Mount & Blade | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | TaleWorlds Entertainment |
Publisher(s) | Paradox Interactive |
Designer(s) |
|
Composer(s) | Jesse Hopkins |
Series | Mount & Blade |
Platform(s) | |
Release | September 16, 2008 |
Genre(s) | Action role-playing |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Mount & Blade is a 2008 medieval strategy action role-playing game for Microsoft Windows, developed by Turkish company TaleWorlds Entertainment, and published by Swedish company Paradox Interactive. In the game, the player controls a customized character to battle, trade, and manage a fief in the medieval land of Calradia. The game was developed by Armağan Yavuz and his wife İpek Yavuz, the founders of TaleWorlds Entertainment. The game was fully released on September 16, 2008, though alpha versions of the game were available prior to the full release.
Mount & Blade is a Turkish game which initially received a mixed critical reception. Reviewers praised the game for its innovative combat mechanics, complex character skill system, and large modding community, but criticized it for its low graphics quality, as well as its repetitive dialogue and locations. A standalone expansion, Mount & Blade: Warband , was released in March 2010, and a spin-off expansion, Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword , was released in May 2011. A proper sequel, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, was released in early access on March 30, 2020, and was fully released on October 25, 2022.
Mount & Blade is a single-player, action-oriented role-playing game, which takes place in a medieval land named Calradia. The game features a sandbox gameplay style, and though the player can complete quests, there is no overarching storyline present. [1] The player is able to join one of the five battling factions, fight as a mercenary, assume the role of an outlaw, or remain neutral. [2] [3]
At the start of the game, the player is offered a set of options to customize the character. The player answers a series of multiple-choice questions about the character's past and sex, which generate the character's initial attributes. The player has the option to sculpt their character's facial features. [3] [4] [5]
Traveling to other locations, or interacting with other parties is done by pointing and clicking the desired destination. Upon encountering enemy parties, the player can try to avoid a conflict or can engage in a battle with them. [2] [5] In Mount & Blade each battle is attributed a "renown value", according to the number and power of the members of each party. The player gains the renown points if he or she wins the battle. With a high enough renown, the player may be offered vassalage by the leaders of one of the five factions. By becoming a vassal, the player is given control over a certain fief, which they can manage and collect taxes from. [3] By solving quests or defeating opponents the player is awarded experience points, which can be used to improve attributes, skills, and weapon proficiencies to further develop the character. [4] Weapon proficiencies can be improved over time by inflicting damage on other opponents. [6]
There are four main areas where battles take place: on the open map when two or more hostile parties meet, in tournaments organized in town arenas, in siege combat where the player is either defending or attacking a fortification, or in settlements after triggering an event. Events include villages being infested by bandits, the player getting caught in a hostile settlement, the player plundering a village, or villagers rebelling against the player for collecting taxes. [7] The number of soldiers each party can hold is limited by the "leadership" skill and the renown of the leader. Participants in a battle can be either mounted or on foot. The player has to indicate the direction in which he or she wants to swing by moving the mouse accordingly, unless they have changed the options so that the game automatically chooses it for them. [8] Aiming with a ranged weapon is also done by using the mouse. [9]
The amount of damage is dependent on multiple factors including weapon's quality, weapon proficiency, and the speed of the player relative to the target: for example, a javelin thrown while running or riding a horse will be potentially more damaging than a javelin thrown while standing still. [10] Weapons also have certain range of damage where they are most and least effective, giving each weapon type different playing styles. A spear will do minimal damage when used close to the player, while a hammer will cause maximum damage up close. [11]
The game originated as an independent project of Armağan Yavuz, founder of TaleWorlds Entertainment, and his wife, İpek Yavuz. The two began making the game in their garage, with Armağan working on code and İpek on graphics. [12] According to Armağan, the game's inspirations include Sid Meier's Pirates! , The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall , Frontier: Elite II , and older Koei strategy video games such as Genghis Khan , as well as historical fiction novels, particularly those by Bernard Cornwell. [13] Prior to its retail release, alpha versions of the game were published on the developer's website beginning in 2004, and feedback was given to the developers. [14] In January 2008, Paradox Entertainment announced they would publish the game and scheduled to release within the second quarter of that year. [15] The game was released on Microsoft Windows via Steam on September 16, 2008. [16]
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | 72/100 [17] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Eurogamer | 5/10 [18] |
GamePro | [3] |
GameSpot | 6/10 [2] |
IGN | 8/10 [1] |
PC Format | 54% [19] |
PC Gamer (UK) | 69% [20] |
PC Zone | 62% [5] |
Publication | Award |
---|---|
GamePro | Editor's Choice [3] |
Mod DB | Best Indie Game (Editor's Choice [21] and Player's Choice [22] ) |
IGN | PC Editors' Favorites of 2008 [23] |
Mount & Blade received a score of 72 out of 100 based on 28 critic reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [17] Reviewers acknowledged the game's potential, but also said it suffers from poor production values. GameSpot concluded that the game "feels more underdeveloped than it does flat-out bad", [2] and Eurogamer made a similar review, saying that Mount & Blade has "foundations [...] for something really quite special, but in its current state the game is nowhere close to delivering on its promises". [18] Beyond the combat, little of the game was praised by most reviewers. IGN in contrast, praised the game, stating, "Mount & Blade may be the best game about medieval life ever made". [1] GamePro also gave a positive review and calling it, "the first, great medieval role-playing game". [3] In a review of Mount & Blade in Black Gate , Connor Gormley said its "flaws are negligible, tiny flecks of dirt on the face of one really big diamond, one that dispenses free candy canes, puppies and stops world hunger. It's deep, complex, frequently engaging, intelligent and a calculator could run it." [24]
Mount & Blade has received negative criticism for its repetitive dialogues and locations, as well as its graphics quality. [2] [1] [3] [18] IGN criticized the world map and character models, calling them crude and awkward. However, also praised the combat animation and load times of the game. [1] GameSpot criticized the dialogue in the game, stating that conversations with NPCs feel more like "consulting a travel guidebook for Calradia than actually speaking to a human being", as well as calling much of the landscape "very, very ugly". [2] In addition, GameSpot saw faults in the lack of variety among NPC types and towns, saying that "one medieval architect seems to have designed the entire land." [2] Eurogamer had similar criticisms, stating that the towns and villages all look like copies and the NPCs all share the same line of text. [18]
When reviewing the combat, it received more positive commentary from multiple reviewers. Eurogamer, IGN, and GamePro praised the combat for being physics-based and aim-based, as opposed to many other RPGs. [3] [1] [18] Gamespot stated that it was "the one place where Mount & Blade truly shines," [2] and GamePro called it "far and above the best rendition of medieval warfare yet put onto computer screens." [3] PC Zone , however, criticized the melee combat and claimed that it felt random in its effectiveness on both foot and horseback. [5] But the complexity and thoroughness of the character skill system was well received. [2] [25]
The fan community has received positive attention from both developers and critics. During an interview, TaleWorlds Entertainment stated to be "most proud" of its community, considering that "Mount & Blade has arguably some of the best mods developed for a computer game". [26] Reviewers such as GamePro and Game Industry News also admired the number of mods made available for the beta versions even before the game's official retail release. [25] [3]
TaleWorlds Entertainment produced a standalone expansion for the game, titled Mount & Blade: Warband , which includes multiplayer support with up to 250 players as well as improved diplomacy, graphics, and artificial intelligence. Warband also has an updated map and a sixth faction. The expansion was set to be released in Q3 2009, but was delayed until March 2010. [27] Closed beta testing began in August 2009, and became open in February 2010, before the expansion's release on March 30, 2010. [28] Paradox Interactive returned the Mount & Blade license to TaleWorlds Entertainment on January 31, 2014. [29]
Paradox released a spin-off titled Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword , based on the historical novel With Fire and Sword (Polish: Ogniem i Mieczem) by Henryk Sienkiewicz, [30] developed by Snowberry Connection, Sich Studio, and TaleWorlds Entertainment. The game is set in Eastern Europe, and includes the playable factions Poland–Lithuania, Cossack Hetmanate, Russia, Sweden and the Crimean Khanate. The game was released on May 4, 2011. [31] On December 11, 2014, TaleWorlds published a DLC for Mount & Blade: Warband titled Viking Conquest. The DLC is based on the popular community-made mod Brytenwalda, which gained TaleWorlds' attention and was developed as an official expansion of Warband. [32]
A sequel, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord , entered alpha on March 30, 2020, reaching over 170,000 concurrent players on Steam at its peak. [33] [34] [35] The sequel features better graphics, character creation, battles, dialogue, relationship mechanics, and multiplayer, as well as further exploration into other gameplay paths. [36]
The success of the franchise has spawned many derivatives, including games made with the same engine as Mount & Blade. [37] Such derivatives for example are Blood & Gold: Caribbean, Freeman: Guerilla Warfare, and Sands of Salzaar . [38] [39]
Diablo II is an action role-playing hack-and-slash video game developed by Blizzard North and published by Blizzard Entertainment in 2000 for Microsoft Windows, Classic Mac OS, and OS X. The game, with its dark fantasy and horror themes, was conceptualized and designed by David Brevik and Erich Schaefer, who, with Max Schaefer, acted as project leads on the game. The producers were Matthew Householder and Bill Roper. The game was developed over a three-year period, with a crunch time of a year and a half.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a 2006 action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios, and co-published by Bethesda Softworks and 2K Games. It is the fourth installment in The Elder Scrolls series, following 2002's The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 in 2006, followed by PlayStation 3 in 2007. Taking place within the fictional province of Cyrodiil, the game's main story focuses on the player character's efforts to thwart a fanatical cult known as the Mythic Dawn that plans to open portal gates to a demonic realm known as Oblivion.
Hitman: Blood Money is a 2006 stealth video game developed by IO Interactive and published by Eidos Interactive. It was released in May 2006 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Xbox 360. It is the fourth installment in the Hitman video game series, and the sequel to 2004's Hitman: Contracts. The story follows cloned assassin Agent 47's efforts to bring down the Franchise, a rival contract killing organization that is threatening his employers, the International Contract Agency (ICA), and seeking to obtain the same cloning technology that created 47. Meanwhile, a frame story presents 47's life and various contracts he carried out, as narrated by a former FBI director to a journalist.
Paradox Interactive AB is a video game publisher based in Stockholm, Sweden. The company started out as the video game division of Target Games and then Paradox Entertainment before being spun out into an independent company in 2004. Through a combination of expanding internal studios, founding new studios and purchasing independent developers, the company has grown to comprise nine first-party development studios, including their flagship Paradox Development Studio, and acts as publisher for games from other developers.
Lego Star Wars: The Video Game is a 2005 Lego-themed action-adventure video game based on the Lego Star Wars line of construction toys, and the first installment in the Lego video game franchise developed by Traveller's Tales, which would develop all future Lego titles from that point on. It was first released on 29 March 2005, and is a video game adaptation of the Star Wars prequel trilogy: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, with a bonus level from A New Hope.
Sword of the Stars is a space 4X game developed by Kerberos Productions. In the game the player chooses one of four unique races to form an interstellar empire and conquer the galaxy. In order to win, the player must expand territory by colonizing new star systems, exploit the resources available to their colonies, design and build starships, and improve their empire's technology through research and strategy.
Two Worlds is a 2007 high fantasy action role-playing game developed by Reality Pump and published by TopWare Interactive in Europe and by SouthPeak Games in North America for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. A sequel, Two Worlds II, was released in Europe in 2010 and in North America in 2011.
Genghis Khan, original full title Aoki Ōkami to Shiroki Mejika: Genghis Khan (蒼き狼と白き牝鹿・ジンギスカン), is a 1987 turn-based strategy game developed by Koei, originally released for the NEC PC-9801, MSX and Sharp X68000 in 1988, the DOS and NES in 1990, and the Amiga in 1990. It is actually the second game in the series, after a 1985 Aoki Ōkami to Shiroki Mejika, also for PC-88, PC-98, and MSX.
Lego Batman: The Videogame is a 2008 action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, released for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Nintendo DS, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS X. The game is based on the DC Comics character Batman, as well as the eponymous LEGO Batman toyline.
The Mystery of the Druids is a single-player adventure video game developed by the German company House of Tales and published by cdv Software Entertainment. The game was first released in March 2001 for Microsoft Windows.
TaleWorlds Entertainment is an independent Turkish video game developer and publisher located in Ankara, Turkey, founded in 2005. TaleWorlds is an official brand of İkisoft Software Company and have been developing PC games under the brand "TaleWorlds Entertainment" since 2005. The company's first game, Mount & Blade, was completed in September 2008, its second game Mount & Blade: Warband was released on March 29, 2010, and its third game, Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword, was released on May 3, 2011, and most recently the studio has released a prequel to Warband, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, on March 30, 2020 as an early access title. Their studio is located in Middle East Technical University(METU)-Technopolis.
Arcania is an action role-playing video game, spin-off of the Gothic series, developed by Spellbound Entertainment. It was published by JoWooD Entertainment in 2010.
Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate is an expansion pack for the role-playing video game Neverwinter Nights 2. It was developed by Ossian Studios and published by Atari Interactive on April 29, 2009. The player creates a character and controls it, along with a group of three pre-designed companions, journeying through the game world. The gameplay is very similar to that of the base game. Mysteries of Westgate also includes new monsters, music, and other tools, which can be used by players to create their own Neverwinter Nights 2 levels.
Mount & Blade: Warband is the standalone expansion pack to the strategy action role-playing video game Mount & Blade. Announced in January 2009, the game was developed by the Turkish company TaleWorlds Entertainment and was published by Paradox Interactive on March 30, 2010. The game is available as a direct download from the TaleWorlds website, through the Steam digital distribution software, as a DRM-free version from GOG.com, or as a DVD with required online activation. The macOS and Linux versions were released on July 10, 2014, through Steam.
Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword is a stand-alone expansion for the action role-playing video game Mount & Blade. The game is developed by Sich Studio and TaleWorlds and was published by Paradox Interactive in Europe. The game and its storyline is loosely based on the novel With Fire and Sword by Henryk Sienkiewicz, depicting Poland's 1648–1651 war against the Khmelnytsky Uprising in present-day Ukraine, and its sequels dealing with the invasion of Poland by Sweden and with Polish wars against the Ottoman Empire.
Pillars of Eternity is a 2015 role-playing video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Paradox Interactive for Windows, OS X, and Linux. The game is a spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale series, along with Planescape: Torment. Obsidian started a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for it in September 2012, raising over US$4 million. The game uses the Unity engine.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a Turkish game which is a strategy action role-playing video game developed and published by TaleWorlds Entertainment, and co-published by Prime Matter. It is a prequel to Mount & Blade: Warband, a stand-alone expansion for the 2008 game Mount & Blade. Bannerlord takes place 210 years before its predecessor, with a setting inspired by the Migration Period. Bannerlord was announced in 2012. A Steam page for the game was created in late 2015; the following year, TaleWorlds began releasing weekly developer diaries detailing elements of the game. An early access version of the game was released on March 27, 2020 and quickly became the largest launch of the year on Steam, achieving nearly 250,000 concurrent players on Steam. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on October 25, 2022.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is an upcoming action role-playing video game published by Paradox Interactive. A sequel to Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines (2004), the game is part of the World of Darkness series and based on the tabletop role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade. The game was initially developed by Hardsuit Labs, but by 2021 had been moved to The Chinese Room. It is scheduled to release for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S in late 2024.
Mount & Blade is a Turkish series of action role-playing video games developed by TaleWorlds Entertainment. The series is primarily set in the fantasy world of Calradia that closely resembles medieval Steppe, Europe and the Middle East, expansions have taken place during different periods of history. As of 2015, the series has sold over 6 million units.