Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era — a worthy return to the classic fantasy

The new installment in the legendary turn-based strategy series, Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era, has launched on PC. Despite some shortcomings, the game manages to capture the magic of the beloved 1999 classic, Heroes III, better than any previous sequel.

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era has arrived on PC, marking a significant moment for fans of the iconic turn-based strategy franchise — a series that has enjoyed a passionate following, particularly across Russia and Eastern Europe. For decades, developers struggled to recreate the spark of Heroes of Might and Magic III, which launched in 1999 and became one of the most beloved strategy games of its era.

Olden Era is being hailed as the closest any successor has come to recapturing that legendary atmosphere. While the game is not without its flaws, reviewers note that it delivers the fantasy adventure feeling that longtime fans have been waiting years to experience again. Journalist Georgy Birger, who reviewed the title, praised the game's ability to transport players back to the childhood nostalgia of dungeon exploration, castle building, and epic turn-based combat.

The Heroes franchise has had a rocky road since its golden age. Multiple sequels and spin-offs received mixed receptions from the devoted fanbase, with many feeling that developers missed what made the original games special. Olden Era appears to have studied those missteps carefully, blending modern design sensibilities with the core mechanics that defined the series.

Despite some acknowledged shortcomings — which reviewers have not fully detailed — the consensus is that Olden Era represents a genuine gift to fans who have long waited for a worthy new chapter. For those who grew up raiding dungeons and commanding fantasy armies in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the new installment offers a compelling reason to return to the world of might and magic.