enjoyment of experimenting with different heroes and tactics. While some aspects, like the lack of a random map generator, may slightly diminish replay value after completing the campaign, expansions and multiplayer modes significantly enhance the experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's charm and addictive nature, making it a title that players return to repeatedly.

    • “It somehow manages to be accessible and ungodly replayable at the same time.”
    • “Awesome upgrade of the game series - ultimately replayable :)”
    • “An excellent game with plenty of replayability that will keep you entertained for hours on end.”
    • “Coupled with the lack of a random map generator, this means that the base Heroes 5 has a somewhat lower replay value after you've played the scenarios and finished the campaign, at least compared to HoF which brought the RMG back.”
    • “While this one flaw weakens the replay value a little, the game is still well worth the money and time, as it is wicked fun!”
    • “For this game by itself without the DLC, it costs a mere $9.99 and offers many hours of gameplay and has endless replayability with the multiplayer mode (which you can play solo as well against as few as one or up to 8 AI competitors).”
  • stability18 mentions

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, including campaign objectives that are uncompletable and frequent freezes. While some players noted that it runs well on Linux with Proton, the overall consensus is that the game is plagued by game-breaking issues, making it frustrating and unplayable for many.

    • “It also runs great on Linux with Proton.”
    • “Few bugs/glitches.”
    • “The Tears of Asha objectives are buggy and prevent you from completing campaign and single scenarios.”
    • “I was very excited to play this, but when I open it, it just freezes :(”
    • “I installed this on my Windows 10 PC and it was too buggy to play.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    The reviews indicate that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, often leading to a tedious and frustrating experience for players. While some appreciate the high replay value and fun elements, many find the campaign overly reliant on grinding, with lengthy chapters and sudden difficulty spikes that can make progress feel punishing. Overall, the gameplay is described as lacking in strategy and often devolving into a monotonous slog.

    • “This game is nothing but eternal grinding, and although I understand the appeal of a perpetual easter egg hunt, where one is immediately rewarded with little easter eggs - each level takes so long it is simply downright punishing.”
    • “There are some events that make this worse, like traveling from land to sea which takes up an entire turn, making it even more tedious, or your hero just having a low step count while you are in a large map.”
    • “This starts out as fun with nice graphics but soon degenerates into a tedious slugfest where the AI spawns at lightning speed no matter what you do, turning your whole experience into an exercise in total frustration.”
  • humor9 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying the over-the-top tropes and funny cutscenes, while others found the humor to be cringe-worthy or inconsistent. Characters like Raelag and Zehir are noted for their comedic moments, though not all characters resonate equally. Overall, while there are moments of genuine humor, many players felt it didn't significantly enhance their experience.

    • “However, the cringe and cliché story really hammed it up to 1000% and had me laughing at the amount of tropes they were able to fit into one storyline.”
    • “But here's the kicker – the humor!”
    • “The characters' dialogue is well written, and while some of the humor falls flat, I found myself chuckling enough when it was trying to be humorous.”
  • atmosphere6 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its engaging mechanics, music, and nostalgic elements, evoking a sense of familiarity and immersion. While some players feel it doesn't quite reach the heights of previous titles in the series, there are notable improvements that enhance the overall experience. The combination of storyline, music, and character interactions contributes to a captivating and enjoyable gameplay atmosphere.

    • “I'm not really into the series and this was my first one, but the atmosphere of the game, the mechanics, and the music were all really nice.”
    • “The game's atmosphere, storyline, and music all add up and provide hours of gameplay.”
    • “Looking back at the game in comparison with King's Bounty, I think I prefer the latter in terms of graphics, mechanics, story, and overall atmosphere.”
    • “And while, for me, it doesn't really match the fantasy atmosphere heights of III, there's a notable amount of improvements here.”
    • “Dripping in atmosphere, HOMM5 reminds you of sitting at your parents' beige PC, MSN Messenger pinging away in the background.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    Overall, users report mixed experiences with optimization; while some praise significant improvements over the previous generation in various game aspects, others encounter serious performance issues, including black screens and installation problems, particularly when using Proton.

    • “The overall system is much more optimized than the 3rd generation: the tech tree, the hero's abilities, the magic spells, the units, and the map design... I've already played about 25 hours in 2 days; it's a very solid game so far.”
    • “Seems like a bad optimization.”
    • “Ridiculously bad optimization.”
    • “I had performance issues and the game only opened when installed in the same directory with Steam.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a nostalgic soundtrack that evokes strong feelings, with players noting that the familiar tunes elicit heartfelt memories and even tears.

    • “The soundtrack is more than good; the feeling when you notice the 'recycled' tunes from the background music is very heartwarming.”
    • “I cried; it brought back so many memories.”
  • character development2 mentions

    The game features a robust character development system complemented by a well-written story and engaging multi-hero battles, resulting in a polished experience. Additionally, the character design is praised for its quality, enhancing the overall appeal of the game.

    • “The character development system is excellent, featuring a really well-written story and engaging multi-hero battles, making this a polished product.”
    • “The character design is fantastic.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The game is praised for its enjoyable, old-school style and is notable for being free of microtransactions, which enhances the overall experience by avoiding common monetization pitfalls.

    • “The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
    • “It's frustrating that essential features are locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending extra.”
    • “The constant barrage of ads and in-game purchases detracts from the overall experience, making it feel more like a cash grab than a game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

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Play time

117hMedian play time
187hAverage play time
20-406hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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