Mount & Blade Review
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Without any substantive story here, there's really nothing present to tie your actions into a bigger picture. Quests tend to be more about running lame errands for nearby lords and choosing sides to fight for - or amassing your own legion to lay waste to the region - than rallying behind some grandiose cause or venturing off on some engaging personal crusade. The freedom afforded by the open-ended, sandbox-style gameplay is great, yet the lack of story direction makes it hard to connect to the realm and its many inhabitants on a deeper level. The only force driving your actions is your own personal whimsy; at the end of the day, that's not going to be enough for many players.
It also doesn't help that Calradia's inhabitants aren't the most attractive lot. While the character designs are suitable for gameplay, they look outdated on closer inspection. It's a nice touch to see changes in any equipment and armor are reflected in characters' appearances, but they don't look so hot to begin with. Mount & Blade's visuals are a mixed bag in other areas as well. Even with the graphical settings maxed out, the game fails to impress. There are some pleasant effects, like the realistically designed castles and the pretty sunsets, but most of the game just isn't that great to look at.
