From a small, and previously unheard of studio comes a game that, with just few tweaks could be the best open-ended RPG ever.
It might be unknown to you, but I've been playing Paradox Interactive (although I know this is a TaleWorlds game) games for years. Based on your reviews I am going to check it out. I am downloading the demo now.
Very nice review. I completely second the need for a follow mode as well as a better system for management of your party memeber's skills and inventory.
It might be unknown to you, but I've been playing Paradox Interactive (although I know this is a TaleWorlds game) games for years. Based on your reviews I am going to check it out. I am downloading the demo now.
Yes, I was talking about Taleworlds. Paradox is just the publisher, Taleworlds is the developer. This is their first game, and they've been working on it for three years.
Great review CB. I'm going to give this a try; downloading from their site now.
We are offering Mount&Blade through a try before you buy model. You can download the game and start playing right away. What you download is not a demo, it is the full game. There is, however, a level limit at 7. When your character reaches level 7, you can start a new game or, if you decide you like the game well enough, go on and buy a license online. As soon as you buy a license you will obtain a serial key which will remove the level limit. You will not need to download the game again.
M&B is an excellent game, though the basic game (Native as it is known as) is very open and a little lacking in the RPG/Strategy side, the combat part is superb, it makes you wonder why nobody else has managed to do mounted combat in any other RPG.
The real strength of M&B comes in it's community support and very active modding, some mods are just graphics changes, some are realism changes, some add or change gameplay features or have new maps and the truely impressive (and there are several) combine all of these. Mods based on the Crusades, 100 Years war, Napoleonic Era, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and many many more are out there and these add so much to the game filling in what some people might feel is missing, or just adding great fun.
Silent reminds me that I wanted to make another update to this discussion:
I got about 600 days into the game, and eventually reached a point where the game fails, and I was disappointed.
The issue is actually an extension of the world map AI issue I mentioned in the article. I eventually got to a point where in order to advance my goals, I needed to start taking over cities. This required cooperation of several lords (at least) and a bit of an in-game time investment. It takes several days of building siege engines in order to attack.
Here's the issue: The lords are impatient and easily distracted. Something in their AI makes them place passing caravans and scouting enemies higher on their priorities list than helping me with a siege. So any time a caravan or weak enemy walks past the siege, the entire group breaks siege to chase them, sometimes half-way across the world, before returning. If they're still gone when I finish building the siege engines, I cannot attack, because I will lose without their help. If you don't attack while the siege engines are ready, you have to rebuild them.
I finally took one city after dozens of attempts, but trying to take a second city was so frustrating that I finally quit the game. I could have accomplished my goals if the lords under my command had just stayed to help.
Hmmm. I have almost half of the map as my own faction of rebels now. I only needed a lord's help when an enemy kingdom began a campaign and attacked us with 1000 men. Now that I have my own kingdom, I am on my own but I am lv 42 with 1000 troops stationed all over the world and have adept Calvary troops with me. The most I fought was 400 people with my 100.
Maybe you should get some experience and renown to build up an army yourself of 200 people. At 600 days into the game, you should have had a good army and you should have been a high level with good weapons and armour. Remember, enemies level up as well because they kill and loot too. Enemies also gather troops.
Comments
It might be unknown to you, but I've been playing Paradox Interactive (although I know this is a TaleWorlds game) games for years. Based on your reviews I am going to check it out. I am downloading the demo now.
Off to a good start if you ask me.
I heard some mom and pop in Europe made it by themselves.
I wish more developers/publishers would do this.
Thats the same thing on Steam. Full game till level 7. You could just download it there.
Righto, didn't even see it on Steam.
The real strength of M&B comes in it's community support and very active modding, some mods are just graphics changes, some are realism changes, some add or change gameplay features or have new maps and the truely impressive (and there are several) combine all of these. Mods based on the Crusades, 100 Years war, Napoleonic Era, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and many many more are out there and these add so much to the game filling in what some people might feel is missing, or just adding great fun.
I got about 600 days into the game, and eventually reached a point where the game fails, and I was disappointed.
The issue is actually an extension of the world map AI issue I mentioned in the article. I eventually got to a point where in order to advance my goals, I needed to start taking over cities. This required cooperation of several lords (at least) and a bit of an in-game time investment. It takes several days of building siege engines in order to attack.
Here's the issue: The lords are impatient and easily distracted. Something in their AI makes them place passing caravans and scouting enemies higher on their priorities list than helping me with a siege. So any time a caravan or weak enemy walks past the siege, the entire group breaks siege to chase them, sometimes half-way across the world, before returning. If they're still gone when I finish building the siege engines, I cannot attack, because I will lose without their help. If you don't attack while the siege engines are ready, you have to rebuild them.
I finally took one city after dozens of attempts, but trying to take a second city was so frustrating that I finally quit the game. I could have accomplished my goals if the lords under my command had just stayed to help.
Maybe you should get some experience and renown to build up an army yourself of 200 people. At 600 days into the game, you should have had a good army and you should have been a high level with good weapons and armour. Remember, enemies level up as well because they kill and loot too. Enemies also gather troops.