{"id":7070735,"date":"2026-10-01T02:58:25","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T02:58:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7070735"},"modified":"2026-10-01T02:58:25","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T02:58:25","slug":"heroes-chronicles-present-perfect-gaming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7070735","title":{"rendered":"Heroes Chronicles – Present Perfect Gaming"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Contents<\/strong>:<\/h2>\n

The Intro<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Game<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Replay<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Verdict<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Intro<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Title:<\/strong> Heroes Chronicles<\/p>\n

Release year:<\/strong> 2000<\/p>\n

Developed by:<\/strong> New World Computing<\/p>\n

Genre:<\/strong> Turn-based strategy<\/p>\n

Platform replayed on:<\/strong> PC<\/p>\n

Just one more turn.<\/p>\n

As I wrote in my replay of Heroes of Might and Magic II<\/em><\/a>, it wasn\u2019t the Civilization<\/em> series that introduced me to the \u201cjust one more turn\u201d syndrome.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Heroes of Might and Magic II (1996)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I also wrote that the third entry, Heroes of Might and Magic III<\/em> (1999), was probably my favourite in the series.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
A significant visual upgrade in Heroes of Might and Magic III gave this series a more cinematic, less animated look.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I played countless hours in the early 2000s, and have considered featuring it here on Present Perfect Gaming<\/a> for a while now. The decision to actually do so was brought about from my recent discovery that the expansions to Heroes of Might and Magic III<\/em>, Armageddon\u2019s Blade <\/em>(1999) and The Shadow of Death <\/em>(2000), were not the only expansions\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Heroes of Might and Magic III: Armageddon\u2019s Blade<\/em> campaign mission select screen<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Heroes Chronicles<\/em> was a series of campaigns released in eight standalone instalments through 2000-2001, following the release of The Shadow of Death<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Shadow of Death<\/em>\u2014campaign select screen<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It appears these instalments were designed as a lower-cost entry point to the main Heroes of Might and Magic III<\/em> game. They don\u2019t feature multiplayer, single-player non-campaign scenarios, or the map editor function.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
No multiplayer in Heroes Chronicles, opposed to the many options in the main game.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To me it looks like an early form of episodic content, which I became familiar with in the mid-2000s with games developed by Telltale Games (such as the Sam & Max<\/em><\/a> series). After all, if you bought all of these Heroes Chronicles<\/em> releases, I\u2019m sure you would have ended up spending much more than the cost of the main game and its two sequels\u2026<\/p>\n

But I digress. How did I not know that there was more to Heroes of Might and Magic III<\/em>?? It\u2019s also been on GOG.com<\/a> for over ten years and I\u2019ve never picked up on it.<\/p>\n

My only defence is that the \u201cMight and Magic\u201d phrase doesn\u2019t appear in the title of Heroes Chronicles<\/em>. (I\u2019ll admit that\u2019s a weak defence\u2026)<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
No \u201cMight and Magic\u201d here<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Having just discovered the existence of Heroes Chronicles<\/em>, I thought it was a good opportunity to revisit an old favourite, but be able to experience it through a new campaign.<\/p>\n

The Game<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Heroes Chronicles<\/em> continues the fantasy turn-based strategy tradition established with the release of Heroes of Might and Magic<\/em> (1995), and is essentially a series of standalone expansions to Heroes of Might and Magic III<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Heroes of Might and Magic (1995)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first instalment, or chapter, in Heroes Chronicles<\/em> is titled Warlords of the Wasteland<\/em>. It\u2019s actually set before the events in Heroes of Might and Magic III<\/em>, and follows the rise of Tarnum, a barbarian hero. Throughout this first chapter in Heroes Chronicles<\/em>, you lead Tarnum through eight campaign missions.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
The spotlight shines on Tarnum.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gameplay is the same as it has always been in Heroes of Might and Magic<\/em>. From the strategic map, you control Tarnum and any other heroes for hire you acquire. From this view, you move your heroes and their forces around the map. Each turn is one day, with heroes having a limited amount of movement available to them each day. The strategic map is all about exploration, acquisition of resources, and conquering territory.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Heroes on a map<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To build your forces, you need to control and maintain your towns and castles. These bases serve to generate military units. Building new structures provides access to new units.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Tarnum comes to town.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But to build these structures, particularly those generating more powerful units, you will need those all-important resources.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Acquiring an Alchemist Lab<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Often, to gain control of resource-generating structures, you\u2019ll need to fight for it. This brings you to the tactical map, where you control your hero and their forces on the battlefield.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Switching to the tactical map for battle<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You\u2019ll also need to head out onto the battlefield when you come across enemy heroes and towns.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Laying siege<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s often the familiar formula of securing your resources, building up your forces, and taking out your enemies that will bring success in Heroes Chronicles<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
A glorious victory for Tarnum<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are roleplaying-game elements, as Tarnum and any other heroes you recruit can level up, mostly through experience gained from combat. Hero levels provide primary skill increases, which predominantly aid you on the battlefield.<\/p>\n

Levelling up also provides access to secondary skills, which your heroes can utilise on or off the battlefield depending on the skill. For example, the Logistics and Pathfinding skills provide more movement and make it easier to traverse difficult terrain, where the Leadership skill provides better morale to your units on the battlefield, making it more likely they\u2019ll gain bonus attacks.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Tarnum levels up.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Levelling up is important, as you lead Tarnum in each campaign scenario, and usually carry your other heroes forward as well. It\u2019s a lot better bringing experienced heroes with you into a new mission than recruiting new ones.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Dessa the Battle Mage gains a level.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another roleplaying element is inventory management. Tarnum and your other heroes can acquire artifacts, from exploration as well as from defeated enemy heroes. These artifacts can be equipped on the hero, and can provide bonuses such as increasing primary skills in combat or increasing resource generation.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Acquiring an artifact<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019re new to the Heroes of Might and Magic<\/em> series, I provide a more in-depth overview of the gameplay in my replay of Heroes of Might and Magic II<\/em><\/a>. Though a different game, the underlying engine is similar.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Town view\u2014Heroes of Might and Magic II<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With that said, I think it\u2019s time we join lowly Tarnum the Barbarian and see how he became an immortal king\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Tarnum\u2019s initial home base\u2014not much to look at, yet\u2026<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Replay<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Heroes Chronicles<\/em> intro video is shorter, and much less epic than the intro to Heroes of Might and Magic III<\/em>. I also found it slightly confusing.<\/p>\n

The video shows Tarnum being slain on the battlefield, before appearing before a council of ancestors in the afterlife. This council decides Tarnum isn\u2019t ready for eternal rest just yet, and sends him back to the land of the living.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Judgement Day<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I assumed this would be the start of his journey, but the narration then addresses the audience and suggests we want to know how Tarnum rose to become a great hero. Basically, it\u2019s one of those stories that starts at the end. I just found it out of place, and would have thought the intro video could have been used to better effect introducing the actual story.<\/p>\n

Apparently, it is important, as the first campaign mission states that knowing where it all began for Tarnum will aid in understanding him\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Time will tell if this narrative setup will be a clich\u00e9d origin story or not.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Perhaps it will all make more sense once I\u2019ve played through this first chapter, or perhaps the entirety of Heroes Chronicles<\/em>. It\u2019s an intriguing start from a narrative perspective. I know Heroes of Might and Magic III<\/em> is a great game, but can Heroes Chronicles<\/em> deliver a satisfying story-driven experience?<\/p>\n

The first campaign mission sees you needing to defeat the current lord of the barbarian clans, Rabak, so Tarnum can name himself king. Nothing too serious, then\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Rabak is a stereotypical tyrant.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The story is front and centre during missions, as over the first few turns you get a lot of narrative text. The overall objective of this campaign is to overthrow the Wizard-Kings who rule the land once held by the great barbarian conqueror, Jarg.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
More reading\u2026<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This first mission is on a small map, which usually means the scramble for territory and resources will be swift and brutal.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Even just stepping out from the stronghold to the left, you can already see almost a quarter of the map (minimap top right).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I took Tarnum east, and soon found another barbarian town to liberate.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Expanding empire<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Towns are important, as they provide you with income each turn, as well as generating units to hire each week.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
A burgeoning barbarian town<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The story continues to develop, as Tarnum soon learns that the people no longer remember the time of Jarg. As such, Tarnum decides to seek out bards across the land, the storytellers and holders of history. Tarnum is hoping the bards will be able to help the population reclaim their identity and therefore support his aim to reconquer the barbarian lands.<\/p>\n

\"Heroes
Bravery and bards\u2014classic fantasy fare<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Over the first two weeks, as well as taking over another barbarian town, Tarnum had levelled up multiple times and acquired a gold mine (increasing daily income). He now controlled the northern half of the map.<\/p>\n

For a look at the gameplay over the first two weeks, check out my video on YouTube<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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