Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra

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Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra

Developer(s)	New World Computing
Publisher(s)	New World Computing
Release date(s)	1991
Genre(s)	Computer role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single player
Platform(s)	MS-DOS, Super NES, Amiga, Mac, Sega Mega Drive, Turbo CD

Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra is the third game in the role-playing game series Might and Magic.

[edit] Background

After defeating Sheltem and his forces on CRON in Might and Magic II, the party of adventurers next find themselves transported to Sheltem's homeworld of Terra. Here again, the adventurers must aid Corak in stopping Sheltem and putting an end to his evil machinations.

[edit] Gameplay

A typical Might and Magic III gameplay screen.

MM3 employs the same limited first person perspective type of interface as the previous two games. The action also remains turn based throughout the game phases. However, a number of improvements, made possible by an expanded development team and improvements in computer technology, are incorporated. The graphics are more colourful due to the capabilities of the contemporary VGA displays. A number of sound cards are supported, offering improved sound effects, background music and synthesized speech. Mouse interaction is also supported for the first time.

Textual character summaries in the lower portion of the screen are replaced with a graphical heads up display, featuring the faces of the player characters, which wear different expressions depending on the condition of the character. Spells are selected from a list: an improvement on previous games where they had to be specified using numeric codes. Level maps were no longer limited to a 16 x 16 grid. Also, enemy creatures can now be seen as they approach, or are approached, from distant squares. In previous games the enemy creatures were only detected when they were in the same square as the player characters, and hence combat was more difficult to avoid. This also gives players the opportunity to use ranged weapons.

Possibly the most effective improvement is that the player can save the game state at almost any time. (with the exception of notably the Arena and Castle Greywind Dungeon where the player cannot save the game state at) In previous games, saving was accomplishable only by visiting an inn. Saving the game also stores the fact that enemy creatures have been killed: in previous games when you travel to a level from an inn, it is fully populated with monsters every time.