Might and Magic X: Legacy Review

Perhaps the Might & Magic franchise no longer possesses the brand power it once had, but it certainly does not lack devoted fans. In recent years, it has periodically appeared before our eyes, but it has not moved in the direction that old-school fans were expecting. However, Might & Magic X: Legacy turned out to be so old-school that it was more than enough.

Legend of Grimlock proved that the market is open to embracing retro RPGs, so Ubisoft and Limbic Entertainment set to work on a sequel to Might & Magic, the story of which begins after the events of Might and Magic Heroes VI.

Let’s remind you that the sixth iteration of the strategy game in the M&M world was released in 2011 and told the story of dark times when humanity was betrayed by angels in the battle against the dark side of the world and its demonic inhabitants, which led to catastrophic consequences. In general, people have suffered.

But now it is 2014, and players are returning to Ashan. At first, gamers will be shown a short animated intro that briefly outlines the state of affairs in the new world, and only then will they be thrown into a new story, becoming the leader of a small group of adventurers in the battle at Agyn Peninsula. This is a tale of glory, gold, and beer, where many different plots will converge, as the player is drawn into a massive quest where they will once again become the arbiter of the world’s fate.

But ultimately, this is a game about the same beloved cave clearing.

There are many games on the market that try to flirt with old-school, but Might and Magic X: Legacy is cut from a different cloth. It’s an old-school adventure of the kind where you hear your father, standing behind you, reminiscing about wielding a two-handed Flamberge and hacking a horde of bloodthirsty demons into tiny pieces back in the distant year of 1993. And you turn around, barely holding back a smile that widens with each passing second, and shout, “HUGS!”

It’s a concentrated M&M experience minus the technological gloss and marketing that no game can do without today. I, however, understand this approach. So, at the beginning, the player needs to assemble their team of Raiders. You have several options – play with a “pre-set” group, gather a gang of orcs only, or recruit a balanced team consisting of an elf, a dwarf, an orc, and a human.

Each character type has its own advantages – for example, the elf can use sinister magic, while the orc has no equal in attack. At this stage, you need to distribute points to different skills that will determine the growth of your group and its unique traits. And after that, you can get into a fight!

Might and Magic: Legacy is a game that knows where its roots come from. That’s why many fans of more recent games are drawn to it. Sixth Sword and Magic They remained dissatisfied. You move through squares – that is, being on one of these squares, you can move not anywhere, but in one of the four directions – wandering from one city and dungeon to another. But if you were playing the role of a simple nomad, it would be boring, so sooner or later you will have to engage in battle.

Turn-based combat. What retro game is complete without turn-based battles? Usually, enemies attack from the front, but if someone attacks you from the flank, don’t be surprised. That is, it’s not Skyrim, but the good old tactical brawl. Will you retreat into a deep defense if a huge spider jumps out right in front of you? Or will you debuff it to weaken its armor and shoot a couple of fire arrows, completely ignoring that part of your brain that persistently demands to take cover with a shield?

In general, the concept is quite simple, and it’s not that difficult to understand. But in battles, there is a certain elegance that needs to be mastered, unless you’re not one of those people – like me – who don’t mind spending twenty minutes throwing poison potions at a spider and poking it with axes and hatchets until it dies. This game is not for the faint-hearted, and there is no room for error – if you are poorly prepared and die, you will have to start over from the previous save.

But once you catch the rhythm, you start casting spells and skillfully attacking the enemy’s weak spots. In many ways, it reminds me of a session of Dungeons and Dragons, except that I don’t get punched in the side if I do something wrong.

The monsters also seem more interesting than the usual rabble encountered in RPGs, and each of these monsters requires a special battle technique. When engaging in a fight, you need to stay flexible and switch from one tactic to another, juggling enemies, and that’s quite challenging.

That’s where a versatile team comes in handy – an elf can quickly cast some devastating combo, followed by old-fashioned steel. It’s a truly special tactical RPG – I’ve never experienced anything like it before.

Speaking of character creation, genre fans will surely be delighted. There are four races, twelve classes, and a whole bunch of various options, which means you can assemble your team with archetypal fighters like rangers, mages, warriors, and support, i.e., class bonuses will stack up and create specific combinations. Moreover, you can expect familiar character progression – you distribute experience points as you see fit and eventually unlock various specializations.

By battling enemies and visiting trainers and senseis scattered around the world, players progress and improve their skills – from novice to grandmaster. However, allocating points wisely is necessary because once the final decision is made, there is no turning back.

Legacy can rightfully be called a huge game, and the gameplay at times resembles a typical grind due to its “square” movement type. The game world itself is quite beautiful, but to admire its beauty, one must navigate through old-school relics. For example, if you want to look left and up, you have to move your hands across the entire keyboard – I really miss the familiar “WASD plus mouse” controls.

Furthermore, the game boasts decent graphics that can be handled by an average PC, although one should not expect any mind-blowing HD wonders. However, there is a pixelated mode, a nod to those who remember what a VooDoo 3000 Graphics Accelerator card is.

What adds replayability to the game is the ability to tinker with its internals and engage in modding. This time, Ubisoft not only allows it but actively encourages new creative achievements – the access button to the editor is right in the middle of the main menu. In general, when the game becomes available, it makes sense to expect a bunch of modding creations.

It is evident that Might and Magic X: Legacy aims for niche games. It is not Skyrim; such RPGs have not been made for a long time. However, this game is filled with a ton of love and adoration. Perhaps a little polishing would not hurt the new M&M, but it remains captivating and will surely challenge your gray matter.