Heroes of Might and Magic V

 PC
  • Publisher: Ubisoft
  • Release Date: May 23, 2006
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 583 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 435 out of 583
  2. Mixed: 111 out of 583
  3. Negative: 37 out of 583
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. vangomaextreme
    Jan 12, 2013
    1
    Really tedious game with very little strategy and ridiculously strong and unbalanced AI even on easy level. Pretty graphics is the only thing going for it. Exercise in frustration - stay away!
  2. Sirik_Matak
    Dec 31, 2015
    2
    The worst HoMM game up to date. Period. Yes, this statement includes Heroes 7.
    This game is fundamentally broken, it was doomed to be broken the day since Nival got the task to make new Heroes game. And Jesus Merciful, the team had no **** clue how to make a competent Heroes game. Even Black Hole did a better job at this, and they halfly butchered their game.
    So, what's to hate about    The worst HoMM game up to date. Period. Yes, this statement includes Heroes 7.
    This game is fundamentally broken, it was doomed to be broken the day since Nival got the task to make new Heroes game. And Jesus Merciful, the team had no **** clue how to make a competent Heroes game. Even Black Hole did a better job at this, and they halfly butchered their game.
    So, what's to hate about Heroes 5: The Awful Game? Almost everything, besides a good game's mechanics on paper. The game looked mediocre in 2005, it run like crap and is unplayable in skirmishes due to horrendous AI.
    The overall art direction is of course a subjective matter, but it's awfully executed and stands in the way of the gameplay. A simple example are the town screens. The original 3DO's Heroes game had town screens that were looking good AND were functional. It wasn't a nice picture, but an actual interface mechanic, where every single building was properly and intuitive placed (the 3 planes rule). Nival, in their retarded way of thinking, tried to cover their incompetence in terms of actual game design, and went full-sparkling, useless mess of town screens. Fully 3D town screens are nice looking, yes. But they're awfully disfunctional. No one will rotate the camera and bleed their eyes out to select a little tiny barracks to recruit units. I watched a camera flying around each town once, and used shortcuts on game-covering panel. The developer completely missed the point of why town screens were implemented in the first place.
    But it's just one example. The game suffers the most because of two major problems. The engine and the AI.
    The engine is a broken piece of a mess. Every single time I tried to play this game, I threw it away after two skirmishes. Why? Why, because of a massive waste of my time of course! This game should be called Snoozing Simulator of Waiting Until the Enemy's Turn Ends, not Heroes of Might & Magic 5. The actual turn usually takes about 30 seconds/1 minute, tops. 5 minutes max, if there's a major battle. But the AI turns, oh boy! 1 enemy or 5 enemies, doesn't matter! Between your 30 seconds of actively playing the game, you will wait pointlessly 2-5 minutes for the AI to end their turn. After a short while it's game breaking and everyone that is above the mental age of 5 will rightfully stop playing, because it's the waste of time. And the game pauses if minimalized and defocused.
    The second deal breaker is the AI, done few days before the release and never fixed. Yeah, the dev is **** but what they have done with HoMM5 is just distasteful and beats the "town portal kek" Heroes 6's AI. I can understand uncovered map for AI (HoMM2). I can stomach unfinished AI (HoMM4). But bottomless resources, 10k a day income or defeating the horde of Archdevils on day 7, week 1, month 1 - is inexcusable.

    Snoozing of AI Cheating: the game.    … Expand
  3. Meevious
    Oct 22, 2013
    0
    The rights were sold to Ubisoft, who dropped the ball completely.

    The game is full of bugs, the graphics are jarringly ugly, with a nonsensical camera and bad animations.

    Gameplay is dumbed down. Nothing about the game is interesting or engaging.

    It makes me sick to see the HoMM title on such a trashy product.
  4. SethH
    Dec 6, 2009
    3
    Even though it's not a horrible game, it's very boring, I was bored with it after the first day. And the game is just too hard if you play against the computer so stressful that the second the game starts you have nothing while the enemy has quadruple your tech and an entire army, they just come in and game over. Never did multiplayer, might be decent.
  5. TheInnocent
    Jun 2, 2011
    3
    I would have rated this game higher if I had given up on it earlier. It was far too long, too hard on easy to be a background or relaxing game, and not engaging or interesting enough to be something I really wanted to get into. The graphics are good, and the music would be nice, but the game goes on too long, so even the music gets repetitive. The cut-scenes were fine, but not worth theI would have rated this game higher if I had given up on it earlier. It was far too long, too hard on easy to be a background or relaxing game, and not engaging or interesting enough to be something I really wanted to get into. The graphics are good, and the music would be nice, but the game goes on too long, so even the music gets repetitive. The cut-scenes were fine, but not worth the time you had already put into the game. Don't bother with it.… Expand
  6. Overrwatcher
    Sep 10, 2011
    3
    An utter dissapointment to the Heroes of Might and Magic series. IV wasn't that great, but at least is was good enough to make you keep playing. This is slow, ugly, and boring. Do not buy.
  7. SebastianC.
    Sep 17, 2006
    3
    PATHETIC! You gotta wait for the editor, SIX MAPS!, and extremely cheesy graphics, I think this is seriously the end of heroes, no one can stand up again after two KOs. Heroes 4+5 are the end, thank god for Heroes 3 though....
  8. Andy
    May 31, 2006
    3
    This one is a true disappointment and a full step backward, to the times of Heroes 2 - only six towns, ONE (!!!) hero per town, a great bunch of skills and abilities are just stolen from H3/H4, multiplayer does not exist and the battles lasts for hours, because of enormously long and boring animations. Squares instead of hexes, no orcs, no editor, man this all makes it the worst Heroes This one is a true disappointment and a full step backward, to the times of Heroes 2 - only six towns, ONE (!!!) hero per town, a great bunch of skills and abilities are just stolen from H3/H4, multiplayer does not exist and the battles lasts for hours, because of enormously long and boring animations. Squares instead of hexes, no orcs, no editor, man this all makes it the worst Heroes installment ever.… Expand
  9. JeffreyP.
    Mar 21, 2007
    0
    This game sucks! Turns take TOOOO LOOONNNGGG! Even with coputer players! Stay away from this crap!
  10. [anonymous]
    Dec 28, 2009
    4
    Disconnects time after time in multiplayer and neverending lag. So if you want this game for multiplayer, you may just give up on the spot. But for Single Player, its quite nice
  11. Cleglaw
    Sep 21, 2015
    0
    this game is seriously bad.

    -lore and missions are hilariously bad and illogical. -you have finish missions one by one, forcing you to start playing with certain factions to be able to play others. -music have some terrible repeats. this is the first time in heroes series, apperantly devs didnt mind using slightly editted same music over and over. -art style is really disgustingly    this game is seriously bad.

    -lore and missions are hilariously bad and illogical.
    -you have finish missions one by one, forcing you to start playing with certain factions to be able to play others.
    -music have some terrible repeats. this is the first time in heroes series, apperantly devs didnt mind using slightly editted same music over and over.
    -art style is really disgustingly unrealistic. almost naked illogically sexy elfs, baby face demons(ironical), flying minecraft blocks as gargoyles...
    -TOO LONG TURN TIMES. you can fall asleep in large maps.

    dont buy it, dont play it. stay away from this game.    … Expand
  12. Broyax
    Apr 9, 2017
    2
    Je me demande pourquoi les jeux au tour par tour sont presque toujours aussi niais ? Heroes V ne déroge pas à cette triste règle. Evidemment c'est de la fantasy et comme d'habitude, fantasy rime ici avec guimauve. Certes, le semblant d'histoire on s'en fout, c'est de la tactique avant tout mais mis à part les combats proprement dits, bien fichus, tout le reste c'est-à-dire la gestion deJe me demande pourquoi les jeux au tour par tour sont presque toujours aussi niais ? Heroes V ne déroge pas à cette triste règle. Evidemment c'est de la fantasy et comme d'habitude, fantasy rime ici avec guimauve. Certes, le semblant d'histoire on s'en fout, c'est de la tactique avant tout mais mis à part les combats proprement dits, bien fichus, tout le reste c'est-à-dire la gestion de ses troupes et héros est très lourde. J'avais bien aimé le système des King's Bounty ; hélas rien de tel ici.

    Graphiquement c'est joli-mignon tout plein avec beaucoup de vert et des châteaux Dysneyland bien qu'il faille une bécane qui crache un minimum derrière... alors en 2006 pour avoir tout à fond j'imagine même pas. Bref, un jeu qui m'a soûlé et qui sera à sa place aux oubliettes.    … Expand
  13. AirXoniX
    Dec 20, 2018
    0
    Too much bugs for so simple game. Invisible golems, disappeared units, card crash.
  14. thebeeomm
    Dec 22, 2020
    0
    Game is full of game-breaking bugs that especially impact your campaign. Enemy turn take way too long and game doesn't even work when not focused on. Campaign are also an imbalanced mess and you are either stomping and having no fun or having to skip turns to dodge the extra beefed up enemy heroes( very fun gameplay considering the long enemy turns). Cinematics are extra cringe and if uGame is full of game-breaking bugs that especially impact your campaign. Enemy turn take way too long and game doesn't even work when not focused on. Campaign are also an imbalanced mess and you are either stomping and having no fun or having to skip turns to dodge the extra beefed up enemy heroes( very fun gameplay considering the long enemy turns). Cinematics are extra cringe and if u want the game for that just watch them online. Hard pass from me, not even worth pirating, just stick to heroes3.… Expand
  15. mega98
    Dec 22, 2022
    0
    One of the best tactical games I have ever played. 10 out of 10, very addictive

Awards & Rankings

63
#63 Best PC Game of 2006
17
#17 Most Discussed PC Game of 2006
19
#19 Most Shared PC Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 41 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 41
  3. Negative: 0 out of 41
  1. ActionTrip
    85
    You simply have to have the willingness to learn and give this game a chance. If you do this, you will be rewarded with an amazing strategy experience.
    Read full review
  2. Yahoo!
    70
    The biggest failing of Heroes V, which you can almost anticipate from its emphasis on looking so good, is that it's stingy with information.
    Read full review
  3. GameSpot
    82
    Skeptical Heroes fans, as well as anyone looking for a fun, long-lasting turn-based strategy game, will likely be pleasantly surprised by this one.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »