| Winds of War, the second expansion pack for Heroes of Might & Magic IV, casts the player as one of five leaders intent on conquering the kingdom of Channon. (A sixth scenario, which cannot be played until the first five are won, depicts the final battle for Channon.) Of course, each leader represents a different army type (nature, barbarians, death, order and chaos) - and this is where I first grimaced and wondered just how much thought went into the actual story.
Now, I know the swords and sorcery scene is ripe with camp. But the Might & Magic series has generally kept it at arm’s length, even through installments that featured space-traveling demons. Heroes (at the campaign level) kept even farther from camp, sticking to interesting, engaging fantasy storylines. So imagine my disappointment when the protagonists of the Winds of War campaign featured names like Spazz Maticus, Mysterio and Erutan Revol (an elf - read it backward). I mean, Spazz Maticus?
Okay, fine. Deep breaths.
The changes here are minimal, which makes me wonder at the $30 price tag. There are a few new creatures, and new buildings (outside town) at which to recruit said new creatures. I’d pay $30 for a new city type or three, maybe a seventh school of magic or some other addition that really shakes up Heroes IV gameplay. Don’t look for that here.
Surprisingly, considering the jaunty tone set by the names, Winds of War is rather difficult. It’s definitely aimed at veteran Heroes players; more than ever, a few missteps at the start of a campaign can really cost you later. During at least two campaigns (those of Mysterio the wizard and Mongo the barbarian) I bopped through a scenario, merrily capturing resources, and then got absolutely decimated by the NPC opponents. Dialing the difficulty down a notch helps some, but this installment really requires thought before action.
Graphics and sound are carried over from Heroes IV. Maps are as colorful as ever, and the music ranges from jaunty to haunting, but it’s nothing owners of the original game haven’t already seen.
Aside from the campaign, Winds of War also features 20 player-created maps, even more maps from New World and a few new editing tools. Yes, the game is still addictive. Yes, I can wince at the name Spazz Maticus and then be caught up for hours. Yes, I will continue to look forward to New World’s Might & Magic games (both the RPGs and the Heroes series). I would, however, suggest waiting for the inevitable collection edition for Heroes IV, where it and its expansion packs will be available all at once. Thirty bucks is too much to pay for an add-on that doesn’t deliver dramatic new content. | 
