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Might & Magic 9

ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
While 2002 gave us Morrowind, Gothic 2 and Wizardry 8, it also gave us……..this.



Man, no wonder Black Isle never went beyond 2 with their games. You'll either die a Baldur's Gate 2 or live long enough to see yourself become Ultima 9 and M&M9.
SharGuidesMyHandSorcererV1ct0r

Comments

  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    edited July 2018
    Well, I have quite a bit to say about this one. For one thing, only recently have I actually been able to get the game to run without a major bug that causes a totally black screen underwater and at night, and it took multiple YEARS for me to run across the solution. For the record, anyone who needs it can get all the fixes for the game in this zip I uploaded a few months ago:

    https://www.filedropper.com/mm9comprehensivefixpack

    As to the game....yeah, on release it was basically an unfinished alpha product. Over the years, it was basically fixed by fan patches (which the GOG versions comes with). The story is stupid, it comes from that early-era of 3D graphics. But it has legitimately good dungeons, a gonzo sense of humor, and it still retains the core M&M gameplay loop that had been in effect since Isles of Terra. It's not nearly as bad as Ultima IX. It's actually no more of a step down from 8 than that games is from 7, or 7 is from 6.
  • Ludwig_IILudwig_II Member Posts: 369
    I agree with jjstraka34. Just finished M&M 9 for the 3rd time a month ago. I actually couldn't manage to fix the black screens underwater and at night, but I still managed to finish the game without the fix.

    The new promotion system introduced on this one is a good feature I think, though not perfect. At least it introduced something fresh to the series. The graphics are better than all the older versions and mouse look was integrated well. Story is a bit silly, but for me, character progression made up for that. Music was great too, just like the previous games. I still listen to M&M soundtracks when I'm working. If 3do didn't go bankrupt, the game could have been much better and the series could have continued its glory.

    I was more disappointed with M&M 8 than 9 to be honest. M&M 8 felt like such a downgrade after 7, which is the best in the series for me. Though I agree 6 is also very good, I still think 7 is better. For story, both 6 and 7 are worth the time spent.

    I'm curious jjstraka34, In what ways M&M 6 is better than 7 in your opinion?
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    I rank Mandate of Heaven right up there with Baldur's Gate 2 and Morrowind. It is one of the first truly open worlds, you are just dropped in and left to fend for yourself. It is quite easy to end up going in the wrong direction and getting overwhelmed. The game is just huge, the dungeons are huge, it has basically now rails. You get a bit of coin at the first inn, and then you are on your own, for better or worse. It also has one of the best RPG soundtracks in history.
    ShapiroKeatsDarkMageBelgarathMTH
  • megamike15megamike15 Member Posts: 2,666
    the thing with might and magic was after 6 the pubilsher 3do made them bring out a game every year. it had nothing to do with having more then 2 games.

    same with ultima it's considered great up to about 7. then 8 and 9 happened.
  • QueegonQueegon Member Posts: 363
    edited March 2019
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    Well, I have quite a bit to say about this one. For one thing, only recently have I actually been able to get the game to run without a major bug that causes a totally black screen underwater and at night, and it took multiple YEARS for me to run across the solution. For the record, anyone who needs it can get all the fixes for the game in this zip I uploaded a few months ago:

    https://www.filedropper.com/mm9comprehensivefixpack

    As to the game....yeah, on release it was basically an unfinished alpha product. Over the years, it was basically fixed by fan patches (which the GOG versions comes with). The story is stupid, it comes from that early-era of 3D graphics. But it has legitimately good dungeons, a gonzo sense of humor, and it still retains the core M&M gameplay loop that had been in effect since Isles of Terra. It's not nearly as bad as Ultima IX. It's actually no more of a step down from 8 than that games is from 7, or 7 is from 6.

    Hey there, any chance for a re-upload? I've been waiting to replay M&M IX for so long...

    EDIT: I just dusted off my copy and downloaded all those cshell and fullscreen fixes again after finding the thread on GoG with underwater and night screen fixes.
    I haven't played IX since upgrading Vista to 8 and then 10 because of the 5:01pm pitch black screen and underwater same problem, had to replay more of VII and VIII in the meantime. Took us just about 6 years to find a fix for that. :P

    Back in business, baby!
    Post edited by Queegon on
    ShapiroKeatsDarkMage
  • AmmarAmmar Member Posts: 1,295
    I prefer MM7 to MM6 as well. The promotion/skill system is a lot more mature, there is a branching main story but most importantly, MM6 had too many mega-dungeons filled with the same enemy types over and over. MM6 was just too much of a slog for me. It was just not particularly interesting compared to some of the better early dungeons like the Temple of Baa.

    I don't see it as one of the first open world games either. At least, it is specifically not more more Open World than the five previous MM games - in fact, I think it is a defining part of the series.

    Agree that the soundtrack was awesome in both MM6 & MM7.
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
    Ammar wrote: »
    I prefer MM7 to MM6 as well. The promotion/skill system is a lot more mature, there is a branching main story but most importantly, MM6 had too many mega-dungeons filled with the same enemy types over and over. MM6 was just too much of a slog for me. It was just not particularly interesting compared to some of the better early dungeons like the Temple of Baa.

    I don't see it as one of the first open world games either. At least, it is specifically not more more Open World than the five previous MM games - in fact, I think it is a defining part of the series.

    Agree that the soundtrack was awesome in both MM6 & MM7.

    Mm7 also has PLAYABLE GOBLINS (although they look like half-orcs)!
  • SorcererV1ct0rSorcererV1ct0r Member Posts: 2,176
    edited March 2019
    M&M IX crashes everytime that i try launch here on Windows, but i've tried to play and honestly. din't fell like Might & Magic. Still more M&M than M&M X Legacy. SsethTzeentach has the most funny reviews IMO. About M&M VI, took days for me to pass tomb of VARN playing around 2 hours/day. Honestly only din't liked that you can only be an human on M&M VI. Is the unique fault.

    One thing that i particularly din't liked on M&M VII is that all dark magic spells deals "dark damage", instead of sharpmetal dealing physical, others dealing magical, others poison.

    SkatanBelgarathMTH
  • QueegonQueegon Member Posts: 363
    Queegon wrote: »

    Hey there, any chance for a re-upload? I've been waiting to replay M&M IX for so long...

    EDIT: I just dusted off my copy and downloaded all those cshell and fullscreen fixes again after finding the thread on GoG with underwater and night screen fixes.
    I haven't played IX since upgrading Vista to 8 and then 10 because of the 5:01pm pitch black screen and underwater same problem, had to replay more of VII and VIII in the meantime. Took us just about 6 years to find a fix for that. :P

    Back in business, baby!

    Funny thing, I didn't enjoy it after all the time waiting for win10 fix. I uninstalled it fairly soon after making it work. It's not as great as I remember it from those 7+ years ago, so I decided I'd rather let it rest and keep the good memories I had with it.

    VII and VIII are more enjoyable and cheesing the dragon cave for artifacts certainly spoiled it for me way too soon. :D
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