It really isn't true that the most recent update of Rainbow-PCM Reviews On-Line was delayed because I was playing Might and Magic VI – The Mandate of Heaven. But it could be.
   Any game that gets to VI has got to be good and MM6 is absolute evidence of that.
   Take this nasty bat, for instance. This is not your run-of-the-mill bat, if you look carefully, you'll see all those suckers on its "business end." Run into one of these critters in some dark cave, and you'll know it! Of course, your party has both Might and Magic on its side, so, maybe, you can overcome the thing. The problem? They come in groups.
     The good news is that no matter how many bats, spiders, skeletons and assorted other nastys there are (and there are plenty of them), you have magic spells, weapons, shields (like the one on the right), armour and companions to help you do your thing. Which is, of course, to adventure all across a highly-detailed and beautifully rendered landscape (actually, quite a lot of them). Indeed, this is one of the most realistic adventure games I have ever played, and certainly, to date, the most enjoyable. Attention to detail by 3do is most admirable. Its foggy in the mornings (sometimes), bright in the day and dark at night. The characters move extremely fluidly, the puzzles are challenging but not impossible and all in all, MM6 is one fine game.
   I should also say that I am extremely pleased with the way combat works within MM6. You have a choice of real-time or turn-based fighting when you and the nastys go head to head. As a fan of turn-based combat, I would rather concentrate on the game than on the shoot-'em-up stuff. Still, we all know there are lots of shoot-'em fans out there, so MM6 offers the best of both worlds for both kinds of players.
   I should probably mention that, like most modern games, there are several tracks you can take and still win. That's good, of course, and it makes the game more enjoyable. I've long said games should be fun to play for the players and that means they shouldn't have to try to solve puzzles made up by the programmer. MM6 has its puzzles, but, as I said, they are reasonably solvable.
   You can't go wrong with Might and Magic 6 – The Mandate of Heaven. It packs all the elements of a fine adventure game into your computer and you'll enjoy it tremendously.
   Just don't buy it a day or so before your deadline to update your web site.

   Link to the 3do web site.