We played the opening hours of the long-awaited sequel to the Taleworlds game, after eight long years waiting for it.
It has cost. Eight long years since the announcement was made by TaleWorlds to develop an ambitious sequel to its hugely successful Mount & Blade, one of those iconic games from the indie revolution that allowed an unknown Turkish studio to conquer the world with a proposal packed with ambition and ingenuity, imperfect but irresistibly suggestive: an authentic role-playing and open experience in a medieval world, in which the player is master and master of his destiny. Nothing predefined plot, no magic or dragons, just a man in search of survival, wealth or glory, writing his own legend in a world indifferent, rough and wild, always on the move with his wars of power between kingdoms and families in which the player can take part, or not.
Mount & Blade is one of those games for which the term sandbox does not go too well. It is certainly an adventure of its own, different in each game and in which we are not limited to any predefined path. A vast world made up of different kingdoms moves to the rhythm of their leaders and their armies, while the player must decide how to navigate the waters of history and establish his place in the world, from insignificance to leaving a lasting mark for generations . That is the original charm of the saga and on which all the sequels and spin-offs have risen, each with its own characteristics and additions, but respecting a base that is also a pillar of the success of the franchise: the flexibility to modify the game and therefore the ability to transfer those virtues mentioned to settings known as The Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones, creating compelling interpretations that fulfilled the desire of many to live those worlds freely as individuals, being an active part of the deeds of books, movies and series but forging their own destiny alongside or against their iconic characters.
A new Calradia
Made for introductions to those unfamiliar, Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord is the ambitious sequel with which the studio has sought to lay a new playable and technological foundation. The original engine could not stop and we had to find a way to unleash the ambitions of the team, something complex given all the suits that are touched here: a huge map with hundreds of independent entities moving organically according to the needs of the economy or the logic of power between the houses; an elaborate system of relationships with several layers of depth, great real-time battles with hundreds of soldiers on the screen, a robust economic system in which we can actively participate to enrich ourselves and control trade routes … to give some examples. The limitations to expand and improve all those facets were more than delimited with Warband, so it was time to leave the home of the old engine and create another that could house the future of the saga.
Initial character creation system is based on key life choices
Bannerlord is a technological sequel, but a temporary prequel, since it happens 200 years before the historical period of Warband, in the same location in Calradia where the saga has been developed. This era coincides with the decline of the old empire, a mix between the melancholy of the loss of the old and the dynamism of the growing power of the new actors called to take their place, although no one thinks it will be with the same glory and power of yesteryear. . This is just the context, drawn as vaguely as possible to create context but at the same time enough space for any development to emerge. We can align ourselves with the different powers and be on their side when it comes to their conquests (or their defeats), or simply be mercenaries to the highest bidder, as we can also limit ourselves to being merchants, using our money as a shortcut to power. We'll even be able to found our own kingdom, one of the most ambitious goals you can set for yourself in the game. The scale of being a single insignificant person to becoming the leader of hundreds of men and a determining force on the map is one of the natural and attractive strengths of Mount & Blade 2.
Technically, the eight years invested are quickly noticeable in some respects. The graphic leap and the amount of details in the locations is remarkable, as well as the variety of buildings and the construction of large cities, which are pleasant to walk around (although the truth is that it is not necessary, since you can "teleport" "And manage everything with dialogues and menus, but it is a pleasure to have the option to really visit the cities and castles you visit. It is also noticeable in the landscapes where the battles take place and in various other aspects that together generate an impression We are not forgetting (and the game doesn't let us do it either), that Taleworld is still a relatively modest study with great ambition, and that we are talking about a game in Early Access with several months of advancements ahead. It can be played well, but there are performance problems and some details – like the faces and expressions of the characters – are quite prone to improvements at some point in the future, although not so important to a non-narrative game like this.
A well-established foundation
The truth is that in our first hours with Bannerlord, beyond the technological leap, we have felt like playing Warbands again, which is not necessarily bad, although perhaps it is not what was expected after eight years. The base of Mount & Blade has been kept intact in all its iterations, incorporating new layers but respecting the core, and the truth is that the 8 years of development have not served (for better or for worse) to create a fundamentally new experience. It's all nicer and more detailed, but the principle is still similar, with new nuances but a recurring sense of familiarity for any veteran. The combat, based on physics and in which positioning is key, keeps its roots intact, although it seems that the impact of our blows and movements has gained weight and is more attractive. Missions remain equally self-generated, and the principles by which we can move up the social ladder or become a public enemy remain similar.
The big news is either not fully implemented or its effect is not noticeable until later. The new dialogue and persuasion system is promising, with more options, but it still has to be polished to make it credible and begin to bring to the table the advantages and depth that is presumed over the dialogue system of previous games. Mount & Blade is a systemic game, in which the AI has to keep in mind numerous ever-changing factors in order for the player to feel that he really participates in the world and that his actions take effect, so establishing a lot of detail in each one of its multiple sections is complex and we trust that good results will be achieved in the future. Also in the pending progression section is the system of establishing dynasties and practically the entire system of diplomacy, which should present a much more robust aspect when the game reaches 1.0.
The economic system presents a better aspect, which is more established and in which we appreciate some of the present improvements. Those who are interested in this facet will be able to see how the supply and demand of the great variety of goods present in the world follow logical criteria, respond to the specific needs of cities and are consistent with their context. From the first steps, making simple exchanges looking for benefits, to more profitable (and dangerous) adventures such as creating your own caravans with large quantities of merchandise that we can manufacture in our workshops to maximize benefits. A greater degree of sophistication is noted and should be noted more especially once the relationship system and diplomacy also take a few steps in the desirable direction.
A beta with a way to go
There is a wide range of aspects to analyze, but it is not worth putting too much effort into it when it is obvious that the game is destined to change a lot in the coming months. In the first days the first patches have already appeared and it is clear that the efforts at the beginning will go to stabilize the code for a greater variety of equipment and configurations, chasing the most serious errors. In the most immediate “must” chapter, apart from what was previously commented, it is vitally important that the mission system is provided with content immediately, since the variety of them is laughable for a game of so many hours. Yes, the grace of sandboxes is to create your own fun, but it helps to have as many and as many toys as possible for it and the missions are repeated too much in form and substance. It also seems that there must be changes in the global AI system, right now too much given to create “snowball” effects whereby a kingdom that begins to stand out quickly begins to accumulate favor and resources, creating scenarios in which by the time we are in a position to be influential in Calradia, there is nothing left to do.
On the other hand, it should be noted that the base is very promising. Perhaps it does not immediately reflect those years of development, but the impression is that we will see the effect of the same in the longer term. One of Bannerlord's priorities, for example, was to create a much easier and more versatile game to modify, something that was not so simple with the previous ones, despite the fantastic work done by the community. With the new engine, once the game starts we will surely see much more impressive jobs given the new possibilities and tools. The base of the combat system is very good as well, both the most immediate and personal and the tactical aspect of controlling our soldiers. It is still very impressive to take part on foot in the field in battles with hundreds of soldiers on foot or on horseback, especially when we feel the impact of the initial shock – receiving a charge on horseback is somewhat creepy thanks to the improved physics effects, that's all a plus-.
Am I interested in the paid beta?
Bannerlord will be in Early Access for a good season yet and it's not exactly a cheap game right now (€ 44.95). Although it still has a long way to go, the current is very playable and very enjoyable – a more beautiful version and with some improvements over Warband, but less stable and if all the impressive mod work behind it, still. The game is being a resounding success on Steam, to the point that it has become the biggest launch of the platform so far this year, leaving behind giants like Doom Eternal, and that may be a good claim for more people sign up. It is certainly a unique experience and the campaign will take us many hours of adventure as we unleash our ambitions, but it would not hurt to wait a bit for the changes to stabilize and consolidate.
Many of those who have bought the game are veterans with hundreds of hours in previous titles and eager to try out what's new, but for a new player it makes little sense to land now. If you decide to do it, yes, you will find in this paid beta the qualities (and shortcomings) that have made Mount & Blade in a saga with such a name: its freedom, its ability to surprise, the pleasures of its combat system based on the skill with controls, the number of objectives that can be developed and the “wild” air of a constantly changing world in which everything is possible. All of these are the facets for which Taleworld has earned its own place in contemporary video game history.
