Enjoyable but lack of improvements on first makes it feel more like an update than a sequel

User Rating: 8 | Mount & Blade: Warband PC
When it comes down to it. There is a great chance you will enjoy this game. The combat system may take a bit of getting used to but, is actually rather intuitive once you catch on. One thing to keep in mind is that blocking isn't quite as simple as just holding the right mouse button down, you have to be defending from the right direction, luckily releasing and reclicking the right mouse button will update the block direction to whichever direction is currently at risk.

This causes the fighting to be a fast paced mouse button juggle and, when you do it right, you feel really rather skilled.

Of all the things that amazed me in M&B:W, the most impressive feature was just the amount of storylines you could live out. Perhaps storyline is the wrong term, maybe "role" is better. My fiancee and I both played this and whereas I worked my way to Kinghood, she mainly just went around slaughtering peasants for a good ten or so hours. I tried it out but my sense of honour got in the way, though the flesh ripping sound effects do make it enjoyabe.

The game does exactly what it promises to do. It puts you in a medieval setting and just lets you go wild. That being said, there are a few bugs. Not a few times was my map devoid of any texture and, after breaking friends out of prison, whenever I went into a castle I was in naught by my undies.

There are also a few things that could be fleshed out. For instance, with so few important characters in the world, you think they'd be a bit more unique, not every one of them answering every question the same way. And the marriage system, though welcome, really needs to be fleshed out. Reading somebody a poem or two and dedicating a tournament win to them doesn't exactly cause them to love you, last I checked.

That being said, if you're looking for a good time, it's very, very easy to find it here. And like many, I did end up playing this for hours on end so, be warned, time sink hole ahead.