Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia

The Good
This is the game that finally released me from my obsession with Diablo II (LoD) and helped me make the permanent transition to Linux. There is a map editor for Linux ftp://sunsite.auc.dk/pub/os/linux/loki/extras/heroes3/ which makes the game that much more fun (Sim City anyone?) though I wish I could include my own videos and art. If version 4 were released for Linux I would be one of the first in line for it. This is one of the most interesting strategy games on the market because of the ease of use, yet complex tactical situations you have to think about.

The Bad
Not quite as complete as the Heroes of Might and Magic III version I got for Windows which came bundled with Armageddon's Blade and Shadows. Loki will be sadly missed - RIP Loki. Enemy ranged troops seem to have a big advantage stationed in a castle, AI seems a bit shakey.

The Bottom Line
If you liked Archon on the C64 then you'll love Heroes of Might and Magic III. HOMM picks up where Archon left off adding quests, a role playing slant, better graphics, and an editor which doubles the fun of the game.

If you're unfamiliar with Archon or HOMM, both games involved a sort of chess-like playing field on which a variety of monsters could do battle. But this is about where Archon left off. HOMM by contrast is much more involved: you can go on quests for the holy grail, take over enemy castles and build them up, build legions of armies, turn monsters into skeletons, etc.

Though by today's standards this game isn't cutting edge, it remains one of the most playable strategy games ever - risk doesn't even come close!