TheRetroArcade
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Posts: 2,005
Joined: Feb 2026
Joined: Feb 2026
Heroes of Science and Fiction is Might and Magic, but in space!
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I was a little surprised to discover that Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is one of Steam's most wishlisted gamed. Naturally, I'd assumed there must be a fanbase for this prequel from developer Unfrozen and publisher Hooded Horse, otherwise they wouldn't make it.
But I'd severely underestimated just how ravenous strategy fans are for riding around a top-down map of a fantasy kingdom and beating up unicorns in turn-based combat. People want Olden Era more than Dawn of War 4 and Total War: Warhammer 40,000. Even James Bond can't compete with the raw sexual magnetism of a hex-based grid.
The bad news is you can't play Olden Era yet. It was supposed to release at the end of last year, but Hooded Horse spurred it into 2026 to give the game "the care it deserves." Luckily, you can play a brand new, HoMM-style game right now, provided you don't mind swapping out steel-clad knights for star-pocked nights.
Heroes of Science and Fiction is, as you may have gleaned from the title, a genre-swapped Heroes of Might and Magic. Assuming the role of one of five factions vying for control of a remote star system, you're charged with exploring the planets orbiting that celestial fusion reactor, securing resources, building cities and raising armies to defeat your enemies.
Each of the five factions (which includes cybernetic moles and religious insects) has seven different unit types, as well as a unique ability and several commanders to choose from. Four of those factions have their own campaigns to pursue, while you can experiment with all factions across dozens of skirmish maps.
Heroes of Science and Fiction has been in Steam early access for eighteen months. But the game hit 1.0 earlier this week. The release update added a fourth campaign which wraps up the overarching story, as well as a new planet type that forms the theme for maps. It also introduced seven new buildings, improved AI behaviours, and added achievements. Most notably of all, it also added multiplayer, letting you duke it out with other players online, via LAN, through local hot seat, or Steam remote play.
To celebrate Heroes of Science and Fiction's release, developer Oxymoron Games has sliced 40% off the game's usual price for the next couple of weeks, meaning you can grab it for $15 (£12.50). And while the game is tech...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
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Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
I was a little surprised to discover that Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is one of Steam's most wishlisted gamed. Naturally, I'd assumed there must be a fanbase for this prequel from developer Unfrozen and publisher Hooded Horse, otherwise they wouldn't make it.
But I'd severely underestimated just how ravenous strategy fans are for riding around a top-down map of a fantasy kingdom and beating up unicorns in turn-based combat. People want Olden Era more than Dawn of War 4 and Total War: Warhammer 40,000. Even James Bond can't compete with the raw sexual magnetism of a hex-based grid.
The bad news is you can't play Olden Era yet. It was supposed to release at the end of last year, but Hooded Horse spurred it into 2026 to give the game "the care it deserves." Luckily, you can play a brand new, HoMM-style game right now, provided you don't mind swapping out steel-clad knights for star-pocked nights.
Heroes of Science and Fiction is, as you may have gleaned from the title, a genre-swapped Heroes of Might and Magic. Assuming the role of one of five factions vying for control of a remote star system, you're charged with exploring the planets orbiting that celestial fusion reactor, securing resources, building cities and raising armies to defeat your enemies.
Each of the five factions (which includes cybernetic moles and religious insects) has seven different unit types, as well as a unique ability and several commanders to choose from. Four of those factions have their own campaigns to pursue, while you can experiment with all factions across dozens of skirmish maps.
Heroes of Science and Fiction has been in Steam early access for eighteen months. But the game hit 1.0 earlier this week. The release update added a fourth campaign which wraps up the overarching story, as well as a new planet type that forms the theme for maps. It also introduced seven new buildings, improved AI behaviours, and added achievements. Most notably of all, it also added multiplayer, letting you duke it out with other players online, via LAN, through local hot seat, or Steam remote play.
To celebrate Heroes of Science and Fiction's release, developer Oxymoron Games has sliced 40% off the game's usual price for the next couple of weeks, meaning you can grab it for $15 (£12.50). And while the game is tech...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?