# Heroes of Might and Magic III

Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia (commonly referred to as Heroes of Might & Magic 3, or Heroes 3, or abbreviated HoMM 3) is a turn-based strategy game developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing originally released for Microsoft Windows by The 3DO Company in 1999. Its ports to several computer and console systems followed in 1999–2000. It is the third installment of the Heroes of Might and Magic series.
The game's story is first referenced throughout Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven and serves as a prequel to Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor. The player can choose to play through seven different campaigns telling the story, or play in a scenario against computer or human opponents.
Heroes III was released to universal acclaim by critics and players and regarded as a cult classic. The game received the expansion packs Heroes of Might and Magic III: Armageddon's Blade and Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Shadow of Death. Heroes Chronicles, a series of short introductory games based on the Heroes III engine, was also released. A special version of Heroes III titled Heroes III Complete, which included the original game and both expansion packs, was released in 2000.
On December 10, 2014, Ubisoft announced what it described as the HD "remastered" version of the game. The new version features updated graphics as well as widescreen compatibility and was released on January 29, 2015, for Microsoft Windows, iOS and Android. However, it included neither of the expansions because their source code was allegedly lost.

## Gameplay

The game is a turn based strategy title in which the player controls heroes that command armies of mythic and legendary creatures. These heroes travel across the game world fighting creatures, and collecting loot. This includes resources, which can be used to develop towns, as well as magic artefacts which offer buffs to a hero. Heroes can contest resource posts such as mines, which offer a resource income each turn, and attack other towns. Combat occurs on a hexagonal grid where units move, attack, and cast spells.
Heroes III refines the gameplay mechanics of earlier titles while introducing some new features. These include a subterranean layer, larger maps and additional victory conditions. Some maps require the player to seek the grail artifact, which can be used to build a permanent structure in a host city to gain significant bonuses, such as increased resource generation and unique town enhancements. Eight factions were included, up from six in Heroes II, with a ninth added in the Armageddon's Blade expansion. Heroes can also gain abilities which offer them individual perks. For example, the Diplomacy skill allows a hero to negotiate with an enemy and convince them to join up rather than fight.
Heroes III can be played alone through a series of campaigns, as well as cooperatively and competitively through multiplayer maps. 50 skirmish maps were included for this purpose.

## Plot

The game's story unfolds primarily through a series of seven playable campaigns, all set upon the continent of Antagarich. During the campaigns, the story is told from alternating points of view, giving players the opportunity to play as each of the town alignments.
Following the disappearance of King Roland Ironfist of Enroth prior to Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven, his wife, Queen Catherine, is left to rule the realm. In the meantime, her father, King Nicholas Gryphonheart of Erathia, is assassinated. Without their beloved king, the kingdom of Erathia falls to the dark forces of Nighon and Eeofol. Queen Catherine returns home to Antagarich seeking to rally the people of her homeland and lead them against the evil that has ravaged their nation.
Erathia's capital of Steadwick is sacked by the Dungeon Overlords of Nighon and the Kreegans of Eeofol. Meanwhile, the nations of Tatalia and Krewlod skirmish at the western border, seizing the chance to expand their territory. Catherine's first task is to establish a foothold in the conquered kingdom by enlisting the aid of allies. The wizards of Bracada and the elves of AvLee answer her call, and together they push towards Steadwick and eventually retake it, quickly quelling the border war in the west. Soon after, Lucifer Kreegan, a commander in the Eeofol armies, sends an envoy to Erathia claiming that Roland Ironfist is captive within their territories. AvLee invades Eeofol, but fails to rescue Roland, who is transported to their northern holdings. Afterwards, Catherine invades the tunnels of Nighon, pushing the Dungeon armies back to their island home.
In the meantime, the necromancers of Deyja, having been responsible for the assassination of King Gryphonheart, plot to revive his corpse as a lich. They plan to use his wisdom in leading their own armies of the undead. However, King Gryphonheart reanimates as a lich and takes control of Deyja, defying the necromancers expectations. Having little other recourse, Queen Catherine is forced to ally herself with several of the necromancers and together they set out to destroy Lich King Gryphonheart before he becomes too powerful.
A final campaign, unlocked after completing the main story, follows the separatists in the Contested Lands. Tired of the skirmishes that bring unrest to their homelands, they join to fight for independence from the two large kingdoms. It is later implied that this rising was orchestrated by Archibald Ironfist, the antagonist of Heroes of Might and Magic II.

## Release

The game was originally released for PC Windows on March 3, 1999. An Apple Macintosh port was released by 3DO, and a Linux port was released by Loki Software, both in late December that year. In 2000, a Game Boy Color port entitled Heroes of Might and Magic 2 was released. A Dreamcast port was developed, but not released due to technical issues that prevented the console running the game adequately. This version was cancelled in 2000. A copy of the Dreamcast build was purchased by a private collector in 2005, and in 2020 the collector released it publicly after a brief fundraiser.

### Expansion packs

Two official expansion packs were released for Heroes III. The first of these expansions, Armageddon's Blade, introduced a ninth town alignment, the Conflux; a random scenario generator, a variety of new creatures, heroes, and structures; and six new playable campaigns.
The second expansion, The Shadow of Death, was a stand-alone expansion that included Restoration of Erathia and added seven new playable campaigns and a variety of new artifacts, including Combination Artifacts. Combination Artifacts are formed by combining specific sets of lesser artifacts, granting enhanced abilities.

### Complete edition

In 2000, a bundle containing Heroes III and both expansion packs was released as Heroes of Might and Magic III: Complete. More than just bundling the original game discs, however, this release reworked the game's installation process as well as its in-game menus to reflect a unified product.

### HD edition

On January 29, 2015, about 15 years after the original release of Heroes of Might & Magic III, Ubisoft released a new high-definition version of the game compatible with PCs as well as Android and iOS tablets. The expansion packs were not included because the source code for those releases was lost; it also excluded the random map generator. It launched in a buggy state and was poorly received. GameSpot and PCGamesN both pointed out that players could simply purchase the Complete Edition and run the community supported HD mod; this method costed less and included the expansion packs.

### Community modding

Heroes III has maintained an enduring popularity, and a number of notable modifications have been made by the community. These include:
* In the Wake of Gods [ru] (also titled Heroes 3.5) is a fan-made expansion that was released in 2001. It adds new creatures, including eighth level creatures and "God's representatives", which give bonuses to heroes' primary skills. Heroes can also destroy and rebuild towns. The mod was not well received, with Dualshockers remarking that it was "overly unpredictable and buggy, with imbalanced features at every turn, often detracting from the overall experience. It was considered a miracle if players could successfully complete a map they started."
* Horn of the Abyss [ru], another fan-made expansion, was announced in 2008 and released on December 31, 2011. It adds two new town types, a large number of new map items, new playable campaigns, a graphical random map generator template editor, among other improvements and features. Its most recent major version update was on January 1, 2024, which added a new town and a number of maps. Notably, the original composer Paul Romero returned to compose music for Horn of the Abyss. Dualshockers remarked that "Heroes 3 is still here with us, alive and well."
* HoMM3 HD is a mod which adds support for higher resolutions, up to 4000 x 4000, and reworks the interface to be usable at that scale. It was originally launched in 2010 and has received many updates since. A number of games journalists compared the mod favourably against the official HD re-release. HoMM3 HD was developed by a member of the Horn of the Abyss team, and it is recommended by the group.
* VCMI is an open source implementation of the engine for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android and iOS. It offers higher resolutions and extensive mod support.

## Reception
### Original release
#### Critical reviews

Aggregate score :
| Aggregator | Score |
| GameRankings | 87% |
Review scores :
| Publication | Score |
| CNET Gamecenter | 9 out of 10 |
| Computer Games Strategy Plus | |
| Computer Gaming World | |
| Game Informer | 8.75 out of 10 |
| GamePro | |
| GameRevolution | B+ |
| GameSpot | 9.1 out of 10 |
| GameStar | 86% |
| IGN | 9 out of 10 |
| Next Generation | |
| PC Accelerator | 7 out of 10 |
| PC Gamer (UK) | 87% |
| PC Gamer (US) | 86% |
The original game received favorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.
Computer Gaming World's Robert Coffey said that the game "expands upon the insanely addictive play of the previous edition, retaining the core gameplay while enhancing almost every facet of the game." He continued to say that the game is "mind-boggling in its depth", but criticized its uneven campaign pacing and "sluggish" connection speeds during online play. He concluded: "Ultimately, the rewards of Heroes of Might and Magic III far outweigh its few drawbacks... [This] is a game that strategy fans should absolutely be playing." Next Generation said, "While realtime strategy withers on the vine, with many recent releases lackluster at best, HoMM reminds us that turn-based play is alive and well. In fact, it's hard to remember why people said turn-based was dead in the first place."

#### Sales

The game entered PC Data's weekly computer game sales charts at #3 for the February 28-March 6 period. It held the position for another two weeks, before exiting the weekly top 10 in its fourth week. It was the U.S.' second-best-selling computer game of March 1999. PC Data, which tracked sales in the U.S., reported that the game had sold 185,553 units in September 2000. The combined global sales of the Heroes series had reached 1.5 million units by December 1999.

#### Awards

The game was a finalist for Computer Games Strategy Plus' 1999 "Strategy Game of the Year" prize, although it lost to RollerCoaster Tycoon. The staff wrote that the game "keeps this series running on all cylinders. There's nothing radically different here, but what would you change?" It was also a finalist for the "Computer Strategy Game of the Year" award during the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' 3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, which ultimately was given to Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. The game was a runner-up for "Best Music" at GameSpot's Best & Worst of 1999 Awards, which went to Homeworld.

#### Popularity in Eastern Europe

While the game was developed in the United States, the game was particularly popular in Eastern Europe for several reasons. The game was localized into Russian and Polish in 1999, something that was at the time unusual for a western game, meaning there was less competition than normal. The game was widely distributed in the region, where piracy was prevalent at the time. Finally, the presence of a hot-seat multiplayer mode was a major attraction as only 2% of Russian and 7% of Polish households had internet access in 1999. The title remains popular in the region.

### HD Edition

Aggregate score :
| Aggregator | Score | Score |
| Aggregator | iOS | PC |
| Metacritic | 73/100 | 65/100 |
Review scores :
| Publication | Score | Score |
| Publication | iOS | PC |
| 4Players | 39% | 49% |
| GameSpot | N/A | 6/10 |
| GameStar | N/A | 86% |
| Gamezebo | | N/A |
| GameZone | N/A | 7.5/10 |
| PC Gamer (UK) | N/A | 71% |
| PCGamesN | N/A | 7/10 |
| Pocket Gamer | | N/A |
| TouchArcade | | N/A |
| National Post | N/A | 6/10 |
The PC and iOS versions of the HD Edition received "mixed or average reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.

## Board game adaptation

In 2022, Archon Studio announced that they were creating a board game based on Heroes of Might and Magic III. The game involves deckbuilding, combat units, and economic management. Each play session features a unique objective, with maps generated through a tile-placement system .
The Kickstarter campaign received more than US$2 (equivalent to $2.15 in 2024) million in its first week, and reached £2.6 million in its final week, or 6000% of its £43,000 funding goal.