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Legends of Might and Magic

The Specs

Legends is a multiplayer-only game for up to 16 players over the Internet or a LAN. It's a class-based game, a fantasy variant of games like Team Fortress, Tribes, and Counter-Strike. There are two teams, Good and Evil, and six character classes, but only three available to each team. The Sorcereress (good) and Archer (evil) have long-range attacks but poor melee skills. Druids (good) and Heretics (evil) have medium-ranged attacks and decent melee abilities, while Paladins (good) and the Warrior (evil) are great at melee but have poor ranged attacks.

Legends will have six different variations of play, including Rescue the Princess, Slay the Dragon, and Find the Holy Grail. The game will include more than 25 maps and 18 different types of weapons. Legends will also feature familar locations set within the Might and Magic mythos, such as the Perilous Peaks of Varn and the Dwarf Mines of Xeen. Players will also encounter both familiar and new hostile creatures. Games are designed to last 5 to10 minutes and winning players are allowed to carry over "rewards" to the next round. In other words, during the course of a play session you can develop your character. These carryovers are not saved from session to session, however.

The Speculation

Tom's Comments: For the last few years, 3DO has been milking the Might & Magic franchise for all it's worth. And then some. Heroes of Might and Magic III was followed by somewhere in the neighborhood of seven hundred and forty two scenario add-on packs. I believe Might & Magic MVXLII is due this spring. Then there are Crusaders of Might & Magic, Warriors of Might & Magic, Clerics of Might & Magic, Innkeepers of Might & Magic, and Beery Wenches of Might & Magic. I might have missed a few. Somewhere in all these M&Ms, 3DO is shuffling in TRIBES of Might & Magic. Err, I mean Legends of Might & Magic. Since Legends is using the LithTech engine, which makes for some great No One Lives Forever multiplayer games, and since there are precious few fantasy first person shooters that work well as multiplayer games, there's an open niche for TRIBES of Might & Magic. Sorry, I meant to say Legends of Might & Magic. But the real question is whether anyone will care. I wouldn't be surprised if no one notices this Counter-Strike homage with its fantasy variations on the theme — swords instead of guns and princesses instead of hostages -- because they're busy playing Counter-Strike. And without bot support, I have to admit that my enthusiasm is low. Huzzah of Might & Magic.

Mark's Comments: I agree with Tom about how 3DO's had both hands on the udders for some time now, and yet strangely I'm more enthusiastic about Legends than he is. What's so bad about a fantasy-styled Counter-Strike or Team Fortress? I think that sounds cool, and the graphics look great — this could be the best looking LithTech game yet. My reservations are centered more on how the game will be balanced and supported. Counter-Strike and Team Fortress are continually refined; will New World continue to tinker with the game months after it's released? Also, melee attacks, which will be prominent in Legends, don't lend themselves as well to the FPS genre. Sure, people enjoyed the chainsaw in Doom, but just as a diversion. They're just not as much fun as sniping at the enemy and ducking behind a corner. Ranged attacks rule in these games, so I wonder if the melee classes may find themselves underpopulated in games. Finally, how did I miss Beery Wenches of Might and Magic? That sounds like my kind of game!

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Publisher: 3DO
Developer: New World Computing
Genre: RPG
Release Date: Q1 2001