The open-source Heroes of Might and Magic II engine project fheroes2 has released version 1.1.18, introducing improved artificial intelligence, rebalanced difficulty settings, optional monster health bars and five additional maps. The update also expands the map editor, improves keyboard customization and resolves more than 60 issues reported since the previous release.
The development team confirmed the release on November 8, 2026, through the project’s official GitHub repository, ending a gap of more than four months since version 1.1.17 arrived on June 30. The update focuses on refining the classic turn-based strategy experience while introducing several practical improvements for players and community map creators.
One of the most substantial changes concerns how computer-controlled opponents behave during battles and exploration. Enemy AI can now make better use of the special abilities possessed by Vampire Lords and Ghosts, while spellcasting decisions have also been refined.
For example, computer-controlled heroes will avoid casting the Berserker spell in situations where it would provide no meaningful benefit. On the Adventure Map, AI heroes can evaluate the future states of additional objects to make better strategic decisions without relying on hidden information.
The developers have also adjusted how challenging computer-controlled opponents become at different difficulty settings. Lower difficulties now feature less aggressive AI behavior, giving players more opportunities to develop their kingdoms without constant pressure.
At higher difficulties, the team has removed most of the remaining artificial advantages previously granted to computer-controlled opponents. These changes aim to make challenging matches depend more on strategic decision-making rather than additional advantages assigned to the AI.
Another notable addition is an optional health bar display for creatures during combat. When enabled, health bars appear above monster units on the battlefield, allowing players to assess their remaining health without opening individual creature information windows.
The feature provides another way to monitor battles, particularly when several creature stacks are involved or when players need to determine which opposing units are most vulnerable.
Version 1.1.18 also introduces an updated Marketplace interface. A new icon and counter, accompanied by a popup dialog, provide additional information about exchange rates at Marketplaces and Trading Posts. This makes it easier to understand how resource trading rates change.
Beyond the gameplay improvements, the project has expanded its collection of bundled scenarios. Five new maps have been added, while four existing maps have received corrections submitted by their creators. The additional scenarios give returning players more content to explore without requiring them to download separate community maps.
Map creators receive improvements to the Auto Playtest feature, which was initially introduced in version 1.1.17. The updated testing interface now allows creators to specify which hero classes computer-controlled players can use during automated sessions.
Auto Playtest lets developers observe how AI-controlled participants navigate and interact with custom scenarios. The new hero-class selection provides additional control when evaluating map layouts and gameplay balance.
The editor’s Virtual Keyboard now supports multiline text editing, making it easier to create longer descriptions and narrative elements within custom maps.
Keyboard configuration has also been reorganized. The Hotkey dialog now groups available commands by category, helping players locate shortcuts associated with specific interfaces or gameplay functions. A configurable Delete hotkey has also been introduced to accommodate different operating systems and hardware configurations.
Additional work includes translation updates, interface corrections and improvements to several in-game dialogs. According to the development team, more than 60 issues have been closed since the previous release.
The developers also addressed the unusually long interval between updates. They explained that personal circumstances affecting several core contributors had interrupted the project’s regular development schedule. With those issues resolved, the team intends to resume monthly releases, although it has not specified an exact date for version 1.1.19.
Fheroes2 is an open-source recreation of the original Heroes of Might and Magic II game engine, developed to provide an improved way to play the classic strategy title on modern systems. It is not a standalone replacement containing all of the original game’s copyrighted content.
Players must supply compatible Heroes of Might and Magic II game data, which can be obtained through a legitimate copy of the original game, including the version sold on GOG. The fheroes2 engine itself is available through the project’s official distribution channels, with installation instructions and platform-specific downloads provided by its developers.
