Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World Overview
Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World continues the story of the rogue guardian Sheltem, who is now pursued to the world of CRON. The player's party must halt his destructive plans, which threaten the planet's existence.
Gameplay involves directing a custom party of six characters through first-person 3D environments. Combat is turn-based, and character progression occurs through leveling up. A key difference from the first title is that enemy encounters happen at fixed locations, though the specific foes faced at those points remain randomly determined.
Character creation includes selecting from races like humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and half-orcs. Classes from the previous game return, such as Knight and Sorcerer, joined by new options like the Ninja and Barbarian. Each class depends on a primary attribute for effectiveness. The game introduces restrictions, where certain items or locations are only accessible to characters of specific genders, alignments, or races.
New systems expand party management and exploration. Players can hire two additional non-player characters to aid in battles. A skill system allows characters to learn practical abilities, including cartography for automatic mapping and mountaineering for crossing mountainous terrain.
The sequel places a stronger emphasis on structured objectives, with many quests being assigned by characters found in towns. Time is a significant factor, as the party may need to travel between different eras to progress. Characters age during play, which gradually alters their statistics and can eventually lead to death if the adventure takes too long, making the overall pacing challenging.
