Heroes of History is the only game on our list that would happily put Hercules, Medusa, William Wallace and Vincent van Gogh on the same battlefield. Historians may wince; we grinned. Underneath the playful roster is a properly built empire game, with a city that grows from a Stone Age camp through the ages and a story campaign guided by a time-travelling Albert Einstein.
It launched on phones first and later arrived in the browser, and the two share progress. We played it mostly in short daily sessions on a laptop, dipping onto a phone to collect production and run a battle or two. It is lighter than the war maps and more energetic than Rise of Cultures, sitting neatly between them.
A cast list no history teacher would approve
The roster is the star. More than seventy heroes are drawn from history and mythology, from Joan of Arc and Hua Mulan to Queen Elizabeth and Nikola Tesla, each with distinct abilities. You recruit them, level them and build squads around their strengths, which gives the game a collecting pull that the other builders here do not have.
It is not historically serious, and does not pretend to be. Einstein’s time-travel story is an excuse to mix eras freely and to have fun with it. Yet the characters are drawn with real affection, and we found ourselves reading up on a couple of lesser-known figures after meeting them in a squad. As a gateway to curiosity about the past, it works.
Squads, positions and well-timed abilities
Battles are where Heroes of History earns its strategy credentials. You pick a squad, place your heroes on a compact battlefield and watch them fight, stepping in with abilities at the right moment. Positioning matters: a fragile hero left exposed at the front will fall quickly, while the right pairing can turn a hopeless fight around.
We enjoyed working out combinations, such as a sturdy front line protecting a heavy hitter behind it. Battles stay quick, which suits short sessions, but they reward thought more than you might expect from such a bright and breezy game. The campaign mixes solo story fights with cooperative and competitive modes against other players for anyone who wants more pressure.
A city that climbs the ages behind your heroes
Behind the battles sits a city builder in the InnoGames tradition. You start in the Stone Age and work your way forward through the ages, placing buildings, keeping production flowing and pushing research to unlock what comes next. The city feeds the army: what you build shapes what your heroes can do on the battlefield.
It is lighter than Rise of Cultures as a pure builder, with less emphasis on intricate production chains and more on keeping the heroes supplied. That is a sensible balance for this game. The city is pleasant to tend and lovely to look at, but the real reason you log in is to see whether a new hero has joined and what the next chapter of the time-travel story will throw at you.
Alliances and the free player’s squad
Alliances let you team up with other players for shared rewards and company, and they add a welcome social layer to what is otherwise a fairly solo experience. We found a relaxed alliance easily and enjoyed swapping notes on squad builds, which is where much of the game’s strategy conversation actually happens.
Like most hero collectors, Heroes of History sells premium currency that helps you recruit and level heroes faster. The free path is comfortable through the campaign, though competitive modes will occasionally pit you against squads that are clearly better funded. Our advice is to treat player-versus-player as a side dish and enjoy the story, the city and the slow growth of a favourite squad.
Week one in Heroes of History
- Follow Einstein’s opening chapters; they introduce heroes, battles and the city in a sensible order.
- Pick three or four heroes you like and level them together rather than spreading resources thinly.
- Experiment with front-line and back-line positions in easy battles before tackling harder ones.
- Keep the city producing between battles so heroes always have upgrades waiting.
- Join a friendly alliance and ask members which squad combinations they rely on.
What we love
- A huge, characterful roster of heroes drawn from history and myth.
- Battles reward positioning and timing despite being quick and colourful.
- Browser and phone share progress, which suits short daily visits.
- The time-travel story gives the city building a clear sense of purpose.
What grates
- Mixing eras freely means little historical texture for purists.
- Competitive modes sometimes favour squads boosted by premium currency.
- The city builder is thinner than Rise of Cultures for dedicated planners.
Where Heroes of History fits a life
Heroes of History is for players who like collecting characters, building squads and seeing history’s famous faces in unexpected company. It suits short daily visits, families who share an interest in the past, and anyone who wants their strategy served with a smile.
Heroes of History: the summing-up
Heroes of History is the most purely enjoyable game on our list, even if it is the least faithful to its period. The hero roster is a delight, battles reward real thought about positioning and timing, and the city gives every session a purpose. Purists will want the war maps instead, but as a cheerful, clever campaign for busy weeks it comes warmly recommended.
