Never played any games in the series...which should I start

[rehtri101]

Which should I start with first? My friend highly recommended these games to me, and I've heard about them, but never knew a whole lot about them.

Is it a continuous story? Can I pick up any one of them anywhere?

Thanks for the help!

[Talin_Trollbane]

MM3 (or MM1 of you really want a total playtrough of the MM series.) and go forward trough the stories up to number 8 or 9.

[GreatEmerald]

It is a continuing story. For example, if you won't play MM1, you won't understand a lot of the things that people are talking about in MM6. If you won't play MM2, you'll miss references in MM8. Generally the stories of MM1-5 and MM6-8 are the ones that are the most tied to each other, so it's not a big deal if you start from MM6, except that you might find it difficult to adapt to earlier MMs later on.

Also, the story won't be complete without playing Heroes of Might and Magic, but those don't come into play before the end of MM5.

[Lord13]

I would suggest start with MnM 7, not for the story(the previous
posters explained it better) but for the gameplay. Is the game
that will introduce you better the MnM "feeling" imo. Then you can
continue with other parts of the series.

[Talin_Trollbane]

I would suggest start with MnM 7, not for the story(the previous
posters explained it better) but for the gameplay. Is the game
that will introduce you better the MnM "feeling" imo. Then you can
continue with other parts of the series.

maybe introduce him to the 3DO MnM feeling more likely.

[Macros the Black]

Graphics changes do not really matter to me much, so I won't consider it, but one thing about the older games (1-5) is that they kind of miss a bit of the feeling of being an actual RPG, and tend to feel more like turn-based FPS's in my very humble opinion. Much of the character advancement that RPG's nowadays have were not yet present in these older games. So if that's what draws you to playing RPG's maybe it's best to skip MM 1-5 and start with 6.

On the other hand, if you don't care about that stuff, and you can stand some of the less polished gameplay aspects of older games (and confusion), you might want to start earlier in the series, with MM3.

And if you think you REALLY have to play all of the games, then you can start with MM1.

One thing to remember though is to not think that because these older games are too confusing this will also be the case with the newer games. If you give up on MM1, then you should still try MM3. If you give up on MM3, you should still try MM6.

I would suggest start with MnM 7, not for the story(the previous
posters explained it better) but for the gameplay. Is the game
that will introduce you better the MnM "feeling" imo. Then you can
continue with other parts of the series.

That really is personal preference. Some people like MM6 better, others like MM7 better. Me, I'm on the fence. I like MM6 better for the story, atmosphere and epic dungeon design. I like MM7 better for the gameplay, balance and faster paced, often more challenging, battles.

[Avonu]

MM3 and MM6 are not good games for start to beginners. They have large world, lots and lots of monsters and non-linear plot (game is not telling you to which dungeon go next), so you often don't know what to do or where to go. Also both games have dungeons in starting zones which are designed for experience parties, so you can easy get killed just by entering wrong area.

MM4 and MM7 are more begginer friendly games.

[GreatEmerald]

Actually, MM3 does tell you where to go. Just visit the arena and look at the enemies, then find the area they dwell and there you go.

[Talin_Trollbane]

Graphics changes do not really matter to me much, so I won't consider it, but one thing about the older games (1-5) is that they kind of miss a bit of the feeling of being an actual RPG, and tend to feel more like turn-based FPS's in my very humble opinion. Much of the character advancement that RPG's nowadays have were not yet present in these older games. So if that's what draws you to playing RPG's maybe it's best to skip MM 1-5 and start with 6.

surely you jest. if anything MM6 and forward can be counted as fps likes.

[GrayFace]

To start with MM6 you should remember 4 things:
1) There is a Wizard Eye spell in Air Magic, use it.
2) Small circles near players' faces ar enemy indicators. If they are yellow, enemies are active and can get close to you.
3) After exploring New Sorpigal go to Castle Ironfist. There you can get 5000 and buy bow skill.
4) Don't talk to Prince Ironfist! Until it's the circus time.

[Sendoh]

mm7, kind of a tutorial in the beggining

[mkienenb]

I was given MM6 when it first came out as a gift, and I think for most people, that's probably the best place to start.

If someone had started me on MM4&5, I *might* have kept with it, provided I made it through the first town.

I grew up on Ultima 1 and played through 4, wizardry 1, bard's tale, and so on, so it's not that I don't appreciate old games, but to try to go back to them now requires a good game. I played Ultima 4 again (almost done) using the opensource xu4 version, and that has been fun. I don't think I'd want to play most of the other ones, though.

I'd still like to play MM5 now that I'm done with MM4, but I have other things I'm doing right now.

It's definitely been interesting to see how MM4 has impacted the development of MM6, 7, 8. It now explains why MM7 has the castle building part, and why they went to non-human characters, and eventually taverns/character hire-and-dismiss in MM8. They were trying to go back to their roots. But some roots don't necessarily need to be revisited

But for most people, MM6 is probably a good starting point. MM7 & 8 is more of the same (which is a good thing). Mm4 & 5 seem to be a little harder to take due to the interface, but are still quite fun once you get going.

[GreatEmerald]

To start with MM6 you should remember 4 things:

Most of that can be generalised - just read the manual before playing.

[Talin_Trollbane]

But some roots don't necessarily need to be revisited smile

if they are good roots, which the earlier games where, it almost a must.

also the things you listed in your post wasnt bad things either.

[mkienenb]

I wasn't really saying it was bad. I love the castle building stuff.
Don't care one way or another about the character races.
But I don't really care for add/remove active players. I never used it in MM4. In MM8 it seemed more like cheating.

I was mostly commenting on how MM4 really did influence not just the game storyline, but actually the MM7 and then MM8 engine evolution.

[GreatEmerald]

But I don't really care for add/remove active players. I never used it in MM4. In MM8 it seemed more like cheating.

Indeed, in MM3 you had to pay them, and a lot, while in other games you could change your troops to level 1 guys only.