Description:
The Might and Magic role-playing-game series debuted way back in the mid-'80s. In the '90s, it spun off into an excellent turn-based strategy series, due for a new installment in the fall (Heroes of Might and Magic IV). Now 3DO is taking its franchise, monsters, heroes, spells, might, and, of course, magic into a whole new genre: the multiplayer online shooter. Legends of Might and Magic plays like Quake, Tribes, and Unreal Tournament, but with swords and sorcery instead of guns and rocket launchers. Actually, that's not true: Legends of Might and Magic plays exactly like those futuristic shooters, only instead of lasers you're shooting magic rays and arrows. There's not much of a difference in gameplay, and experienced players might find themselves wondering why they aren't playing a modern-day action game like Half-Life: Counter-Strike instead. Legends does feature plenty of cool monsters and player models, but the various character classes play the same. The game uses the LithTech graphics engine, which just isn't as pretty as the engines of other current games. While characters are detailed and colorful, they are also angular and stiff. Like in Counter-Strike, you begin each round "buying" stuff to use in the fracas. Then you fight the enemy team in fantasy medieval versions of standard FPS scenarios. Instead of rescuing a scientist or a president, you've got to rescue a damsel in distress. Sword in the Stone mode replaces Capture the Flag variants, Protect the Warlord stands in for Protect the VIP, and Slay the Dragon just isn't as cool as it sounds. Given the size and scope of Legends of Might and Magic's bestiary, the game is a little disappointing. But not-so-jaded fans, new players, and Might and Magic fans in particular will find all the repetitive things mentioned above a fun take on a genre crowded with look-alike modern combat games. Maybe next time 3DO can add a little more magic to the mix and come up with something more than a polymorphed Counter-Strike. --Andrew S. Bub Pros: - 1st-person Might and Magic action
- It's basically fantasy Counter-Strike
- Plenty of weapons and game modes
Cons: - It's basically just fantasy Counter-Strike
- The graphics are angular and a little fakey
- The classes are too similar
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