What makes this latest Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Shadow of Death (HOM3SOD) offering so enticing is that, for the first time, gamers can acquire the original HOM3 as well as the SOD add–on within the same offering. This should definitely open a pathway to newbies and encourage them to try this bundle for all of the pleasure they’ll receive. When you install HOM3SOD, any existing HOM3 game is going to be replaced with this newer version — but your saved games remain intact.

In this new version, there are seven new campaigns in as well as the seven original Erathia campaigns. Additionally, there are 38 stand–alone SOD game scenarios with the original 40 Erathia scenarios included, as well. Talk about more games than you can shake your sword at . . . and, in the campaign map for SOD, you can now also set the difficulty level. This is a fantastic way for new gamers to really learn how to play the game well.

Another area we should address is the new terrain levels that are brought into the game, all of which have a cause and effect on units placed within their boundaries. For example, if you happen to be making your stand on Holy Ground, all of your troops that are aligned as Good will receive a +1 to their Morale, while those aligned with Evil must suffer a –1 to Morale. Other new terrain types include the likes of Lucid Pools (any Water Spell can be cast at Expert Level) and Favorable Winds (a real boon to your navigation needs). And you know how you like to upgrade your Castles so that any attacking force must deal with ranged missiles and other elements of defense? Now you can have moats and other nasty impediments around your town’s protective walls that actually inflict damage upon those who would dare to test your defenses.

No, you will not find anything revolutionary, graphically–speaking, just the standard HOM turn–based strat that gives you tons of hours of game enjoyment. Whether you play the campaign, the single–player scenarios or get into multiplayer mode, HOM3SOD does advance the game through the incorporation of several new elements. For example, you can now combine artifacts, producing new and more powerful goodies with which to win your way.

A most appreciated happening within HOM3SOD is the fact that the company upgraded some of the unit stats. This certainly does afford better play balance when you acquire the likes of Lizardmen and Lizardmen Warriors, Serpent Flies and Dragon Flies, and Angels and Archangels. Some of the changes are rather minor, such as adding a Gem cost to the acquisition of the latter units, with Lizardmen and Lizardmen Warriors actually gaining in their damage capabilities, health, defense and attack stats.

Plus, you’ll now encounter various neutral creatures wandering the land as you engage upon your quests. These include rather mild units such as the peasant and halfling (although, in numbers, they can still be dangerous, especially when you’re just starting a new game) to a variety of Elementals and magic–users — even new Dragons. One particularly effective counter in one of our games was the Magic Elemental. Not only can this unit move very quickly (as much as nine hexes per turn), but magic is ineffective against it. And although we haven’t encountered the Azure Dragon yet, word is that folk are frozen with fear when they gaze upon its majesty up close and personal.

Within the SOD game you’ll find info on all of the events that lead up to The Restoration of Earthia game, whose saved scenarios can be played with this title. The only item you’ll have to undertake is to run the GameUpdate product for your Restoration of Erathia games. This online program will automatically update your program for full compatibility. And if you’re a multiplayer fanatic, opponents who are running Erathia, Armageddon’s Blade or SOD can challenge you online. Once again, the only precursor is that the GameUpdate product must be run first so that everyone is tuned–in with the latest HOM3 game.

In order to play all of the new SOD campaigns, you must complete the four, basic sets before you can start in on the fifth campaign entitled Rise of the Necromancer. The fifth campaign must be successfully mastered before you tackle the Unholy Alliance scenario that leads into the final and most difficult campaign, Specter of Power. The campaign may seem to start out rather easily, especially for those who have played previous HOM3 games. Such a feeling of confidence will not last long, friends — this is an extremely tough campaign to complete. With adventures over land, across water, and into the Underworld, this is not a game that’ll have you finished by dinner time. Or even within the week! Enormous dollar–to–play ratio here, folks.

As the newest chapter within the HOM3 saga, SOD brings into play a wide variety of terrific scenarios, whether by yourself against the game’s AI, or in multiplayer mode. One reason HOM3 and the previous HOM offerings have reached evergreen status is that the company realizes the importance of quality add–ons to further the life of their game. This add–on does even more than extend the game’s life for current players — it entices new gamers to try the HOM3 world and to test their mettle. Plus, the inclusion of a Campaign Editor lets you define your own HOM3 stories, bring together separate scenarios, develop objects that can be used through multiple scenarios, as well as create cinematic sequences. Bravo to The 3DO Company and New World Computing for creating yet another, compelling, exciting add–on for this series. We hope they never tire in their efforts to produce quality turn–based add–ons for this strategy game series.