Heroes of the Olden Era Review: A Glorious March Backward (In the Best Way Possible)

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is a turn-based fantasy strategy game developed by Unfrozen and published by Hooded Horse. It’s the long-awaited return of a legendary franchise that has been sitting quietly in a tower for about a decade, presumably reading spellbooks and waiting for the right moment to reappear dramatically.

Set as a prequel in the world of Enroth (specifically the continent of Jadame), the game blends classic Heroes DNA—kingdom management, hex-grid battles, and hero-led armies—with modern design tweaks. And honestly? It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. It just polishes it, adds spikes, and mounts it on a dragon.

Critics have already called it a “brilliant strategy game” and a “triumphant return,” which is about as high praise as you can get without someone composing a bard song about it.

Story and Narrative

The story in Olden Era is… there. But like a polite house guest, it doesn’t demand too much attention.

You’re transported to Jadame, a previously unexplored region in the Might and Magic universe, where multiple factions—knights, undead, nature spirits, and other fantasy staples—are forced to deal with a looming apocalyptic threat.

The central conflict revolves around a rising enemy force (hello, Dragonfly King and insect army), pushing rival factions into uneasy alliances.

Now, is it groundbreaking storytelling? Not exactly. You won’t find morally gray philosophical debates or plot twists that make you question reality. This is classic high fantasy:

• Evil rises
• Heroes gather
• Dragons probably get involved

But here’s the thing—it works.

The narrative is more of a framework than a centerpiece. It gives context to your conquests without getting in the way of the real star of the show: gameplay. Think of it like the bread in a sandwich. Necessary, but you’re really here for the meat (and by meat, I mean armies of skeleton archers).

Gameplay and Controls

This is where Olden Era stops being polite and starts being fantastic.

At its core, the gameplay loop is classic Heroes:

• Build towns
• Gather resources
• Recruit armies
• Send a hero out to conquer the world (or at least annoy your neighbors)

Exploration happens on a strategic map covered in fog of war, and battles take place on a hex grid where positioning, abilities, and synergy matter more than brute force.

But the modern additions are what really elevate things:

• Hero Progression – Heroes now have deeper skill trees with customizable subskills. This means your hero can evolve into anything from a spell-slinging menace to a walking tank with a personality problem.
• Faction Laws – Each faction gets unique bonuses that shape your strategy. It’s like choosing a personality trait for your entire kingdom—“Aggressive Expansionist” or “We Prefer Not to Die.”
• Active Abilities & Focus Resource – Units can now use special abilities powered by a shared resource system, adding layers of tactical decision-making. Translation: your units aren’t just standing there politely waiting to be hit anymore—they’re teleporting, summoning, and generally causing chaos.
• Multiple Modes – From full campaigns to arena-style battles and multiplayer, there’s a lot to chew on.

The Slightly Annoying Bits

Even greatness has its quirks. From community feedback, some players note that:

“Some maps are way too big… it took me an hour to run into someone.”

Others mention AI inconsistencies and occasional balance issues, especially in early builds.

So yes, sometimes you’ll feel like you’re managing a medieval logistics company instead of conquering a fantasy world. But when everything clicks? It’s glorious.

Audio and Visual Design

Visually, Olden Era walks a fine line between nostalgia and modernization.

The art style is colorful, detailed, and clearly inspired by Heroes of Might and Magic III, but with modern polish.

• Towns are vibrant
• Units are distinct
• Maps are packed with detail

However, not everyone is sold on the look. Some players feel it leans a bit too “clean” or “mobile-game-ish” compared to the gritty charm of older titles.

“Overdone… lacking contrast… plastic UI.”

That said, others appreciate the clarity and readability, especially during large-scale battles.

Audio

The music and sound design do their job well:

• Epic fantasy tracks? Check
• Satisfying combat sounds? Check
• Occasional urge to declare war because the soundtrack got too intense? Also check

It’s not revolutionary, but it complements the experience nicely.

Content and Replay Value

If you’re worried about running out of things to do, don’t be.

Olden Era is packed with content:

• Campaign missions
• Random map generation
• Multiplayer modes
• Arena battles
• Map editor

The random maps alone can keep you busy for hundreds of hours, especially if you’re the kind of person who says, “Just one more turn,” and then accidentally watches the sunrise.

Different factions, hero builds, and strategies mean no two playthroughs feel exactly the same.

However, being in Early Access, some players feel certain areas still need more polish or variety.

“Some things could use polish… the game almost shines too much?”

Still, for a game at this stage, the amount of content is impressive.

Performance and Technical Requirements

Here’s where we talk about the elephant in the room… or rather, the slightly buggy dragon.

The game is currently in Early Access, which means:

• Some bugs
• Occasional UI issues
• AI that sometimes behaves like it forgot its morning coffee

Players have reported:

• Save/load quirks
• UI clunkiness (especially early on)
• AI inconsistencies

That said, the developers are actively updating the game and responding to feedback. And despite these issues, the core experience is already strong.

Also worth noting: the game launched to extremely positive reception, with around 90%+ positive user reviews and massive early sales (over 500,000 copies in the first 3 days!).

So while it’s not flawless, it’s far from broken.

Final Scores

• Introduction / Concept: 9/10
• Story and Narrative: 7.5/10
• Gameplay and Controls: 9.5/10
• Audio and Visual Design: 8/10
• Content and Replay Value: 9/10
• Performance and Technical State: 7.5/10

Overall Score:

Summary

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is exactly what fans wanted—and honestly, what the genre needed.

It doesn’t try to reinvent strategy games or chase trends. Instead, it doubles down on what made the series great:

• Deep tactical gameplay
• Meaningful progression
• Endless replayability

Yes, the story won’t win awards.
Yes, the AI occasionally has the strategic depth of a confused pigeon.
And yes, Early Access means a few rough edges.

But when you’re 6 hours into a match, carefully positioning your army, planning your next move, and whispering “just one more turn” for the 47th time… none of that really matters.

This is a game that respects its roots while still evolving just enough to feel fresh. It’s nostalgic without being stuck in the past, and modern without losing its soul.

In short:
If you like strategy games, you should play it.
If you love Heroes of Might and Magic, you probably already are.

And if you don’t like turn-based strategy… well, this might be the one that converts you.

Just don’t blame me when you forget what time it is.