Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is a turn-based strategy RPG for Windows PC developed by Unfrozen and published by Hooded Horse.



It is the official prequel to the classic Heroes of Might and Magic series and entered Early Access on April 30, 2026.

The game focuses on empire building, hero development, resource management, fantasy armies, spellcasting, tactical battles, solo play, and multiplayer modes.

Set on the continent of Jadame, Olden Era brings back the familiar Heroes formula: explore the map, collect resources, build cities, recruit creatures, upgrade armies, and defeat rival factions.

It is clearly designed for long-time Heroes III fans, but it also modernizes the formula with new faction systems, active unit abilities, matchmaking, leaderboards, and a built-in map editor.



Main Features

Official Prequel: Returns to the roots of the Heroes of Might and Magic series with a new story and setting.

Six Factions: Includes factions such as Temple, Necropolis, Sylvan, Dungeon, Hive, and another faction teased by the developer.

Strategic Map Exploration: Players gather resources, capture locations, build towns, and expand their kingdom.

Turn-Based Tactical Battles: Combat takes place on hexagonal battlefields with spells, abilities, positioning, and army synergy.

Hero Progression: Heroes lead armies, gain experience, use spells, equip artifacts, and shape your strategy.

City Building: Construct buildings, recruit units, upgrade creatures, and improve faction-specific strengths.



Multiple Game Modes: Includes single-player campaign, AI skirmishes, multiplayer, Classic mode, One-Hero Mode, and Arena.

Map Editor: Create and share custom scenarios, useful for long-term community content.

Other Features: Supports single-player, online PvP, shared/split-screen PvP, Steam Achievements, Steam Cloud, Remote Play Together, and Family Sharing.

Early Access Development: Developers plan to expand the game with more scenarios, map templates, editor improvements, an Underground map layer, and more campaign acts.

User Interface

The interface follows the traditional Heroes structure: world map, town screen, hero panel, army slots, resources, and combat grid.

It feels familiar if you played older Heroes titles, but it has a more modern, colorful look.



Some Steam users praise the gameplay but criticize the art direction as too cartoon-like compared with the darker high-fantasy style of older entries.

Overall, the UI is functional and readable on desktop, though as an Early Access game it may still receive improvements.

Installation and Setup

• Install Desktop Steam on your Windows PC.
• Open Steam and search for Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era.
• Purchase the Standard Edition or download the demo if available.
• Click Install and choose your SSD storage location.
• Launch the game from your Steam Library.
• Adjust graphics, sound, resolution, and accessibility options.
• Start with the tutorial or campaign before entering multiplayer.

The FileHorse gaming team can recommend Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era to players who enjoy classic turn-based fantasy strategy and want a modern return to the legendary Heroes formula.



How to Play

1. Choose a faction based on your preferred playstyle.
2. Start with one town and build essential structures.
3. Recruit units and hire heroes.
4. Explore the adventure map to collect resources and artifacts.
5. Capture mines and strategic locations.
6. Upgrade your town to unlock stronger units.
7. Use heroes to lead armies and learn spells.
8. Enter turn-based battles against neutral creatures or enemy players.
9. Use positioning, magic, Focus abilities, and unit synergies.
10. Expand to new towns and defeat all opponents or complete scenario objectives.

FAQs

Is Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era released?
Yes. It entered Early Access on April 30, 2026.

Is it a remake of Heroes III?
No. It is an official prequel, but it is heavily inspired by classic Heroes gameplay.

Does it have multiplayer?
Yes. Steam lists online PvP, shared/split-screen PvP, and Remote Play Together support.

How many factions are available?
The Early Access version includes six unique factions and three game modes.

Is it good for new players?
Yes, but beginners should start with the tutorial and campaign because the game has many layered systems.

Alternatives

• Heroes of Might and Magic III HD Edition - Classic turn-based fantasy strategy with legendary status.
• Songs of Conquest - Modern spiritual successor with pixel art, factions, magic, and tactical battles.
• Age of Wonders 4 - Deeper 4X fantasy strategy with tactical combat and empire customization.
• Endless Legend 2 - Fantasy 4X strategy with factions, exploration, and large-scale empire management.
• Disciples: Liberation - Dark fantasy tactical RPG with strategy elements and story-driven progression.
• King’s Bounty II - Turn-based fantasy battles with RPG-style exploration and army building.

Pricing

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era Standard Edition - $39.99.

Steam pricing may change during Early Access, and the developers state that the price may increase as more content and features are added.

System Requirements

Minimum:

OS: Windows 10 64-bit or Windows 11

Processor: Intel Core i3-10300 or AMD Ryzen 3 3100

Memory: 8 GB RAM

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4 GB, AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 4 GB, or Intel Arc A580 8 GB

DirectX: Version 11

Storage: 8 GB available space

Additional Notes: SSD required

Recommended:

OS: Windows 10 64-bit or Windows 11

Processor: Intel Core i5-12400T or AMD Ryzen 5 5500

Memory: 16 GB RAM

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 6 GB, AMD Radeon RX 5600 OEM 6 GB, or Intel Arc A750 8 GB

DirectX: Version 12

Storage: 8 GB available space

Additional Notes: SSD required

PROS

• Classic Heroes-style gameplay returns strongly.
• Six factions already available in Early Access.
• Deep tactical battles with spells, artifacts, and unit abilities.
• Good mix of solo, multiplayer, and editor tools.
• Low storage requirement for a modern strategy game.
• Strong foundation for long-term updates and community maps.

CONS

• Still in Early Access, so content is not final.
• Campaign is not complete yet.
• Some players dislike the brighter, more cartoon-like art direction.
• Balance may change often during development.
• New players may find the systems complex at first.

Conclusion

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is a promising and respectful return to one of PC gaming’s most beloved strategy formulas.

It already offers strong factions, tactical battles, map exploration, and multiplayer, although Early Access limitations remain.

For Heroes fans, this is one of the most important strategy releases of 2026.