But then, the gaming experience from years gone by is completely different from the experience nowadays. Originally, I think it was more or less intended to be a way to pass time on a rainy day, or a Sunday afternoon. A modern replacement to the board game, if you will.

The problem is, with all these upgrades and such available for purchase, gaming nowadays seems to have become more of a cash cow than anything else. To me, being hit up to upgrade this or that during the game is a real turnoff!

As for MM7, the lack of ability to have both Light and Dark Magic is definitely a challenge in itself. Some quests are only available for one or the other (Besides the Promotion quests.) It's been quite interesting following the different paths over the years, and seeing what all can be done on either side.

For me, MM6 and MM7 were my two favorites. MM8 was doable, but for me seemed to be more of an afterthought. MM9 was a real turkey, and I didn't care for it. Even if they had kept the engine from the previous three, I still don't think I'd have enjoyed it. For me, MM9 just seemed to drag on, with no real purpose to it.