Swords of Xeen

New World Computing

Industry	Video game development
Founded	1984
Founder	Jon Van Caneghem
Headquarters	Seal Beach, California , United States
Products	Might and Magic series

Might and Magic V: Darkside of Xeen (initially titled Might and Magic: Darkside of Xeen) is a science fantasy role-playing video game created and released by New World Computing in 1993. Built on the engine from Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra, this title represents the fifth entry in the Might and Magic franchise and serves as a direct continuation of Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen, bringing to a close the storyline initiated in Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum.

Praised for its vast environment and visual presentation, the game was notable for introducing animated cutscenes alongside PCM sound-based voice acting. A groundbreaking aspect was its capability to merge with Clouds of Xeen, forming the composite experience known as World of Xeen, marking a significant innovation in game development during that era.

Gameplay

The gameplay of Might and Magic V utilizes an engine derived from Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra, maintaining comparable mechanics. It is designed to be played in conjunction with Might and Magic IV, featuring tougher initial conditions for new characters, reflecting anticipated progression from Clouds of Xeen.

Plot

Darkside of Xeen concludes the saga involving the intergalactic battle against Sheltem, a rogue creation by the Ancients. Picking up after Clouds of Xeen, players follow Prince Roland’s path to face Sheltem, who has seized control of the area under the pseudonym "Alamar."

The Dragon Pharaoh, protector of Darkside, attempts to rally allies but discovers many are either imprisoned or transformed by Sheltem. He sends a dragon hatchling carrying a command orb, which is intercepted but survives to be discovered by the adventurers. Assisted by Ellinger Hofenhager, an elven wizard ally, they restore Castle Kalindra—displaced out of phase by Alamar—by gathering energy discs scattered across Darkside.

After freeing Sandcaster and defeating Alamar’s operatives Morgana and Xenoc, they confront Count Blackfang, who has turned Queen Kalindra into a vampire. Using her crown’s power, they restore her and proceed to the Ancients' pyramid where the Dragon Pharaoh reveals Alamar’s possession of the Cube of Power. This artifact grants control over XEEN’s dual realms and facilitates plans to invade Terra.

Upon investigating another escape pod, they encounter Corak—Sheltem's adversary—who instructs them to teleport him into Castle Alamar. With assistance from the Dragon Pharaoh, they secure a Soul Box in Olympus to transfer Corak’s spirit. Battling through Sheltem’s forces leads them to his throne room where Corak confronts Sheltem. Their intense duel ends with both Guardians initiating self-destruct sequences, resulting in their mutual destruction and ending Sheltem’s menace with Castle Alamar’s obliteration.

World of Xeen

Installing both Might and Magic IV and V together merges them into World of Xeen, a seamless game that enables exploration between both sides of Xeen. This integrated edition encompasses all content from both games along with additional quests, enriching player interaction. In 1994, New World Computing (NWC) launched an enhanced CD version of World of Xeen featuring expanded digital voice acting. The Macintosh edition was developed by Presage Software.

The game provides closure to the narratives from Might and Magic IV and V, culminating in the unification of Xeen’s two realms symbolized by the marriage ceremony of Prince Roland and Queen Kalindra, representing the transformation of their world.

Commercially recognized, World of Xeen was named among the top 50 CD-ROMs of 1995 by MacUser, receiving a rating of 3.5 out of 5.

Swords of Xeen

Originally included as a bonus title within the 1995 Might and Magic Trilogy collection—which encompassed III, IV, and V—Swords of Xeen was created by Catware and later appeared in various series compilations, though it was never issued as a separate product.

The game began as a modification built on the Might and Magic V engine, with development efforts from Catware and narrative input by Ellen Beeman. Official publishing backing came through collaboration with New World Computing. The title makes inventive use of engine peculiarities, such as merging animations to depict monster transformations, but it also features scripting flaws that enable players to circumvent numerous battles.

Set on an unfamiliar world imperiled by 'The Source', who claims responsibility for Alamar—the villain from Might and Magic V—the game preserved the older graphics and audio assets of its predecessor. Nevertheless, it received acclaim for its gameplay mechanics, securing a 4 out of 5 rating in critical assessments.

Reception

In 1993, Computer Gaming World writer Scorpia characterized Darkside as containing puzzles that were "almost trivially easy," with some described as "pointless and boring," yet she still regarded it as a "satisfactory conclusion to the current Might & Magic saga." She advised that playing both Darkside and Clouds together would enhance the experience, considering them essential for fans of the franchise. In June 1994, Darkside of Xeen was nominated as a finalist for Computer Gaming World's Role-Playing Game of the Year award but was ultimately surpassed by Betrayal at Krondor. The editors lauded it as "the most impressive linking of two CRPGs in computer game history" and recognized it as a notable advancement in creating immersive virtual worlds.

The 1994 evaluation of Might & Magic: The World of Xeen—a combination of Clouds of Xeen and Dark Side of Xeen—appeared in issue #201 of Dragon, where reviewer Sandy Petersen assigned it a score of 3 out of 5 stars. In April 1994, Computer Gaming World highlighted that the CD edition's improvements made it the superior version. Meanwhile, Neil Randall writing for CD-ROM Today commended the compilation as "fun, consistent, and addictive," awarding it 4 stars out of 5.