How good is Might and Magic IX?

[Adalbertus]

I'm thinking about buying Might and Magic IX, and would like to know your opinions about this game. I've played VI, VII, VIII, and like them in decreasing order. In VI, I liked most the complexity of the game, the variety of tasks, and the ingame music, VII had the better gaming system. VIII just had the problem of most sequels (or most modern games?): Design flaws (a spell which enhances a skill which doesn't exist any more) and most of the tasks are: enter, kill, and you'll stumble over the solution.
So even with the inferior graphics, I play mostly VI. (and there are at least some NPC's who don't look like their own caricatures).

[Asher]

It's as good garbage on a hot summer's day.

[Leonidas]

From what I hear, it's terrible.

3DO has fired a lot of their staff, and seems to be going out of its way to kill off their beloved games. . .

[Adalbertus]

Thanks for the answers anyway.

[Grumbold]

Its based on a not too good 3d shooter engine, with the RPG shoehorned on top. This doesn't make the interface pleasant to use or intuitive.

They have further "refined" their RPG system, which seems to be an excuse for saying that less spells are available until you reach your second rank promotion. Others, like waterwalking and flying have disappeared altogether presumably because lithtech couldn't handle it or would have needed all the roofs etc constructing in detail.

I played about half the campaign in the 9 days I had it before returning it. On the strength of that, I thought it about as "good" as VIII, i.e. all the wait and revamp of engine had been totally wasted. Unless you have a computer that can't handle Morrowind, Neverwinter Nights, Gothic or Pools of Radiance I would recommend any of those titles in preference to M&M IX.