After a spotty first release and subsequent patching, "Heroes of Might and Magic IV" has shaped up to be a worthy addition to the long-running series. "Winds of War," the second expansion pack for HOMMIV-hungry players is now on store shelves. This week on "Extended Play" we find out if "Winds of War" is an invigorating blast or nothing but hot air.
Bare-bones expansion
Unlike other turn-based strategy games, the "Heroes of Might and Magic" series has never included a random map generator. Players are stuck with the included campaign, stand-alone scenarios, and whatever else they can create with the map editor. Expansion packs for the series always focused on adding new maps instead of radical changes in the core gameplay. "Winds of War" follows this trend with six new campaigns. Each chronicles a fierce new leader's attempt to invade the land of Channon. The story has never been a strong suit in the series and it's no different in "Winds of War." But the maps you must play through in each campaign are of good quality and will provide hours of enjoyment for the "Heroes" veteran.
The game engine and rules, which underwent a dramatic change with the introduction of "HOMMIV," have not grown stale. The detailed graphics still manage to look terrific. In hindsight, the rule changes and additions to the series also work well, even after repeated play. "Winds of War" only adds a few new creature types and buildings where they can be recruited. The monsters themselves predictably fall into the "uber-powerful" category and feel like an afterthought. Still, they've been integrated into the campaigns slickly enough for players to get a feel for the critters.
What's my motivation?
Although a fair number of stand-alone scenarios are included in "Winds of War," the level of quality ranges from good to bad. Many of them are player-created maps and it's a questionable practice to charge money for such amateur material -- whether they're "contest winners" as the back of the box states or not. The bottom line is that for the price of an expansion pack there should be more professional content here.
Cue crash of cymbals
Dramatic musical scores are a hallmark of the Heroes series. "Winds of War" adds several new songs that work well with the setting and material. This is one area where the expansion doesn't skimp.
Too little, too soon
This second expansion pack release for "HOMMIV" in less than a year makes you wonder if this is worth the price. The core game is still excellent, but offering a handful of new campaigns and maps without even attempting stir up the gameplay feels like a gyp. It's a by-the-book expansion as far as the "Heroes" games go. Compared to other, more robust expansion packs for similar games, it's spitting in the face of the paying customer. "Extended Play" gives "Heroes of Might and Magic IV: Winds of War" a 2 out of 5.
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