MMXAlamar: Don't forget that MM1 and MM2 were made in a completely different era. MM1 was finished in '86 and MM2 in '89. There really weren't many RPGs out there back then and the games were brand new, even revolutionary for the time period.
Lol. I'll never forget that ;)
I remember buying MM1 when it came out. I had a Commodore 64, and I lustily stared at the box and map while I loaded it up. Unfortunately, I never did get it to work on my C64.
Still, playing them now, I just can't get past the graphics. I do plan to conquer them eventually, but they keep slipping further down my list as I get my hands on other titles.
I should also add that I'm pretty forgiving of MM9. The graphics are miserable, and it's not about engine or processing power. The design of the characters and monsters is amateurish. I defy anyone not to laugh when they encounter those first skeletons.
However, once you get going in MM9, you can see the spirit of Might and Magic in it. It just came along at a time when 3D technology wasn't ready for an epic RPG on that type of budget.
I do hope we get a true MM10 one day. The interest in the brand is there, HoMM6 and the other tangential titles show that.
I'd even stomach a reboot of the series if it brought forth a good RPG.