Heroes of Might and Magic Quest Dragon Bone Staff

The Playstation 2 has inspired countless game makers to not only create brand new games and forge new paths - but it has also encouraged some series-makers to breathe new life into old favorites. 3D0 jumped on the bandwagon with their series' such as Army Men and the Might & Magic series. Did they teach the old dog new tricks? Well, a few... But mostly cosmetic.

The Heroes of Might and Magic series are a (in case you've been living in a cave or you are highly allergic to PC games) series of turn based strategy/fantasy games. Pick a hero, get your experience, build your troops, learn some magic and save the day (by taking over the map and solving the big mystery). That's the game in a nutshell. Now throw in a quest to get the pieces to a map for a Dragon Bone Staff and you've got the game. So where does it go on PS2?

Graphically, I would say the game is pretty average for an out of the gate PS2 title - and they are definitely a nice touch for fans of the series. It's kind of neat to see your old familiar pikemen and cavalry battle it out in 3D. There's no slowdown and that's kind of refreshing considering the rash of games lately that make my PS2 sound like fan blade with their constant loading screens.

Is it new? Is it revolutionary? Not really. Like I said, it's deja vu in 3D. Your enemies and allies at your disposal are all going to look very familiar to you. The theme and storyline seem like something you've heard before. As a matter of fact, one of the first things I noticed is Dragon Bone Staff used some of the exact same music tracks from previous games (that might not bother some, but I am rather fond of good game music). Like the others, it is rather quick to get into and as long as you learn to save in case of unexpected events and have the general hang of the series or genre, you should be all right.

Basically, your army is built through money (conquests, weekly pay, hidden treasure troves, and rewards for defeating scoundrels) and experience. You start with the lowliest of peasants and can build up to armies of all kinds of fighters both physical and magical, human and non-human. Your abilities will obviously be different depending on whether or not your hero is a magic user like a sorceress or a master of brute force like a knight. Spell casting is essential, however, to defeat some enemies and you will want to use your experience to acquire spells. It is important to note that some characters are more difficult to play than others. Speaking of difficulty....

"No Retreat. No Surrender" No, it's not just the name of a typical Jean-Claude Van Damme flick - it is sort of one small example of the difficulty levels in this game. There's no such thing as saving your integrity (or what's left of your troops) when you get into a battle you weren't ready for. When you run, your forfeit your armies. This was a hard lesson learned even early on when you encounter trolls and other enemies that, unless you know their one crux, you have no hope in killing.  If you've gone after something a couple rounds and nothing is working, you might as well turn on auto-battle and let them fight it out to your death. But frequent saves and learning the first time will solve most frustrations.

The manual doesn't really warn you about some of these issues. Not that I think every book should be a walk-through, but when all of a sudden my troops go rampant and I don't have any indication of morale level or warning that I might have problems - I do one of two things. I say, oh yeah, I know this issue from other games, so I'm not surprised. Or... you say: "Hey where the heck did this come from?" Another bad sign for newcomers.

 In summary, my advice is this is a renter. Even a close source to me who is a long time devotee to the series seemed a bit uncertain as to whether or not he was impressed with the game. It's an enjoyable and different look to a beloved series... but not a shocking new experience on the PS2.

Game Play: 7
Graphics are a step up from previous titles, and gameplay is quite smooth. It's pretty much the same idea as all the previous games in the series. It's quick to get into and as soon as you pick up the strategy, you'll find it a relaxing and enjoyable turn based strategy. A nice game for the crowd that doesn't get into the "watch 10,000 things at once and don't turn away from the screen for a second" crowd. 

Graphics: 7
For Heroes fans, I liken this to watching an old movie remastered digitally. The graphics are pretty standard for first year PS2 titles, but vivid and each creature has a distinct look.

Sound: 6
One of the first things I noticed while playing was the exact same music from the last couple renditions of the Heroes series. Voice-overs are standard as well as the side effects.

Difficulty: 7
The learning curve is quick, but even on the easiest level, there was some serious frustration. It takes quite a while to build up and real armies and even longer to build up enough experience to get the hard hitters. There were a few things the manual doesn't warn you about, but most of the stuff is common sense to the typical person who would pick up a game in this genre.

Concept: 6
There's nothing at all new about the gameplay, but I suppose that the series has always been built on a sound and appealing system. The turn based strategy that has always been the staple of the series is here... But the fact that it seems recycled (and things like the music are definitely taken from previous editions) keeps the concept rating lower.

Overall: 7
Quest for the Dragon Bone Staff was somewhat difficult title to review in light of the fact that it is a long established and perhaps one of the least evolving series around. But why change a good thing, right? They have a great formula and they do cover a brand of strategy gamer that no one else quite appeals to. However, too little change might run the risk of causing a series to become stale. Dragon Bone Staff might please or disappoint even the hard-core devotee as likely as it would turn on or turn off a newcomer. Give it a rent and see if you want to make this newest quest your own.