It has been a while since Mount & Blade: Warband came out. 9 Years to be exact! For an unsuspecting gamer looking back, it may seem ridiculous that the game was ever popular, let alone remains popular such a long time after it was initially released! It never awed the crowds with amazing graphics, nor did it ever have amazing gameplay mechanics, or a great storyline. It is easy to see why those who never played the game would not think too highly of it!
However, the players keep coming back for more Mount & Blade: Warband, why? The answer is rather simple – it provides pretty much the ultimate sandbox gaming experience! Nothing is off limits here, you are in full control of your destiny! This type of gameplay was everything that the gaming world lacked in 2010 and is still filling a niche that struggles to be recognized as a key concept in modern gaming!
This game just proves that great games don’t age nearly as fast as the others, graphics are not the most important, and giving the players what they want will result in a title that has a large community by its side, as is the case with Mount & Blade: Warband!
Have a look at what makes the game stand out of the bunch in the vast world of gaming!
Mount & Blade: Warband skill cap
A game that is easy to master is one that does not take long to get boring. One thing is for certain – this is not a game that is easy to master! It features a combat system that has not been matched for a long time, with some hardcore fans of the game still saying that it has the best combat system in gaming today, even nearly a decade after its release!
The multi-directional combat system in Mount & Blade: Warband makes it so hard to be efficient in battle without it seeming impossible, a trait that keeps the players coming back for more. You will have to learn what type of attack works best in certain situations and how to defend from various types of attacks. As soon as you have done that, you realize that there is a whole new plethora of weapons and shields for you to master. Very few games in the industry today have as many players with 100 or more hours played and it is not a coincidence! In Mount & Blade: Warband, there is something new to do and new skills to master!
Community and Mods in Mount & Blade: Warband
If you want a game without a drop of toxicity from other people, a game where you will feel welcome from the very moment you start, look no further! This is a video game representation of two professional fighters punching each other’s face in, only to have a friendly hug after the bout is over! If you do decide to take on the multiplayer mode in Mount & Blade: Warband you won’t avoid going to battle against other players. However, there are no losers, everyone is a winner when the battles go on in good spirits and each side is having fun!
Regardless if you play single-player or multiplayer, there are plenty of mods for you to enjoy, making the gaming experience so much different every time you play! Those differ from small improvements in graphics or a new weapon to the craziest modifications that change the game from its roots, such as coming up with a Star Wars version of Mount & Blade: Warband! Nothing is off limits! It is truly a world as wide as the fantasy of the players, which has proved to be limitless over the years!
You might be able to put in hundreds, even thousands of hours without running out of new things to do, a feat that can be rivaled by very few games in the industry today! That brings us to our next point:
Do whatever you feel like doing
One of the main things that keep the players coming back for so long is the fact that no one is restricted to a linear story in order to progress in Mount & Blade: Warband. You do what you want to do and hope that it works out. If it doesn’t, you try again! The main goal in the game is simple – become a powerful leader and build your own kingdom! Do that by whatever means necessary, you’ll have to figure it all out by yourself! As with everything in this game, nothing is easy, yet everything is possible, even becoming a great leader after starting off as a regular pheasant!
It is a true rags to riches story, medieval style, one that has captivated so many Mount & Blade: Warband players all around the world! Make your money whichever way you see fit, from taking part in wars, to becoming a tradesman. Be a cruel leader or one that everyone in your kingdom loves. Build an army of the best men in your area and go on a quest to take over the world or be a little more political about the way you carry your business! The game is so much more than just a medieval hack and slash it is so often regarded as!
You will find hints of simulation, strategy, RPG, along with the hack and slash aspect in Mount & Blade: Warband. Not many games manage to pull off such a vast cocktail of genres but this one manages to somehow turn it into a truly amazing experience! A true testament to the greatness of this game, if you ever needed one!
If you, like many others, have overlooked this fascinating piece because you think it’s dated, the graphics are poor, or the mechanics aren’t up to par with the modern standards – you’re missing out! The truth is simple – you can barely consider yourself a hardcore gamer if you haven’t ever been immersed, or at least tried out the legend that is Mount & Blade: Warband!