Heroes of Science and Fiction: The HoMM Alternative You Missed
A sci-fi take on Heroes of Might and Magic just left early access. Five factions, sixteen campaign levels, and hand-drawn European comic art.
March 25, 2026 · 3 min read
Numbers guy who also happens to love games. I break down what makes a game worth your money with data, benchmarks, and honest analysis.
Heroes of Might and Magic fans have been waiting years for Ubisoft to deliver a worthy successor. While that wait continues, a sci-fi alternative just quietly left early access on Steam. Heroes of Science and Fiction launched March 17, and it deserves more attention than it's getting.
The game spent time in early access under the name Silence of the Siren. The rebrand came with a 1.0 release that includes five playable factions, four campaigns totaling sixteen levels, and over thirty skirmish maps. At $28 (currently 40% off in the Steam Spring Sale), it's priced like a mid-tier indie but plays like something more ambitious.
The Formula
If you've touched any HoMM game, you know the loop. Explore a world map with hero units. Capture resource nodes and neutral locations. Build up your town to unlock stronger units. Clash with enemies in turn-based tactical combat. The satisfaction comes from snowballing your forces until your army rolls over whatever stands in your way.
Heroes of Science and Fiction takes that entire structure and transplants it into a sci-fi setting. The Siren star system was once home to a galactic alliance, now fractured into bickering factions after being cut off from the wider galaxy. Primal ruins scatter the planets. Something ancient waits in the uncharted regions. The lore gives the tactical grind context without drowning you in exposition.
What Sets It Apart
The art direction is the first thing you notice. Hand-drawn in a style reminiscent of European science fiction comics. Think Moebius or Jodorowsky's collaborators. Each faction has a distinct visual identity. The Fossorians lean into communist-industrial aesthetics. Others pull from classic space opera or alien biology. Maps are detailed and readable, which matters when you're scanning for resources and threats.
Combat offers depth without overwhelming complexity. Each faction brings seven upgradeable unit types, and commanders can learn from a pool of 24 skills and 54 active abilities. Equipment, consumables, and artifacts layer on top. Veteran HoMM players will adapt quickly. Newcomers get modern UI conveniences that the old games never had.
Who This Is For
Strategy players who want something to sink time into. This is not a casual pickup game. Campaign levels demand attention. Skirmish maps reward mastery. Multiplayer exists but the community is small. If you're chasing leaderboards or quick matches, look elsewhere.
If you've been replaying HoMM 3 for the hundredth time, waiting for Olden Era and wondering if Ubisoft will ever get it right, Heroes of Science and Fiction scratches that itch. It's polished, it's deep, and it's available right now at a steep discount. The Spring Sale ends March 26.