Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars
Encyclopedia
Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars is a turn-based strategy
video game developed by Jon Van Caneghem
through New World Computing
and published in 1996
by the 3DO Company
. The game is the second installment of the Heroes of Might and Magic
series and is typically credited as the breakout game for the series. Heroes II was voted the sixth-best PC game of all time by PC Gamer
in May 1997.
An expansion pack, The Price of Loyalty, was released in 1997
. Later, 3DO bundled Heroes II and its expansion pack in one box, released as Heroes of Might and Magic II Gold.
Heroes II introduced several new features that have since become standard for the series. First among them is the ability for heroes to gain special abilities. Each hero can possess up to eight different secondary skills out of fourteen available. Once gained, a skill can be developed from Basic to Advanced and Expert levels. For example, the Wisdom skill allows a hero to learn spells
of level 3 and higher, while the Logistics skill increases the hero's movement ability over land. In Heroes I, heroes had a single fixed special ability according to their class.
The magic
system was changed in Heroes II. Heroes I had used a memorization system in which each spell could be cast a certain number of times before being exhausted. Heroes II uses a magic point
system that allows the player to apportion spell use as needed, while the varying point cost of different spells maintains balance.
Another major feature introduced in Heroes II is the ability to upgrade units, granting them improved statistics and, in some cases, important abilities. For example, upgrading Vampires to Vampire Lords enables them to absorb health and even to resurrect units.
The canonical ending of Heroes I results in Lord Morglin Ironfist's victory. In the following years, he has successfully unified the continent of Enroth and secured his rule as king. Upon the king's death, his two sons, Archibald and Roland, vie for the crown. Archibald orchestrates a series of events that lead to Roland's exile. Archibald is then declared the new king, while Roland organizes a resistance. Each alignment is represented by one of the game's two campaigns. Archibald's campaign features the three "evil" town alignments, while Roland's campaign features the three "good" town alignments.
If Archibald is victorious, Roland's rebellion is crushed, and Roland himself is imprisoned in Castle Ironfist, leaving Archibald the uncontested ruler of Enroth. The canonical ending, however, results in Roland's victory, with Archibald being turned to stone by Roland's court wizard, Tanir. This event is referenced later in Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven
, with Archibald eventually freed of the spell.
. The expansion adds four new campaigns, new artifacts, new scenario maps, new in-map buildings and an improved map editor. The expansion also added a new structure for the necromancer faction - the shrine which enhances the heroes' ability to raise the dead.
A common complaint about the expansion was the inclusion of a recruit building (Barrow Mounds) for ghosts. Since all units killed by ghosts themselves become ghosts, players were able to quickly gain invincible armies of ghosts that destroyed the game balance.
The Price of Loyalty was not released for Macintosh, nor was Heroes II Gold.
Turn-based strategy
A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game where players take turns when playing...
video game developed by Jon Van Caneghem
Jon Van Caneghem
Jon Van Caneghem is an American video game director, designer and producer. He is best known for launching development studio New World Computing in 1983, making his design debut in 1986 with Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum...
through New World Computing
New World Computing
New World Computing, Inc. was an American computer game developer and publisher founded in 1984 by Jon Van Caneghem, his wife, Michaela Van Caneghem, and Mark Caldwell. It was best known for its work on the Might and Magic computer role-playing game series and its spin-offs, especially Heroes of...
and published in 1996
1996 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*January 29 — Duke Nukem 3D, successor to the simple side-scrolling originals, and a genre-redefining title for first person shooters....
by the 3DO Company
The 3DO Company
The 3DO Company , also known as 3DO , was a video game company...
. The game is the second installment of the Heroes of Might and Magic
Heroes of Might and Magic
Heroes of Might and Magic is a series of video games originally created and developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing. As part of the Might and Magic franchise, the series changed ownership when NWC was acquired by 3DO and again when 3DO closed down and sold the rights to Ubisoft...
series and is typically credited as the breakout game for the series. Heroes II was voted the sixth-best PC game of all time by PC Gamer
PC Gamer
PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries...
in May 1997.
An expansion pack, The Price of Loyalty, was released in 1997
1997 in video gaming
-Events:*October 4 — Gunpei Yokoi dies after a double car accident.*November – Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association launched.*3rd annual E3...
. Later, 3DO bundled Heroes II and its expansion pack in one box, released as Heroes of Might and Magic II Gold.
Gameplay
Heroes II added the Necromancer and Wizard factions, joining the Knight, Barbarian, Sorceress, and Warlock from the first game.Heroes II introduced several new features that have since become standard for the series. First among them is the ability for heroes to gain special abilities. Each hero can possess up to eight different secondary skills out of fourteen available. Once gained, a skill can be developed from Basic to Advanced and Expert levels. For example, the Wisdom skill allows a hero to learn spells
Magic (gaming)
Some role-playing games or game systems can include a set of rules that are used to portray magic in the paranormal sense. These rules simulate the effects that magic would have within the game context, according to how the game designer intended the magic to be portrayed...
of level 3 and higher, while the Logistics skill increases the hero's movement ability over land. In Heroes I, heroes had a single fixed special ability according to their class.
The magic
Magic (gaming)
Some role-playing games or game systems can include a set of rules that are used to portray magic in the paranormal sense. These rules simulate the effects that magic would have within the game context, according to how the game designer intended the magic to be portrayed...
system was changed in Heroes II. Heroes I had used a memorization system in which each spell could be cast a certain number of times before being exhausted. Heroes II uses a magic point
Magic point
Magic points are units of magical power that are used in many role-playing, computer role-playing and similar games as an expendable resource that is needed to pay for magic spells and other abilities, such as special attacks...
system that allows the player to apportion spell use as needed, while the varying point cost of different spells maintains balance.
Another major feature introduced in Heroes II is the ability to upgrade units, granting them improved statistics and, in some cases, important abilities. For example, upgrading Vampires to Vampire Lords enables them to absorb health and even to resurrect units.
Story
If Archibald is victorious, Roland's rebellion is crushed, and Roland himself is imprisoned in Castle Ironfist, leaving Archibald the uncontested ruler of Enroth. The canonical ending, however, results in Roland's victory, with Archibald being turned to stone by Roland's court wizard, Tanir. This event is referenced later in Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven
Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven
Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven, commonly abbreviated to Might and Magic VI or simply MM6, is a role-playing video game developed by New World Computing and published by 3DO in 1998...
, with Archibald eventually freed of the spell.
Development
Much of the core programming of Heroes II was carried over from the original Heroes, thus game actually took less time to develop than the original Heroes.Expansion
The Price of Loyalty is the expansion pack for Heroes II, released in 1997. Development of the expansion was contracted to Cyberlore StudiosCyberlore Studios
Cyberlore Studios was a developer of computer games based in Northampton, Massachusetts. The company was founded by Lester Humphreys, Ken Grey, and Herb Perez. Since 1992, they produced expansion packs for MechWarrior 4, Heroes of Might and Magic II, and Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness...
. The expansion adds four new campaigns, new artifacts, new scenario maps, new in-map buildings and an improved map editor. The expansion also added a new structure for the necromancer faction - the shrine which enhances the heroes' ability to raise the dead.
A common complaint about the expansion was the inclusion of a recruit building (Barrow Mounds) for ghosts. Since all units killed by ghosts themselves become ghosts, players were able to quickly gain invincible armies of ghosts that destroyed the game balance.
The Price of Loyalty was not released for Macintosh, nor was Heroes II Gold.
Reception
Heroes of Might and Magic II was the best-selling game for over 12 months in parts of Russia and Europe. The Price of Loyalty enjoyed similar success in those regions. The game sold very well in general, picking up critical awards as well.External links
- fheroes2 Open source, SDLSimple DirectMedia LayerSimple DirectMedia Layer is a cross-platform, free and open source multimedia library written in C that presents a simple interface to various platforms' graphics, sound, and input devices....
implementation of the Heroes 2 engine, currently under development. - Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars at MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...