A look back at: Might and Magic V: Darkside of Xeen

 

It's the same! But different. But still same! Yeah, gotta find some fun in the Might and Magic series either combining games, or letting you import characters. Certainly more of that medievalness going around...wait that's right, there's a lot of tech stuff incorporated too. As well as familiar faces all around. Might and Magic IV+V, World of Xeen, keeps to the formula of the third game, while having a double dose. There's really not much different in the gameplay department, and characters can be imported. Music is basically the same more or less, but if there's one thing gameplay-wise that needs checking, it's this: imported parties have a much better time. Yeah, freshly starting is going to be a little harder than usual, and that sucks. Apart from that, veterans of M&M will see this as something similar to an expansion, with a few things to catch the eye. Like, say, a floor set up like a freakin' crossword puzzle.

So what's the deal with Sheltem and Corak and why do we have to hear about them all the time? Wait, Sheltem we know is a bad guy, and Corak is a good guy. Sheltem has been around. The party from back in M&M3 journeyed with Corak to battle Sheltem as he ran away, as M&M3 was a game without a proper final boss. But now we get to see some things. First off, Sheltem naturally is our big bad, impersonating King Alamar and making life a living hell for people on Xeen after Xeen himself has passed. However, he's an android? And Corak too. It was an interesting info dump to read all the stuff that was in the ship logs that both Corak and Sheltem had, and the fact that they both had memory banks that kept them where they are. Sheltem, of course, doesn't want the upper hand taken away from him, and basically ambushes Corak at whatever chance he gets. The party in M&M5 really just take the role of bystanders who basically turn the tide of things simply by fetchquesting, without much in the way of battling Sheltem, because Corak decides to activate a MUTUAL SELF DESTRUCT system. Personally it's quite hilarious that they both have it, and I guess it only works if the two were together. One seriously wanted to live and be evil, that was his goal.

And then there's the weird wedding where you have to save the bride and groom in different dungeons. And what's with the Dragon Pharaoh? Totally weird characters and weirder stuff. I'll continue to mess around with this franchise, hoping there's some more interesting plot stuff like this. It was quite the adventure.