Heroes of Might & Magic IV @ GameSpot

GameSpot has put together a couple of features for the upcoming Heroes of Might & Magic IV. First of all, they have a small preview (in addition to their previous coverage) that gives a good summary of what to expect if you’re a fan of the series. Secondly, they’ve conducted an interview with Jeff Blattner, the game’s executive producer, about various aspects of the game. Here’s a snippet from the preview:

One of the most striking changes that Heroes IV will make to the series is simply how it will look. From what we’ve seen, Heroes IV will be extremely bright and colorful, much more so than any previous game. And its maps will be jam-packed with monsters to fight, treasures to loot, and side quests to perform. In addition to its whopping six campaign games, Heroes IV will feature lots of extra scenarios, as well as a full map editor that will not only let you make your own custom scenario maps, but also make full-blown campaigns by connecting your own scenarios in any way you wish.

And here’s an excerpt from the interview:

Q: We already know that Heroes IV will feature six campaign games, as well as lots of separate scenario maps to play. Without spoiling any surprises, what sort of new things can we look forward to in the campaigns? Cameo appearances by well-known Might and Magic characters? New ultimate artifacts?

A: All the campaign stories focus on characters who are new to the Might and Magic universe. The destruction of Erathia was a tragic event, and, unfortunately, many of the characters you may be familiar with seem to have disappeared. But don’t mourn for long. Heroes IV brings you some of the best characters this series has ever seen. However, two familiar faces (the genie Solymr and his master, the Immortal King Gavin Magnus) take prominent roles in the campaign “The Price of Peace.” As for ultimate artifacts, we have a sword that stirs up a lot of trouble in “The True Blade,” and a staff in “Half-Dead” that’s capable of destroying all the living flesh in the world.