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The thought of starting from scratch and building a dynasty intrigues me. There is nothing better than seeing your hard work and sweat and tears come to fruition. Consequently, when a game captures this in its core concept, it makes for a moreish and undeniably phenomenal experience. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord tries to capture this idea in its awe-inspiringly large and complex world. Moreover, its time-sink mechanics and devilishly in-depth ideas will prevent you from putting it down. Accordingly, if you only want a casual game to pass the time, this may not be your cup of tea.
Developed and published by TaleWorlds Entertainment, this is an open-world adventure game with RPG elements. What’s more, it is filled with lore, has mountains of tactical options, and will fascinate you from the off. On top of this, I loved the character customisation, the never-ending quests, and the atmospheric environment. However, it relies on some classic genre tropes and requires an awful lot of time and energy to get the best out of it. As such, its learning curve may be too much for some, and that is a shame.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord immediately captures your attention.
I love it when a game grabs you by the balls and refuses to let you go. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord does that with its opening cinematic and captivating tutorial. Thrown right in the deep end, you are expected to learn the fundamentals before you explore the surrounding world. Furthermore, you’ll design your hero with little understanding of what is to come. Now, you may think this is odd, but I liked how it set the scene. Moreover, the customisation options are great as your personality is formed by answering a range of strange questions. Not only does this make you think, but it creates character traits that you may otherwise ignore.
When this is done, you experience an interesting tutorial that talks you through each fundamental. Here, you’ll experience horse riding, combat, trading, recruitment, and so forth. This not-so-gentle introduction to the game is a bit of a baptism of fire. However, that matters not. Instead, this brutal approach works wonders as you study every intricate detail to prepare you for your arduous and tough existence. Once you’ve completed the prolonged prologue, you are free to do as you will. Luckily, this isn’t as daunting as it sounds, as the foundations have already been laid.
A wonderfully deep experience.
Where Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord excels is its deep fantasy setting. You’ll create a kingdom that will last the ages. Here, you will create a family, and rule the roost forevermore. However, things are rarely that simple as you must complete never-ending quests, manage a vast army, and expand your kingdom. This isn’t anything new for veterans of this genre. Yet, the excellent combat mechanics are where this shines.
Each encounter feels fresh and exciting to play. Accordingly, you’ll enjoy minor skirmishes or epic battles that last a lifetime. During each one, you must control every aspect of your vast army. What’s more, you get to decide whether you lead your men into battle, or sit back and watch everything unfold. Alongside this, you must consider each move as you try to negate your opponent’s strengths. Consequently, there are many tactical elements that must be understood if you wish to be victorious.
Being constrained by a story isn’t everyone’s idea of fun. Fortunately, the developers have countered this with an excellent Sandbox mode. This option allows you the freedom to do as you wish as you ignore the story and build a large and successful kingdom. Alongside this, you can take on friends or strangers in a multiplayer skirmish option. I wasn’t keen on this mode, as it lacked the depth and lore of the main game. As such, I never felt invested in the action and it feels like an afterthought.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord pushes the boundaries.
I wouldn’t say Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a visual masterpiece, but it certainly pushes the boundaries. With multiple perspectives in play, you enjoy plenty of different styles. The overworld map is presented using an isometric viewpoint. This is a great choice as it allows you to plan your journey while seeing any possible threats or POI. When the action changes to a village or the battlefield, you’ll enjoy a third-person viewpoint. This was great, as it highlighted the sprawling environment and the large selection of character models on display. However, disappointingly, it was rough around the edges and the performance occasionally stuttered. Yet, this wasn’t a vast surprise as the developers pushed the gameplay to its limits in this massive open-world experience.
Though the visuals tried something unique, the audio was more familiar. With an understated soundtrack and simple sound effects, it doesn’t stand out from its peers. However, I enjoyed the blend of aggressive music and the calmer atmospheric tunes that are jovial and folksy. Furthermore, each battle is filled with angered cries and the noise of swords clashing. I loved the drama this created and how it juxtaposed the quieter moments in the action.
Excellent controls, mostly.
I had concerns that this would be horrible to play. There are so many elements working together, it had the potential to be complicated. Thankfully, though, the combination of radial menus and a clever UI make it easy to understand. Alongside this, the fantastic tutorial ensures that you know exactly what you are doing. Yet, there was one issue regarding the horses. Riding these magnificent beasts was fine until you needed to turn in tight spaces. Here, the wheels come off and the horses get stuck. This was frustrating, especially during each combat encounter. Furthermore, this had a detrimental effect on the combat mechanics and that was a shame.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord demands an awful lot of your time. Consequently, you will lose hours of your life without even realising it. Yet, you won’t care as you carefully manage each element of your kingdom while enjoying each battle you win. As you are free to live your life as you please, no playthrough is ever the same. What’s more, there are the Sandbox and multiplayer skirmish options to consider as well. As such, this game oozes both replay value and longevity.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a great title.
Though Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord has minor issues, it is a fantastic title that is captivating and enthralling. I adored its phenomenal lore, its sprawling open world, and its incredible battles. Moreover, its time-sink campaign will eat away at your life without you knowing it. Yes, it was rough around the edges, and the multiplayer skirmish won’t be for everyone, but it ticks many boxes along the way. Therefore, I enjoyed it and I recommend that you buy it here! Will you be a kind and caring ruler, or will you rule with an iron fist?
