Mount & Blade: Warband

Last updated

Mount & Blade: Warband
Mount & Blade - Warband cover.jpg
Developer(s) TaleWorlds Entertainment
Publisher(s) Paradox Interactive (PC)
Ravenscourt (Koch Media) (PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
Designer(s) Armağan Yavuz
Steve Negus
Cem Çimenbiçer
Composer(s) Jesse Hopkins
Series Mount & Blade
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, Android, [1] [2] macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
ReleaseMicrosoft Windows
  • NA: March 30, 2010
  • EU: April 2, 2010
Android
March 10, 2014
macOS, Linux
July 10, 2014
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
  • WW: September 16, 2016 [3]
  • NA: September 27, 2016 (PS4)
  • AU: December 20, 2016 (PS4)
Genre(s) Action role-playing, strategy
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

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. [4] [5] 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. [6]

Contents

Beyond the original factions of Swadia, Rhodoks, Vaegirs, Khergit Khanate, and the Nords, Warband expands on the original game by introducing a sixth faction (the Sarranid Sultanate), increasing political options, adding the ability for the player to start their own faction, and incorporating multiplayer modes. Reviews of the game were generally favorable, with the addition of multiplayer. [7] The game places a focus on horse-mounted combat and giving orders to one's warband in the field, such as telling archers to hold a position or infantry to use blunt weapons.

As of January 31, 2014, Paradox Interactive is no longer the publisher for Warband and has given publishing back to the developer. [8] Warband was released for both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in September 2016 for most regions, with an Australian and New Zealand release on December 20, 2016.

Gameplay

Map of Calradia, the setting of the game Calradia.svg
Map of Calradia, the setting of the game

As with the first game, Mount & Blade: Warband is a sandbox role-playing game that takes place in the medieval land of Calradia. At the start of the game, the player customizes the character and is spawned into the world. Traveling around the overworld map is done by pointing and clicking on the desired location. If the player encounters other parties, combat may occur, at which point the game switches to real time. If the player wins the battle, their level of renown increases. With enough renown, the player can work for lords, set up their own fiefs, attack towns, and hire more soldiers. The player can also encounter companions across the map to add abilities to their warband. The game is non-linear and has no set objectives, but a common goal is to conquer the entirety of Calradia.

The main changes to the game were the inclusion of multiplayer capability, the introduction of a sixth faction, the Sarranid Sultanate, and the reorganisation of the overworld map. [9] The introduction of political options allows players to influence lords and marry ladies, and it is possible for an unaligned player to capture a town or castle and start their own faction. [9] The game contains slightly improved graphics, along with new or altered animations in combat. [10]

Multiplayer

The new multiplayer mode removes all of the RPG and map elements from the single-player mode, instead focusing on direct combat. [10] Multiplayer matches cater for up to 200 players, split into two teams based on the factions selected. [9] All players are provided with a balanced 'template' character (which can be altered for each server) based on three general types of pre-modern age military: Archery, Cavalry, and Infantry. [9] Characters are customized by purchasing the equipment available to their selected faction, with better equipment purchased after earning denars (the game's currency) in the multiplayer matches. [10] There is no link between a player's multiplayer and single-player characters, and no way to level up the multiplayer character or alter its characteristics from the templates (other than through the purchase of equipment). [11] Eight multiplayer modes were included in the original release of Warband. [11] Most were similar to modes found in first-person shooter games (such as team battles and capture the flag), although other modes, like the castle sieges from the main game, are also included. Some Modifications provide extra game modes. The combat itself varies based on class. Melee combat consists of four directions of attack that are up, down, left, and right, as well as four directions of blocking being the same as attacks. Some melee weapons can only be used in two attack directions, which are up and down, while some cannot block, such as certain knives not obtainable from the equipment menu. [11]

Downloadable content

Napoleonic Wars

Napoleonic Wars is a multiplayer-focused (some single-player aspects), DLC developed by Flying Squirrel Entertainment for Mount & Blade: Warband, set during the last years of the Napoleonic Wars. It features historical battles from the Napoleonic era of up to 200 players with over 220 unique historical units, controllable artillery pieces, destructible environments and six selectable nations: France, Britain, Prussia, Austria, Russia, and the Rheinbund (the latter added in the 1.2 patch). The DLC was released on April 19, 2012.

The multiplayer revolves around game modes such as team deathmatch, deathmatch, siege, capture the flag, duel, battle, and commander battle. There are also community-organized events that pit player-created "regiments" against one another in first-generation warfare, which attempt to emulate the realistic conditions of Napoleonic warfare. Most of these regiments are based on actual regiments from the Napoleonic Wars. The regiments work together to create organized events, such as line-battles and sieges. Most events are casual, but there are community competitive leagues that hold tournaments between the regiments.

The development team behind Napoleonic Wars was formed from the group that had been making Mount & Musket, a mod for Mount & Blade: Warband. [12] Since the release of the game it has been patched several times, adding more content to the game: sailors and marines as well as usable schooners and longboats, and medics.

Napoleonic Wars received "favorable" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [13]

Viking Conquest

Viking Conquest is a DLC for both single-player and multiplayer. It was developed by TaleWorlds Entertainment and the Brytenwalda team. Viking Conquest takes place during the Middle Ages and allows the player to explore the British Isles, Frisia, and Scandinavia. It features a story mode where the game is based on history and the player's choice affects the outcome, and a sandbox mode which is similar to Mount and Blade's original game in which the player is free to roam around with their own customized character as with the normal version. First gameplay footage from TaleWorlds showed new naval combat where the player will fight on ships and boats. It was released to the public on December 11, 2014, and received "average" reviews according to Metacritic. [14]

A "Reforged Edition", which promised to improve many aspects of the game, was released on July 24, 2015. [15]

PlayStation 4 and Xbox One port

A console port was announced in 2016 for a 16 September 2016 release, to be published in Europe by Ravenscourt. [3] The port was to have no major upgrades on the original, and lack the Viking Conquest and Napoleonic Wars expansions. Modding is not supported in the ported versions. A digital version was released in North America on September 16, 2016. [16]

Reception

The PC version of Warband received "generally favorable reviews", while the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions received "mixed or average reviews", according to Metacritic. [17] [18] [19] Like its predecessor, Warband was praised as a low-cost game with greater replayability and longevity than most contemporary studio-published games. [11] However, several felt that describing Warband as a sequel was overreaching and that the game is better described as a "stand-alone expansion" or an improved version of the original Mount & Blade. [9] [30]

The feature most praised was the inclusion of multiplayer, with ComputerGames.ro describing it as "exactly what its predecessor was missing", [10] while Nick Kolan of IGN stating that the feature is "arguably the main reason for the expansion's existence." [11] Mod DB awarded it the "Editor's Choice: Best Multiplayer Indie Game of 2010" award. [31] Reviewers noted the small number of multiplayer maps and modes, and the imbalance present in several of these, although the ComputerGames.ro review suggested that the producers' acceptive stance towards modding would see these problems rectified. [10] [11] Kolan emphasized the friendlier community attitude compared to other multiplayer games, although Alex Yue of Gamer Limit and Christopher Rick of Gamers Daily News found that there would only be a small number of servers running at any time, and these would not always be fully populated with the possible 64 players. [11] [30] [32] Yue also believed that people who owned the original Mount & Blade and were uninterested in the multiplayer feature would be better not purchasing Warband, as it was the only new addition of worth. [30]

Several reviews found that the graphics, while an improvement over the original, did not compare well with other games. [7] The IGN review claims "it looks like [Warband] was released a decade ago". [11] Brett Todd of GameSpot commented that there were some "picturesque" scenes amongst all the generally "dated visuals", [7] while Rick dismissed the need for high-quality graphics, as he felt the quality of gameplay was more important. [32]

Todd commented negatively on the lack of development for the single-player mode, claiming that although the new faction and political quests were added to the original, the game lacks the depth and background of other role-playing video games, and the open world and steep learning curve may intimidate some players. [7]

In a review of Mount & Blade: Warband in Black Gate , Bob Byrne said "Mount and Blade/Warband offers first person combat and large scale troop management, with different cultures providing troops and environments. That is an appealing stew. Even though there is not a specific quest line and endgame, it's the just about the most enjoyable game I've ever played." [33] [34]

Related Research Articles

<i>Star Wars: Battlefront II</i> (2005 video game) 2005 action shooter video game

Star Wars: Battlefront II is a 2005 first and third-person shooter video game based on the Star Wars film franchise. Developed by Pandemic Studios and published by LucasArts, it is a sequel to 2004's Star Wars: Battlefront and the second installment in the Star Wars: Battlefront series. The game was released in PAL regions on October 28, 2005, on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable (PSP), Microsoft Windows, and Xbox platforms, and in North America on November 1 of the same year. It was released on the PlayStation Store on October 20, 2009, for download on the PSP. The PSP version was developed by Savage Entertainment.

<i>Mount & Blade</i> 2008 medieval action role-playing game

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.

<i>Steel Battalion: Line of Contact</i> 2004 video game

Steel Battalion: Line of Contact is a 2004 video game created by Capcom for the Xbox console. It is the online-only sequel to Capcom's Steel Battalion game. The game was developed by Capcom Production Studio 4, Nude Maker. Gameplay is similar to that of the previous Steel Battalion game, utilizing the same two joystick, three pedal, 4 button controller.

<i>Two Worlds</i> (video game) 2007 video game

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.

<i>Section 8</i> (video game) 2009 first-person shooter video game

Section 8 is a first-person shooter video game developed by TimeGate Studios and published by SouthPeak Games. It utilizes the Unreal Engine 3 and was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was released in September 2009 for Xbox 360 and PC, and for the PlayStation 3 on March 25 in North America and April 15, 2010, in the PAL region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TaleWorlds Entertainment</span> Turkish video game developer and publisher

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.

<i>Battlefield: Bad Company 2</i> 2010 video game

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS, Android and Kindle Fire systems. It is a direct sequel to Battlefield: Bad Company and is part of the Battlefield game series. It was released worldwide in March 2010. The iOS port was released on the App Store on December 16, 2010. The Android and Kindle Fire versions were released in June 2012.

<i>Star Trek DAC</i> 2009 video game

Star Trek D·A·C is a video game inspired by the 2009 Star Trek movie, developed by Naked Sky Entertainment in collaboration with Bad Robot. The title is derived from the game's three modes of play: Deathmatch, Assault, and Conquest. The game was released for the Xbox 360 via the Xbox Live Arcade on May 13, 2009, for the PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows in November 2009, and for Mac OS X on December 21, 2009.

<i>Star Wars: Battlefront</i> (2004 video game) 2004 action shooter video game

Star Wars: Battlefront is a 2004 first and third-person shooter video game based on the Star Wars film franchise. Developed by Pandemic Studios and published by LucasArts, it is the first installment in the Star Wars: Battlefront series. It was released on September 21, 2004, for PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows to coincide the release of the Star Wars Trilogy DVD set. Aspyr released a Mac OS X port in July 2005, and a cellular phone version, Star Wars Battlefront Mobile, was released on November 1, 2005.

<i>Blur</i> (video game) 2010 racing video game

Blur is a 2010 vehicular combat arcade-style racing video game for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was developed by Bizarre Creations, published by Activision in North America and Europe, and published in Japan by Square Enix. The game features a racing style that incorporates real world cars and locales with arcade style handling and vehicular combat. Blur was the penultimate game developed by Bizarre Creations before they were shut down by Activision on February 18, 2011.

<i>Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West</i> 2010 video game

Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West is a team-based third-person shooter multiplayer video game. It was developed by Fatshark and published by Paradox Interactive and released in 2010 for Microsoft Windows via Steam and the PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network. An Xbox Live Arcade version was announced, but it was cancelled.

<i>Breach</i> (2011 video game) 2011 video game

Breach is a team-based first-person shooter multiplayer video game developed by Atomic Games. It was announced on March 26, 2010 at PAX East 2010 for Windows PCs and the Xbox 360. Breach was distributed online for the Xbox 360 by Xbox Live Arcade, and on Windows by Steam. It features dynamic destructible environments and a cover system.

<i>Ace Combat: Assault Horizon</i> 2011 video game

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is a spin-off installment of the Ace Combat flight simulation video game series. It was developed by Project Aces and published by Bandai Namco Games for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms in October 2011. The game was later released on Microsoft Windows in January 2013 through Steam and Games for Windows – Live, with the latter notably being the final retail release for the platform shortly before its discontinuation.

<i>Section 8: Prejudice</i> 2011 video game

Section 8: Prejudice is a science fiction, first-person shooter video game developed by TimeGate Studios. It is the direct sequel to the 2009 game Section 8. Unlike its predecessor, Prejudice is a digital download-only title that contains more content than the previous game. It was released for Xbox 360 on April 20, 2011, for Microsoft Windows May 4, 2011, and for PlayStation 3 in North America on July 26, 2011, and in the PAL region on August 3, 2011

<i>Cobalt</i> (video game) 2016 video game

Cobalt is an action side-scrolling video game developed by Oxeye Game Studio and published by Mojang Studios. It was released on 2 February 2016 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and the Xbox One consoles.

<i>Mad Riders</i> 2012 video game

Mad Riders is a racing video game for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS X. It was developed by Techland and published by Ubisoft. Mad Riders was released in 2012. The game received mixed reviews upon its release, with critics praising the game's visuals but taking issue with its physics and controls.

<i>War of the Vikings</i> 2014 video game

War of the Vikings was a multiplayer hack and slash video game developed by Fatshark and published by Paradox Interactive. The game was announced at the Paradox Platypus Homecoming Event on 7 August 2013 in Sydney, Australia. The game is a follow-up to the 2012 Fatshark game War of the Roses.

<i>Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord</i> 2022 video game

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord 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.

<i>For Honor</i> 2017 action video game by Ubisoft

For Honor is an action game developed and published by Ubisoft. The game allows players to play the roles of historical forms of soldiers and warriors such as knights, samurai, and vikings, controlled using a third-person perspective. The game was developed primarily by Ubisoft Montreal and released worldwide for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in 2017.

Mount & Blade is a 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 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.

References

  1. ↑ "Mount & Blade: Warband – Android Apps on Google Play". Google Play . Retrieved August 15, 2014.
  2. ↑ Hollister, Sean (March 10, 2014). "'Mount & Blade' for Android shows that full PC games can go mobile". The Verge . Vox Media . Retrieved August 15, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Mount & Blade – Warband erscheint am 16. September für PlayStation 4 und Xbox One". Koch Media (in German). Deep Silver. August 12, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Paradox Interactive Announces GDC '10 Line-up". Paradox Interactive . February 24, 2010. Archived from the original on December 16, 2010. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  5. ↑ Rick, Christophor (January 31, 2009). "Paradox Interactive New Titles Announcement". Gamers Daily News. Archived from the original on February 4, 2009. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  6. ↑ Elliot, Frank (July 10, 2014). "Mac OS X/Linux and Steam Workshop Support". Steam . Valve . Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Todd, Brett (April 21, 2010). "Mount & Blade: Warband Review". GameSpot . CBS Interactive . Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  8. ↑ Saed, Sherif (February 3, 2014). "Paradox no longer publishing Mount & Blade games, offers free Magicka: Wizard Wars to owners". VG247 . Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Robinson, Joe (April 13, 2010). "Mount & Blade: Warband Review". GameWatcher. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Branco (April 18, 2010). "Mount & Blade: Warband PC Review". Computer Games. Archived from the original on April 24, 2010. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Kolan, Nick (April 13, 2010). "Mount and Blade: Warband Review (PC)". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  12. ↑ "About Us" . Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Mount & Blade: Warband - Napoleonic Wars for PC Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Mount & Blade: Warband - Viking Conquest for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Viking Conquest: Reforged Edition". TaleWorlds Forums. May 15, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  16. ↑ Nelva, Giuseppe (August 29, 2016). "Mount & Blade: Warband PS4/Xbox One North American Release Date Confirmed on September 16th". DualShockers. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  17. 1 2 "Mount & Blade: Warband for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
  18. 1 2 "Mount & Blade: Warband for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  19. 1 2 "Mount & Blade: Warband for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  20. ↑ Hopper, Steven (April 29, 2010). "Mount & Blade: Warband review". GameZone. Archived from the original on April 24, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  21. ↑ Johnson, Leif (September 22, 2016). "Mount & Blade: Warband Review (XOne)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Mount & Blade: Warband". PlayStation Official Magazine – UK . Future plc. November 2016. p. 91.
  23. ↑ "Mount & Blade: Warband". Official Xbox Magazine UK . Future plc. December 2016. p. 91.
  24. ↑ Chen, Bev (September 18, 2010). "Mount and Blade: Warband Review - PC Gaming Video Game Review". PALGN. Archived from the original on September 23, 2010. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Mount & Blade: Warband". PC Format . No. 240. Future plc. June 2010. p. 101.
  26. ↑ "Mount & Blade: Warband". PC Gamer UK . Future plc. June 2010. p. 98.
  27. ↑ "PC Review: Mount & Blade: Warband". PC Zone . Future plc. July 2010. p. 84.
  28. ↑ Harwood, Edd (September 28, 2016). "Mount & Blade: Warband Review (PS4)". The Digital Fix. Poisonous Monkey. Archived from the original on September 29, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  29. ↑ Jenkins, David (April 2010). "Mount&Blade: Warband (PC)". Teletext GameCentral. Teletext Ltd. Archived from the original on April 14, 2010. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  30. 1 2 3 Yue, Alex (April 19, 2010). "Gamer Limit Review: Mount & Blade: Warband". Gamer Limit. Gamer Limit Inc. Archived from the original on April 22, 2010. Retrieved October 19, 2010.
  31. ↑ Henley (December 20, 2010). "Editor's Choice - Best Multiplayer Indie feature". Mod DB . DBolical Pty Ltd. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  32. 1 2 Rick, Christophor (2010). "Mount & Blade: Warband Review (PC)". Gamers Daily News. Archived from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
  33. ↑ https://www.blackgate.com/2017/04/09/my-favorite-game-mount-and-bladewarband-part-one/
  34. ↑ https://www.blackgate.com/2017/04/20/my-favorite-game-mount-and-bladewarband-part-two-playing-the-game/
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.