Canada's Capybara Games is a special developer. Its early history may have been work-for-hire but it's now probably best known for the magical Superbrothers: Swords and Sworcery EP, and most recently 2018's Below. Before those two, though, Capybara made the best Might & Magic game I've ever played: Clash of Heroes on the Nintendo DS.
Published by Ubisoft in 2009, Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes maybe didn't get the acclaim it deserved at launch (or the sales). But word-of-mouth saw its reputation grow and grow, eventually leading to releases of a slightly reworked version on PC and consoles (because the original game used two screens). It is one of the most characterful and ingenious puzzle RPGs you'll ever play, oozing smarts and surprises, and manages to wring more out of its central mechanic than you'd believe possible.
This gem is now getting a definitive edition from the retro specialists over at DotEmu, whose most recent project was the well-received Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge. It's not too far away, either, and will launch this summer on Steam and the Ubisoft store, as well as consoles.
The trailer promises "refined gameplay and new balancing" as well as "online and offline multiplayer up to four players." I felt the original was beautifully balanced but didn't play it all-too-much in multiplayer, so what do I know, and it seems like Dotemu's putting a lot of effort into reviving that side of the game: "1v1, 2v2, against bots or other players, online or offline, it doesn’t matter, your goal remains the same: lead your army to the top of the ladder!"
Elements of the singleplayer campaign probably haven't aged too well (the overworld is a basic marker-style affair, for example) but this battle system will be as fresh as ever: It's the intricacies of how different units blend and mix together, how these fit into a given army's larger overarching strategy, and the brilliant combinations you can eventually start pulling off.
The game will also include the I Am The Boss DLC, in which you get to play as the game's villains in any mode other than campaign, and introduces the multiplayer boss Euny the Archdruid. Might of Magic: Clash of Heroes Definitive Edition looks like a beautiful way to handle this old treasure, and can be wishlisted on Steam.
