Well it was far too long ago for me to remember. New World Computing should not have gotten in with 3DO. They should not have made MM7 and MM8 with the same engine.They did a poor job of Chronicles, which I bought. They should not have made Army Men.
Having done all of these things, they should have made MM8 a lot better prior to release.
It could well be that nothing could have saved them. I own and like MM7 and MM8. MM9 I owned, but never played.
Homm4 I liked, but it was not well received. Chronicles was not even published properly, so was doomed from the start.
Just what I recall and not the gospel.