Demo reviews:

[pkt-zer0]

Based on the demo, the game seems to be excellent in every aspect except for the translation. Great overall presentation. The music, while good, seemed to get a bit repetitive after some time, though I'll chalk this up to being limited to a single area. (I'm guessing other areas have differing music tracks) The combat system strikes a nice balance between simplicity and depth - the core mechanics are pretty basic, but having lots of varied abilities allows for quite interesting scenarios. It's as complex as it needs to be, not any more complex. Outside of battles, the items laying all around the place make exploration worthwhile. Quests add some flavour to the basic "kill enemies, upgrade, repeat" gameplay, but a lot of the humour is unfortunately lost due to the translation. It's hard to get a good idea of long-term balance and gameplay from the demo, so can't comment on that. The Starforce copy protection is another negative for me.

Overall, the demo definitely sold me on the game, even though I never really liked any of the HoMM games. It's like Age of Wonders in that way for me: like HoMM, except good. I'll be sure to buy it after it's un-Starforced.

[Imperial Dane]

Well overall i don't recall having any problems with looking around to be honest as i keep a slanted top down view that allows me a good look at things.. and movement wise ? I don't click that far ahead, either in short bursts in the hopes of treasure, or i keep the mouse button down and just ride, in which case the camera tends to move behind the hero.. Just a comment on those things that keeps being repeated...

@Kingimp: That is because the skill system doesn't work like that

Level up grants you stat bonuses in some way, skills are taken through runes, runes which are granted in several ways, either through levelling up, finding them somewhere, and probably rewards as well. Then you purchase the skills you want, takes a bit of getting used to, but overall no problem.
Regarding levelling overall, i do believe that is a matter of balancing to prevent the hero from getting too powerful right away, also you gain more experience if the army is stronger than you than if weaker.. get the scouting skill to keep track of that .

@pkt: Well according to Nike-it, there won't be starforce protection at all. And seeing as he is a 1C rep, i imagine he knows what he is talking about.

Also just a small addition to my impression of the demo:
I like how things change from game to game, bonuses, items, monsters, treasures, even the creatures offered in most of the places change from time to time which really makes a difference. I mean at one time i found an altar of experience laying on a small island where in previous games it hadn't.

[KingImp]

Originally Posted by Imperial Dane

@Kingimp: That is because the skill system doesn't work like that

Level up grants you stat bonuses in some way, skills are taken through runes, runes which are granted in several ways, either through levelling up, finding them somewhere, and probably rewards as well. Then you purchase the skills you want, takes a bit of getting used to, but overall no problem.
Regarding levelling overall, i do believe that is a matter of balancing to prevent the hero from getting too powerful right away, also you gain more experience if the army is stronger than you than if weaker.. get the scouting skill to keep track of that.

Actually, that was my bad and I just figured this out after playing again. I just happened to put my cursor over one of the abilites and saw you could click it to upgrade.

So, any comments on the quests that can't seem to be finished? I think I'm done as I can't go anywhere else and all my fights are finished, yet there are still 3 quests yet to be completed.

[pkt-zer0]

Originally Posted by Imperial Dane

@pkt: Well according to Nike-it, there won't be starforce protection at all. And seeing as he is a 1C rep, i imagine he knows what he is talking about.

Missed that, thanks.

Originally Posted by KingImp

So, any comments on the quests that can't seem to be finished? I think I'm done as I can't go anywhere else and all my fights are finished, yet there are still 3 quests yet to be completed.

Well, since you're supposed to go to another area to finish those, and they aren't in the demo, those'll be unresolved.

[KingImp]

Originally Posted by pkt-zer0

Well, since you're supposed to go to another area to finish those, and they aren't in the demo, those'll be unresolved.

It just seems strange that they would even bother putting those quests in the demo if you couldn't complete them. Just leave them out if that was the case.

[phoenixreborn]

Looks pretty good, a little slow on my machine.

The demo seems fun enough. Plenty to do.

My biggest disappointment is the lack of simultaneous retaliation. That's what made the original game so hard.

[Ryder]

Originally Posted by phoenixreborn

My biggest disappointment is the lack of simultaneous retaliation. That's what made the original game so hard.

Ummmmmmmm, the original never had simultaneous retaliation.

The main thing missing from the original is that when you find a chest you dont get to choose if you want the gold or leadership.