Demo Map Reviews

[Angelspit]

<img src=https://www.celestialheavens.com/images ... eviews.jpg align=right hspace=10 vspace=10>As I was playing the Heroes 5 demo, I was struck by a few things about the maps which I felt I could comment on from a map-making perspective so I thought I'd write some <a href="/https://www.celestialheavens.com/521">map reviews</a>. These obviously aren't proper reviews, as the game is a brand new one to me and the maps (and the game itself) isn't in its final stage - they're just my initial thoughts on the demo maps. So please take them in that spirit and I hope you find them interesting.

If you would like to take a look at the original page visit this link:
https://www.celestialheavens.com/521

[willy134]

One thing the maps lack in my opinion is the flexability to explore. Some of my favorite battles in past heroes is when I have pinned a sizable enemy in his castle and I expore the map. It seemed that in The Fall of the King, it was difficult to build a force big enough to roam around and have on big enough to defend. When I eventually felt I achieved this balance the story moved on and I couldn't explore the full map. On Falcon's last flight, I did enjoy exploring the map but then noticed a severe disadvantage when facing the large stacks of the enemy. the idea on that one was to strike fast.

[Furay]

@ Willy.



Well, I felt that a little too, except you have to remember that these were campaign maps. In campaigns, the directives are much more linear and prohiit all but a little exploring (at the cost of losing the scenario). I'm sure with the standard/custom/RMG maps there will be more oportunities for exploring, just like in past Heroes.

[Bandobras Took]

I had different experiences with both of the Inferno maps.

I still haven't beaten the campaign Inferno map; Godric can catch up to me in a day and a half no matter which sanctuary I went to.

On the contrary, though, some luck with the Inferno camp (letting me hire Devils and extra Succubi) made the non-campaign map fairly easy once I got used to the combat system.

[niteshade6]

I actually was able to beat falcon's last flight on hard without resorting to anything too wierd or cheesy. I even did it while sieging their castle. You just have to make sure you use every possible advantage, including the artifiact merchant in the NW. Your hero will gain a lot of levels too, so proper hero design is important as well.

[Rapier]

I had no trouble beating the enemy on the field on normal in the Falcon's Flight, I didn't do anything special, it was my very first game, and I didn't cheese the AI out of it's castle. (Although I did attack it outside the castle). I've had no trouble so far on heroic, however I agree the map just isn't that engaging. Suggested improvement; give the invading player (you) the ability to field 3 heroes and have a tavern. (Still can't lose the hero Jezebella). This way you can control resources, and get more out of your external dwellings but have to make up for the defensive positioning of you enemy.



For competition, high level gating is essential, however due to a design flaw (Inferno needing all 6 skills for there ultimate), the hero you start with on that map is incapable of getting the ultimate Infernal ability of instant gating... boo, and I think they should have chosen a map you could at least try to get the ultimate ability with.



The Fall of the King; playing on heroic, this is a challenge, one in which you won't really notice that the obelisks are guarded by weak creatures. You are almost tied to your castle for most of the game on heroic, it takes months rather than weeks to build up to a position where the goal oriented heroes don't take all of the army you can muster out when they attack. (Eventually they will attack and run instantly though...) This is a ~great~ map if you want a challenge.



I haven't managed to complete betrayal on heroic yet, I've tried about 5 times, but I won't try again now until I get the game on friday =)

[levi28]

Well, I played the Betrayal like 6 times on all difficulties and Godric didn't catch me once. I don't know what is happening and why everybody is keep saying that Godric can catch them. I didn't use the sanctuary either, not once. About the Fall of a King map, in heroic difficulty I was totally unable to win that map ( I tried only once). I won the first battle but the second army was far to strong for me ( level 27 heroe, my walls were down in 2 turns, I didn't had a chance).

The Last Flight was boring on all levels of difficulty.

[Caradoc]

I won Falcon's Flight fairly easily. I did have to replay the final seige since at that point I really did not know what I was doing, but basic tactics (protect shooters, watch retaliation) were all I needed. I was lucky, I guess, to have some Succubi join for greater glory.

[Bandobras Took]

Here's an update: I restarted the Haven campaign map, and this time I didn't give Godric logistics. When I went on to the Inferno campaign, he was slower than cold tar. The map was frightfully easy.

Looks like, in the demo at least, Godric carries over to the next campaign.

[soupnazii]

i couldnt help but notice that for the first review the date of review is stated as "18th of May, 2005", while the last two are "18 of May, 2006"....
Edited on Sun, Jun 04 2006, 20:02 by soupnazii

[Psychobabble]

Thanks, fixed that.