Mount & Blade Review
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At the heart of the game is the battle system, which does a great job at rendering the mob chaos that was medieval combat. Groups of combatants come together and bash one another, while cavalry slices through enemy lines. You have a key role, as you're in the thick of the action. You can specialize in the large variety of medieval weapons like swords, two-handed swords, axes, throwing axes, daggers, sabers, bows, crossbows, polearms, and so on. You can be clad in a wide range of armor, mixing and matching headgear, armor, gloves, footgear, and more. Finally, you can ride into battle, mounted atop a warhorse or steed, or dismount and go on foot. What's neat about the battle system is how "real" it feels; the game uses a physics system to model sword thrusts. Hit someone with a glancing blow and it barely hurts them. Charge at them on horseback and connect with a solid hit and you'll kill them. Momentum counts, and the sword battles feel challenging, yet they're not hard to master.
As you and your troops gain a reputation, you can start doing jobs for the local nobility. These tasks range from delivering letters to hunting down fugitives to collecting taxes and "taking care" of an annoying merchant. Doing these jobs can gain you favor with a lord; gain enough favor or a big enough reputation and you'll even be invited to join the nobility. You'll get a small fief of land and a town that you can manage; you can build costly improvements that boost the town's economy as well as its loyalty to you. And, as a member of the nobility, you can serve as a champion to a local lady, fighting duels for her honor.
