This game has a hard beginning where you have to plan every fight but after this though start you get a great TBS game with plenty of choice on armies.
The addition of the spirits is a nice touch and gives you the choice on how to level up these spirits.
The only flaw in the game is the travelling back and forth to get your armies back to strength, and in the end you'll find yourself going back to your home castle where there's the unlimited supply of good troops.
But all in all a good game and in many ways superior to HOMM V.