Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era Review: The Heroes 3 Successor Fans Waited For
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Short answer: Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is a new prequel in the classic turn-based fantasy strategy series, and critics call it the strongest return to the Heroes 3 formula in years. It has a Top Critic Average of 83 on OpenCritic, and players rate it Very Positive on Steam (85% of 6,934 English reviews). It is in Early Access, with only the first act of the campaign so far. If you grew up on Heroes 3 or want deep turn-based strategy with lots of modes, it is a strong pick at $39.99.
What is Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era?
Olden Era is a turn-based strategy game from Unfrozen, published by Hooded Horse, and an official prequel in the Heroes of Might and Magic series. You lead heroes across an adventure map, capture mines and resources, build up towns that recruit new units every week and fight battles on a hex grid. GamesRadar+ reported one million copies sold on Steam by late May 2026, a month after the Early Access launch.
| Developer | Unfrozen |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Hooded Horse |
| Release | Early Access since 30 April 2026 |
| Platforms | Windows |
| Genre | Turn-based strategy, RPG |
| Steam rating | Very Positive (85% of 6,934 English reviews) |
| Price | $39.99 |
What players and critics love
A faithful return to the classic
Critics agree it captures what made Heroes 3 so loved. GamesRadar+ said the series “finally makes a comeback to reclaim its throne”, NoobFeed called it faithful to the Heroes 3 identity while still friendly to newcomers, and Digitally Downloaded gave it 5/5. IGN, which scored it 7/10, said the core is as solid as the series has ever been.
Deep, satisfying battles
Fights are turn-based on a hex grid with up to seven unit stacks and an initiative order. There are four schools of magic, and a Focus resource, built up by dealing and taking damage, powers unit abilities. Units lost in battle are gone for good, which NoobFeed said gives every fight weight. Strategy and Wargaming gave it 8.5/10 and called it “easy-to-play, but hard to master”.
Six factions with real differences
The six factions are Temple, Necropolis, Grove, Hive, Schism and Dungeon, with more than 100 heroes in total. Digitally Downloaded praised how distinct the factions and heroes feel, and law and astrology points add faction bonuses and control spells on top.
Lots to play already
Classic mode with many heroes, Single Hero mode, the Arena drafting mode, random map templates, standalone scenarios, the first campaign act and a map editor are all in. Online multiplayer and hotseat are supported. Strategy and Wargaming summed it up: “Olden Era is packed with things to do.”
What to know before you buy
- It is in Early Access. Only act 1 of the campaign is in. Acts 2 and 3, underground maps, a roguelike mode and more scenarios are planned for later, and the developers say the price may rise. Early Access was planned to last about a year.
- Polish. NoobFeed found balance, AI, bugs and the interface still need work, and noted there is no full co-op. Strategy and Wargaming and Digitally Downloaded, by contrast, had no crashes.
- Late game. Strategy and Wargaming found neutral fights in the late game repetitive, and GamesRadar+ warned that early mistakes can cost you hours later.
- Steam Deck. Valve rates it Playable, but Steam Deck HQ found it demanding, with small text and no controller support at launch. It is Windows only on Steam.
- Recent reviews. Recent Steam reviews (Mostly Positive, 77%) are lower than the all-time score.
Who should buy Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era?
Buy it if you loved Heroes 3, enjoy turn-based battles where every unit counts, or want a strategy game you can play solo, online or hotseat for a long time. If you would rather wait for the full campaign, it is worth checking back as the updates arrive. For a different kind of deep strategy game, read our Terra Invicta review, or our Norland review for medieval kingdom management.
Sources
- Steam store page, Early Access notes and user reviews for Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era
- GamesRadar+: Olden Era Early Access review and roadmap report
- Strategy and Wargaming: Olden Era review
- NoobFeed: Olden Era review
- Digitally Downloaded: Olden Era review
- Steam Deck HQ: Olden Era review
- OpenCritic critic listing
- Nexus store page for Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era
Last checked against sources: 11 November 2026.
