As I write this Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is in early access and it is one of the most wanted games on Steam so far in 2020. This is actually a prequel to Mount & Blade: Warband, which is pretty cool. If you love action RPGs you are in for a great time here and it is crazy to think that the version we are playing now, as full as it is isn’t the finished game!
How to Download Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord
You can download the game from Steam. Click on the Download button that is placed at the end of the review.
The Game Review
One of the things that I actually like about the game is the setting. Rather than base the story on real generals and real places, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord goes for the fiction approach. You can clearly tell what nations are supposed to be what. However, by taking this approach they are not shackled by real-life history when crafting an engaging and interesting story.
The presentation of the game is fantastic. I am sure that more polish will be added in the coming months, but even now this is a great looking game. There is no comparison between this and Warband when it comes to the visuals. One effect that I particularly love is the way you can zoom in and out of the map. This happens instantly with no pop in, slow down or anything like that and it is a really cool effect.
The UI in the game has undergone a massive facelift. So much so that I would find it hard to go back to the last game after playing this. Moving through the menus is a much more streamlined affair this time around. This goes from checking out the skill tree to managing the way your character looks.
So far Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord has eight different factions. As you would expect there are major differences between the factions. For example, The Khuzaits are kind of like the Turks and the Vlandians are similar in many ways to the Normans. Each faction has its own motivations, stories and of course units and things that they can do and use in battle.
The overall gameplay on offer here is very similar to what the last Mount & Blade game offered. You need to build up your army of soldiers, taking on many quests, getting new equipment and taking part in massive battles. I really, really like the battles. Being able to actually get on the battlefield and take a more up close and personal approach to battle is great.
I loved getting my troops to do something like bombarding the walls to create a breach or use a “murder hole” to give myself a defensive advantage. The battles in the game are exciting, just the right length and always force you to think on your feet. I failed many times, but when I did it was usually because of a mistake I made and a mistake I could learn from for the next battle.
The dialogue system in this game is also much better than before. I like how there is a “meter” when you are talking with people which will let you know how close you are to getting what you want. You can try and charm people, threaten or just flat out bribe them. Having relationships with many different regions can be tough, but this is a huge part of the fun for me.
In all honesty, I have only really scraped the surface of what Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is offering. If you want a game that is going to take up all of your gaming time this is it. If you liked the last Mount & Blade game you will fall in love with this instantly. I really cannot believe that this is only in early access as it is incredible already!
