All eight modes are flat-out frenetic, with up to 64 players in warrior, crossbowman/archer, and mounted knight classes (formal names vary among the six available factions, but this is essentially what you get to play with) hacking and slashing at each other in lag-free battles. Multiplayer is a great direction to take the Mount & Blade franchise in, because it puts the outstanding, naturalistic combat of the game front and center. But the multiplayer is exciting and addictive in its own right, giving you enough happy fuzzies that you can't help but be more patient with the shortcomings of the campaign.Īlthough you can't call it a looker, some parts of Warband are picturesque. This still isn't a welcoming game, with the solo campaign so open ended and mostly bereft of the background color typically used to lure you into the medieval realms of RPGs.
New multiplayer modes supporting frenzied mob battles are the big draw here, along with a few refinements to the solo experience that include such goodies as a new faction and overhauled graphics. The open-world role-playing game that was a little rough and ready for a mainstream audience when it arrived in 2008 has taken a leap forward with the stand-alone Warband expansion. Mount & Blade is starting to deliver on its promise.
