Heroes Chronicles
| Company type | Video game series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | September 27, 2000 |
| Founder | Jon Van Caneghem |
| Fate | Discontinued, re-released on GOG.com in 2011 |
| Products | Episodic expansions for Heroes of Might and Magic III |
| Owner | New World Computing / The 3DO Company |
Heroes Chronicles is a series of episodic level expansions for Heroes of Might and Magic III, created by Jon Van Caneghem at New World Computing and published by the 3DO Company. Launched between September 2000 and June 2001, the eight episodes follow the immortal barbarian Tarnum as he embarks on various missions across time.
Aimed primarily at beginners, these campaigns offer a reduced challenge and were marketed at lower prices without the necessity of owning the original game. Two episodes, The World Tree and The Fiery Moon, were distributed as complimentary downloads to players who had purchased multiple retail chapters. The collection garnered mixed feedback, often criticized for being a commercial venture lacking multiplayer options. In June 2011, all chapters were re-released on GOG.com.
Gameplay
Heroes Chronicles consists of independent level packs built on the Heroes III engine, featuring turn-based strategic gameplay. Each episode contains eight maps (five in the downloadable versions), which connect to form campaigns accompanied by brief story cutscenes. Crafted to welcome new players, these campaigns are shorter and simpler than the main game but do not support multiplayer modes.
Plot
The narrative follows Tarnum’s saga: beginning with his ascent as a barbarian king in Warlords of the Wasteland, followed by his punishment from the Ancestors who grant him immortality and dispatch him on quests for redemption. Major plot points involve recovering King Rion’s soul in Conquest of the Underworld, confronting Elemental Lords in Master of the Elements, and assisting rangers against dragons in Clash of the Dragons. The downloadable episodes center on thwarting the rogue Ancestor Vorr.
Subsequent chapters depict Tarnum liberating enslaved Mudlanders in Revolt of the Beastmasters, establishing the nation of Tatalia, and facing rulers from Erathia. The Sword of Frost connects directly to events leading into Heroes of Might and Magic IV, where Tarnum reappears.
Release and format
The initial four chapters—Warlords of the Wasteland, Conquest of the Underworld, Masters of the Elements, and Clash of the Dragons—were released individually on retail discs priced at roughly half that of the original game, each featuring sample maps from other episodes serving as "interactive trailers." These launched in two waves: September and November 2000.
The World Tree and The Fiery Moon were offered as free downloadable content requiring previously installed retail packs; compatibility was limited to US versions and necessitated discs from earlier releases. Though initially available until January 2001, these downloads remained accessible until 3DO’s bankruptcy in 2003.
The concluding two chapters, Revolt of the Beastmasters and The Sword of Frost, were combined into a single disc titled The Final Chapters released in June 2001. Notably, none of these campaigns were included in Heroes of Might and Magic III: Complete (November 2000), which was published before all episodes had been launched.
In June 2011, all eight episodes were republished on GOG.com under the name All Chapters, lifting previous regional restrictions on downloadable content.
Chapters
| No. | Title | Release Date | Initial Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warlords of the Wasteland | September 27, 2000 | Retail individual release |
| 2 | Conquest of the Underworld | ||
| 3 | Masters of the Elements | November 14, 2000 | |
| 4 | Clash of the Dragons | ||
| 5 | The World Tree | September 29, 2000 | Available as free download |
| 6 | The Fiery Moon | November 13, 2000 | Available as free download |
| 7 | Revolt of the Beastmasters | June 1, 2001 | Retail compilation: The Final Chapters |
| 8 | The Sword of Frost |
Reception
Critical response was varied; although the gameplay remained faithful to Heroes III, many reviewers considered Heroes Chronicles to be a commercial venture with limited innovation and no multiplayer functionality. Upon launch, players had access to more extensive content at a better value through Heroes III: Complete. The Spanish publication Extreme PC awarded the initial four episodes a score of 79%, highlighting the lack of multiplayer as a significant shortcoming.