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Mount&Blade - All News

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Wednesday - May 02, 2018
Thursday - July 17, 2014
Tuesday - July 01, 2014
Friday - September 28, 2012
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Box Art

Wednesday - May 02, 2018

Mount & Blade - Retrospective

by Silver, 00:53

Mount & Blade retrospective from PC Gamer

"I took some fencing lessons, but I’m not an athletic guy," says Armağan Yavuz, founder and CEO of TaleWorlds. "I was just more interested in the idea of fencing." A fascination with melee combat—how it feels, how it works, how it plays—drove the development of Mount and Blade, the game developed by Yavuz and his wife, İpek Yavuz, and released in 2008.

"My initial idea was to get the swordfighting element right," Yavuz says from his home in Ankara, Turkey. "I tried to make the combat part of the game more involved and more interesting. If all you had to do was clicking, there wasn't enough to keep a hardcore gamer interested… I wanted a mechanic that gave you more decisions and relied on reflexes and combined elements like horse riding and blocking… You really had to hit a good sweet spot to be intuitive, immersive, and easy to grasp, but complicated enough that you don’t get bored with it after a few hours."

[...]

Thursday - July 17, 2014

Mount&Blade - Matt Chat Video Review

by Couchpotato, 04:25

Matt Barton posted a new video review of TaleWorlds Entertainment's Mount & Blade.

This episode is a review of Mount & Blade: Warband, a 2010 game by a Turkish developer named TaleWorlds Entertainment. It's the best RPG/action/strategy hybrid I've played to date.

Tuesday - July 01, 2014

Mount&Blade: Warband - Mac/Linux Beta

by Couchpotato, 03:24

TaleWorlds announces you can now try the Mac/Linux versions of Mount & Blade: Warband on Steam. Here are the details for those interested.

Mac/Linux beta now available on Steam!

Today we are very pleased to announce that Mount&Blade Warband is extending its supported platforms to OSX and Linux! Currently, this should just be seen as a beta test as there are known (and probably unknown) bugs to be resolved but those of you with OSX or Linux machines can play the game right now on Steam.

To try out the beta on your Linux or Mac computer with Steam just complete the following steps:
  1. Right click "Mount&Blade Warband" in your Steam Library and select "Properties".
  2. In the window that pops up, navigate to the " BETAS" tab and select "Mac/Linux beta" in the dropdown menu.
  3. Install the game and play!
Hopefully you all enjoy the game on its new platforms and let us know if you encounter any bugs! Though it should be functioning pretty well already and is certainly playable.

Note: Napoleonic Wars is not yet supported but will be in the near future.

Friday - September 28, 2012

Mount & Blade II - Teaser Announcement

by Dhruin, 14:03

Mount & Blade II is coming - the following video is not very informative but at least we know Taleworlds is working on a sequel.

Monday - July 02, 2012

Caribbean! - From Devs of Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword

by Dhruin, 23:05

RPS posts about Caribbean!, a pirate-y action/RPG based on the Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword engine and developed by the same Snowbird Games in collaboration with TaleWorlds:

Games about pirates sometimes feel the need to exclaim their titles, as if rushing into a room and excitedly waving their arms, jumping up and down, screaming in your face. ‘Pirates’, they yell, spittle flecking your bewildered visage, ‘piiiiirates’! Or, in this case, they’re bellowing ‘Caribbean’, which makes it really hard for me to work out which vowel to elongate. I guess it would be ‘Caribbeaaaaaan’!. Anyway, Caaaaaribbean! is a newly announced game from Snowbird Game Studios of Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword, and it uses the same engine for a piratical game, with naval combat, boarding operations and sieges. More screenshots below.

Looking aound, it seems this was announced back in February and we either missed it or it has slipped my mind. From Gamasutra:

  • Sea battles with intuitive and easy control system;
  • The real-time boarding fights that throw player in the centre of the action;
  • Detailed management and customization of both the fleet and the crew;
  • Complex siege system allowing the players to storm forts, harbors or entire cities;
  • Different kinds of artillery: shipboard cannons, mortars and howitzers;
  • Random events system that keeps players question their decisions during their voyage;
  • True ‘Carribean’ atmosphere of the vast and dangerous world;
  • Unique NPCs whose design based on the real historical figures;
  • Various multiplayer modes featuring the sea and land battles, boarding and sieges.

Source: Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Friday - April 20, 2012

Mount&Blade - Warband: Napoleonic Wars DLC Available

by Dhruin, 23:20

The press release:

Mount & Blade Warband: Napoleonic Wars Now Available


Wage War at Waterloo in Epic 250-Player Battle in this Multiplayer DLC

NEW YORK — April 19, 2012 — Paradox Interactive today announced the release of an all-new DLC to Mount & Blade: Warband for the PC. Entitled Napoleonic Wars, the DLC brings the brutal real-time combat of Mount & Blade to 19th Century Europe, presenting players with the opportunity to re-fight the final years of the Napoleonic Wars as any of five historical superpowers, using more than 220 unique military units. With a wide range of soldiers at their command, from artillery and engineers all the way to battlefield musicians, aspiring tacticians and combatants can engage in epic multiplayer mayhem with up to 250 players at once. Mount & Blade Warband: Napoleonic Wars is available now for $9.99.

Under the close supervision and support of Taleworlds, Mount & Blade Warband: Napoleonic Wars was developed by Flying Squirrel Entertainment to bring the visceral, tactical combat of Mount & Blade into a new era of warfare. The expansion features:

• Massive multiplayer battles with up to 250 players
• 5 nations with more than 220 unique units to choose from, with accurate early 19th century weapons and uniforms
• A wide range of artillery pieces ranging from field cannons to mortars, capable of firing explosive shells and rockets – all fully controllable by players
• Barricades, trenches, and explosives via the multi-purpose Engineer class
• Special musician units with drums, fifes, bagpipes or trumpets, able to play historically accurate tunes; all recorded and played by award winning musicians
• Lead squads of soldiers against each other in the new commander battle mode
• More than 40 classical background music tracks

Saturday - March 31, 2012

Mount&Blade - Warband: Napoleonic Wars DLC Announced

by Dhruin, 00:25

I was just thinking I need to check on Taleworlds and this press release comes along, announcing a multiplayer-only DLC for M&B: Warband, titled Napoleonic Wars:

NEW YORK – March 30, 2012 – From occupying Calradia to the invasion of Russia, Warband fans will have a new war to look forward to this year. Paradox Interactive and Taleworlds Entertainment today announced the next DLC for popular action RPG Mount & Blade Warband. Napoleonic Wars is a multiplayer expansion pack that will take players back to the final years of Napoleon’s conquest in this massive update for the definitive open-world sandbox series.
 
Developed by Flying Squirrel Entertainment and Taleworlds Entertainment, Napoleonic Wars will support multiplayer battles of up to 250 soldiers and enables players the chance to create a character from 220 unique units available, all hailing from five different European nations. Fight battles with your tried and true sabre or utilize newly introduced artillery pieces such as cannons and rockets in this historically accurate and immersive 19th century experience like no other.
 
Players can partake in Napoleon’s conquest when Mount & Blade Warband: Napoleonic Wars launches later this spring.
 
View the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPv56deYrsQ
 
 
Features
  • Accurate early 19th century weapons, uniforms and environments
  • Massive multiplayer battles with up to 250 players
  • 5 nations with more than 220 unique units to choose from
  • A wide range of artillery pieces ranging from field cannons to mortars, capable of firing a variety of missiles such as canister, explosive shells and even rockets - all fully controllable by players
  • Finely crafted game balance insuring player skill is the hero of the battlefield, not the gun or the sword
  • Construct barricades, dig trenches, and rig explosives with the multi-purpose Engineer class
  • Special musician units with drums, fifes, bagpipes or trumpets, able to play historically accurate tunes; all recorded and played by award winning musicians
  • Lead squads of soldiers against each other in the new commander battle mode
  • More than 40 classical background music tracks

Source: Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Saturday - September 24, 2011

Mount&Blade - Prophecy of Pendor Mod @ RPS

by Dhruin, 23:51

Adam Smith from Rock, Paper, Shotgun writes about a couple of mods for Mount & Blade: Warband - a battle size modification mod that raises the number of combatants and a total conversion called Prophecy of Pendor:

That’s a little mod to make things larger. The next and most important Warband mod is Prophesy of Pendor, which has been brought across and enhanced from the original Mount and Blade. I haven’t played the most recent version but that’s because it was updated less than a week ago. This isn’t some half-baked bunch of tweaks, it’s a total conversion that receives more care and attention than the majority of full-priced major studio releases. Install this and you get a whole new world with its own backstory, heroes, factions and equipment. Personally, I’d prefer something historical done with the same depth but I’ve not found anything of that sort to match Pendor’s quality.

All the work that’s gone into creating the world would be impressive enough, but there’s more. If you liked Warband, most of the things you enjoyed are now better. Events, quests and the economy have all been bulked up and the AI is much more fun to play with in battles.

It’s a complete package and has kept me playing Warband far longer than I otherwise might have done. The detailed backstory is hackneyed but you can ignore it if you want to, and hackneyed or not it makes Pendor a fully fleshed out world. The factions have history to them and the dialogue between NPCs reflects that.

Monday - July 04, 2011

Mount&Blade - Patch 1.42 Released

by Dhruin, 22:16

A new patch for With Fire and Sword:

This weekend With Fire & Sword reloads again with more free content, download the patch now to experience all the new features!

  • Two new multiplayer modes: Captain Battle and Captain Co-op! Giving players amazing new ways to compete and cooperate.
  • Three brand new multiplayer maps custom made for Captain Co-op mode.
  • New dramatic lighting effects for all multiplayer maps, provides a fresh new look for every map.
  • 21 Steam achievements such as 'Lock Stock & Three Smoking Barrels' & 'Na Zdorovie!'
  • Further balances and refinements to Single-Player mode's weapons & armor; making melee even more viable than before.

Wednesday - June 22, 2011

Mount&Blade - Patch 1.41 Released

by Aries100, 17:21

A patch updating M&B:With Fire & Swords to version 1.41 has been released. A content  update video has been released on youtube. And here's some of the patch notes:

General Gameplay:
---------
- Firearms have been rebalanced.
- Firearms have been given refined melee animations.
- All Melee weapons have been rebalanced.
- Horses have been made faster and rebalanced.
- Characters can now crouch. The default key is 'z'.
- New troop orders for volley firing and line formations.
- Added new types of ranged ammunition, ex: piercing arrows.
- Pikes have two types of thrusting attacks.
- Reloading interrupted by being hit is now continued where it left off.
- Switching to pistols is now quicker whereas switching to muskets has been made slower.
- New grenade explosion/damage system.
- New tactics introduced via crouching pikemen/marksmen formations.

Patch can be downloaded from here or here.

Source: GameBanshee

Monday - June 20, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword, Captain Smith #4 @ RPS

by Dhruin, 22:39

Quintin Smith continues his adventures with Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword at Rock, Paper, Shotgun:

Abruptly, I decide that I’ve had it with this shit. I know how to bring up the Order menu, having accidentally hit it about a dozen times, and scream for my troops to follow me.

The result is incredible. My warband wheels and surges back towards me, a bristling tidal wave of arms and armour. Holy shit. I go charging off towards the peak of a nearby hill and start to experiment more with the various Order menus at my disposal. Within twenty seconds I’ve arranged my men in defensive battle lines.

Unbelievable. Is this… is this what leadership feels like? I feel incredible! Look at this power at my disposal! I must have sex with something immediately! Algirdas, come here! No, stop! What am I thinking? Algirdas, return to your position!

Friday - June 03, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire & Sword Review @ GameBanshee

by Dhruin, 00:57

GameBanshee's Brother None has penned a review of With Fire & Sword. There's no score as usual for them but this is described as "the quintessential example of a mixed bag":

Guns are a game changer in the way combat works. While a cavalry charge in Mount & Blade would cut through waves of arrows and reach the lines with few casualties, a line of musketeers will mow down cavalry-men like nobody's business. This makes it absolutely vital to have musketeers of your own, and this in turn makes the old “for glory!” charge of M&B impossible. Even if you gather an all-cavalry group, the fact is that any chance bullet can take you out even when you finally get better armor. This reduces your role to more careful and in the background rather than the crazy man leading the charge, if the latter was your style of play in M&B – it certainly was mine. What's more, this adds a high level of chance to fights as it feels very random whether or not you get knocked out, especially early on, and in sieges a perfectly executed siege can be ruined by a lucky shot when fighting goes to the streets or castle.

Tuesday - May 24, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword, Captain Smith #3 @ RPS

by Dhruin, 22:17

Quintin Smith continues his Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword report at Rock, Paper, Shotgun:

I manage to reunite the mayor and his kidnapped daughter, though only just. On the way there I had to chase off some bandits on the way home and as the battle began, who should I see rushing into battle with the rest of my rag-tag force than the girl herself. With an axe. Which at least cleared up the mystery of how she’d gotten kidnapped in the first place.

Seeing as I’d solved the problem of getting shot off my horse by selling the sodding thing my only option is to go jogging into battle after her. Seeing as she was fitter than me, too, she soon disappeared from my sight. I let out a sigh of relief like the air being let out of a zepplin when I spotted her cheering with the rest of my men after the battle.

I spend the next week idly hunting looters down for a different, Swedish mayor. Seeing as these days I visit the pub like pensioners visit the toilet, I manage to find and recruit some cheap and (occasionally) cheerful heroes- special soldiers who, unlike your regular men, level up and develop skills. Though “hero” is, perhaps, an overstatement.

Monday - May 23, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Review @ IGN

by Dhruin, 20:04

IGN has posted their review of Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword. The score is 7.5/10 with some reservations about bugs and the addition of firearms:

This is where Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword's biggest flaw rears its ugly, black-powder-filled head. The firearms added into the game are painfully realistic for the era -- they aim poorly and load excruciatingly slowly. That's kind of neat in a sense, because it makes guns viable only in special situations. They're also the equivalent of a tiny cannonball launcher, and if you hit someone in the head or face it's generally considered a one-hit kill. This includes when you are hit, and there are times when sheer bad luck results in you being knocked out of a battle by a stray enemy bullet before you even get close to the action (thus ensuring you get no renown). In fact, getting knocked out during fights happens a lot because of guns, which makes gaining renown prohibitively difficult until you buy excellent armor or level up specifically to get a lot of health, and you're not likely to get either of those without a good army, which you can't get until you get some renown. See the problem here?

Wednesday - May 18, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword, Captain Smith #2 @ RPS

by Dhruin, 23:58

Quinton Smith has kicked up his second report on Mount & Blade: With Fire and Ice, featuring his character Captain Smith:

Having bravely run away, I bravely conceal myself under a tree and take stock of my assets, my army, and the other logistical inventories that a good leader should examine on a regular basis. I come up with the following action points:

  • My boots are missing. I have no shoes on. I should probably get some shoes.
  • I have no soldiers.
  • I still have a horse!
  • I am poor.

I decide that this leadership thing is all in a man’s mind. Yes, I have no funds at present. Yes, the horse I’m riding sounds like it’s breathing through a straw. Yes, there’s a bullet lodged somewhere in my elbow. But so long as I know myself to be a leader of men, the men will follow. I’m going to ride back to that city, use the very last of my coin to buy some men, and also probably some boots, and I’m going to come back to Zamoshye the LAST TIME and pluck these bandits from the Earth like apples from a tree.

Friday - May 13, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword, Captain Smith #1 @ RPS

by Dhruin, 22:47

Quinton Smith at Rock, Paper, Shotgun has penned the first of an After Action Report on M&B: With Fire and Sword, titled Captain Smith:

The Mount & Blade games are all about getting involved in the warfare and violent politics of medieval Europe in a very real way. The end game sees you leading your grubby band forth to siege cities, instigate rebellions, and even work with rightful (or pretend) heirs to out various kings and leaders to slot your boss in their place.

To start with, though, you’re placed at the very bottom of the ladder. You are a dude with a shirt and a sword. And I’m going even lower.

For starters, there’s an option in the menu, on by default, which causes your hero to take half damage in combat. I quickly correct that. Also, in character creation, I shunt all of my points into Intelligence and Charisma rather than Strength and Agility. I want to see just how bad a fighter I can take to the top.

If I listen very closely, I think I can hear the game laughing in my face.

Wednesday - May 11, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Review @ Eurogamer

by Dhruin, 22:31

Eurogamer has reviewed With Fire and Sword, finding it too similar to the previous games - but less some attractions - for a score of 6/10:

Despite a fat cache of solid faction-specific missions, the new historically-inspired setting just doesn't seem as colourful or as evocative as the old cod-medieval one. In Warband, when I needed a break from trade or banditry, village-nurturing or mercenary chevauchées, I'd search out the nearest tourney, go a-wooing or, maybe, spar with a few of my merry men. In With Fire & Sword there are no tournaments, no marriages or hands-on troop training. The developer has left them out for reasons of historical accuracy (which is fine) and failed to replace them with interesting substitutes (not fine).

Monday - May 09, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Patch

by Dhruin, 22:28

A new patch has been released for M&B: With Fire and Sword, taking the game to v1.139. Note it's a hefty 840Mb.

Source: Blues News

Saturday - May 07, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Review @ AtomicGamer

by Dhruin, 23:40

AtomicGamer has a mixed review of Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword, awarding a score of 7/10:

As someone who spent dozens of hours in the first two Mount & Blade games' campaigns, I had high hopes for this new stand-alone game, but I'm torn. While the starting price of $15 is lower than Warband's was when it was released, you can now find the latter for less than ten bucks. With Fire and Sword adds difficulty without an equal level of satisfaction for winning, and the inclusion of firearms makes the results on the battlefield feel much more random than we've gotten in the past games in the series. If you're looking for a new multiplayer experience unlike any you've played, this is a good place to start, but if you want a complete, exciting, and altogether more "winnable" campaign, you might be better off sticking with Warband.

Source: Blues News

Friday - May 06, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Contest

Tuesday - May 03, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword: Released, Demo Available

by Dhruin, 22:24

Paradox and Taleworlds have released M&B: With Fire and Sword. Here's a snip from the press release, thanks to Blue's:

With Fire and Sword, the third stand-alone title in the acclaimed Mount & Blade series, gives players the freedom to decide who both their allies and enemies are as they create their own world inspired by Henryk Sienkiewicz’s 1884 cult classic novel "With Fire and Sword." Players will plan tactical takeovers, scheme which castles to siege, and battle rival armies with traditional weapons found in previous Mount & Blade titles, as well as newly introduced firearms such as muskets and pistols. With plenty of new quests for players to partake in and a deep, immersive campaign mode, Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword continues the tradition of giving players an open-world experience like no other.

...and a handful of mirrors:  FilePlanet, Gamer's Hell, WorthPlaying

Source: Blues News

Friday - April 29, 2011

Mount&Blade - "Complete" Sale @ Steam

by Dhruin, 12:25

Steam is offering discounts on the entire Mount & Blade range, including preorders for With Fire and Sword, 80% off the original and Warband or 60% off a complete pack.

Thursday - April 28, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Soundtrack Released

by Dhruin, 23:49

Paradox has released through Big Download a selection of 30 tracks from Mount & Blade Warband and With Fire and Sword. Here's a snip from the news at Blue's:

From the exciting to the soulful, the soundtracks feature the energizing compositions of Jesse Hopkins on Mount & Blade: Warband and his relaxing, peaceful sounds of the East on With Fire & Sword. The With Fire & Sword soundtrack was the combined effort of Hopkins and Pyotr Salnikov, with Salnikov composing many of the game's more upbeat and soulful tracks such as 'Eastern Soul' and 'Fighting Bandits'. The Moscow State Historical & Ethnographic Theater is responsible for adding authentic village music to the score.

Source: Blues News

Wednesday - April 27, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Preview @ Gaming Nexus

by Dhruin, 22:26

Gaming Nexus serves up a preview of With Fire and Sword:

Although the graphics and sound are quite dated, the action of the battlefield is still somehow engrossing. At first, when it was just me against a handful of troops, things weren't all that exciting.  However,  after I began amassing a small squadron of my own, and could take on larger numbers of enemies, the appealing chaos of the fighting system began to shine through. Controlling the character initially took some work to get used to, but after a while combat felt almost natural. As the title suggests, players can spend a great deal of time fighting from horseback if they choose. Charging a horde of enemies, gun blazing or saber flashing, while being flanked by dozens of friendly pikemen and musketeers, was a surprising amount of fun. Battles always had a largely chaotic feel, which only grew with the size of the armies, and this barely-controlled, frenetic pace did keep me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Source: Blues News

Tuesday - April 26, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Gone Gold

by Dhruin, 22:16

Paradox sends word that Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword has gone Gold.

Prepare for a Return to Battle - Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword Has Gone Gold

New "Siege" trailer released

NEW YORK – April 26, 2011 - Renowned developer and publisher Paradox Interactive today announced that Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword has officially gone gold. The much anticipated title will be released on May 3, 2011. Become a mercenary or join one of five battling factions, to conquer, destroy or create empires.  In this open sandbox world you choose your allies and enemies, what provinces to conquer, which castles to siege and what quests to embark on!
Check out the brand new "Siege" trailer for Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_02fFEh-9E

With Fire and Sword builds and expands upon the highly regarded combat system from Mount & Blade: Warband. Firearms and battle formations based off real-world military strategies have been introduced to the battlefield. Also, muskets and pistols can now be used as sidearms in hand-to-hand combat to quickly drop your foes. In addition to the enhanced single player mode, Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword also provides a host of original multiplayer content including the new game mode: Captain, where up to 16 players can command a squad of solders.

Key new features include:

  • Introduces firearms and grenades
  • Multiple endings for high replay-ability
  • Enhanced siege mechanics: storm the castle, blow up the wall, bribe an officer or poison the well/food to get past the defenses!
  • 7 new multiplayer maps: Nomad Camp, Moscow Kremlin, Moscow Fortress, Novgorod Fortress, Swedish Castle, Teutonic Castle, Field by the River
  • A setting based off the cult novel “With Fire and Sword” (1884) by Nobel- prize winner Henry Sienkiewicz

Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword is now available to preorder at several digital download portals for $14.99 and will release at all digital platforms on May 3, 2011. The retail release will follow shortly thereafter.

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Preview @ PC RPG News

by Dhruin, 00:21

PC RPG News let us know they have a hands-on preview of Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword. Here's a snip:

There are a few important changes in this iteration's formula.  I never came across an arena, and after making bank in Warband by winning tournament after tournament, I miss the omission.  The game world isn't the only thing that's changed, players will also experience firearms for the first time in an un-modded Mount and Blade title.  This addition has a huge impact, making calvary much more vulnerable to NPC infantry then ever before.  The first thing I did when I entered With Fire and Sword's universe was rush a group of fairly low level bandits.  I expected to slowly circle slash them into submission.

Instead my mount was shot dead from under me as I advanced.  I was executed in a second volley.

Friday - April 22, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Interview @ RPS

by Dhruin, 01:15

Taleworlds' producer Mikail Yazbeck has been interviewed at Rock, Paper, Shotgun about M&B: With Fire and Sword.

RPS: Is this once again a primarily single-player experience? What multiplayer elements does it offer?

Yazbeck: The single-player campaign features an all new map, factions, weapons, armour, customizable army system, great new castle/town upgrades, and better balanced economy with more money making options. Oh and it features lengthy optional storyline quests for players craving a more purposeful experience.

The multiplayer has 15 new maps and a nifty new mode called “Captain Team Deathmatch” which gives each player a squad of bots (up to 24) to command. These bots are controlled in the same way as single-player and enable players to stage massive battles. I think people will end up doing a lot of historical re-enactments with this system. I’m hoping I can participate in some of them! If you’ve got any planned just PM Yazzy on the TaleWorlds forums!

Monday - April 18, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Preview @ Hooked Gamers

by Dhruin, 13:04

Hooked Gamers has a preview of Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword. A sample:

Another welcome addition in With Fire and Sword is the new army system. This time around, instead of recruiting peasants from villages and training them through battle, you hire professional mercenaries from mercenary camps and buy every piece of armour and weaponry they have through the camps. This allows the player full control of the outfitting of his army, but does mean that when a unit levels up, it will not automatically get better equipment. Having a well equipped and powerful army is an expensive undertaking, and amassing the funds needed to get there usually requires a well equipped and powerful army. You'll need to be smart about your finances if you want to keep a strong force in this game.

Tuesday - March 22, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Review @ Gamebanshee

by Skavenhorde, 07:08

Brother None was able to get his hands on a press demo for Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword. Here is his two page preview from playing the demo:

Noting that my experience with the game was limited due to multiplayer being inaccessible and the level capping off - locking me off of the additions to siege works and multiplayer - my main concern about With Fire & Sword lies in the question of how much it actually adds to the experience. Mount & Blade has an active and creative modding community, who have long since added firearms to the game and have provided an assortment of alternate total conversions and multiplayer gameplay mode mods for Mount & Blade and Mount & Blade: Warband. Warband had the advantage of adding multiplayer, but With Fire & Sword doesn't shoot for any such game-changing alterations. It will no doubt be worth it for hardcore fans - such as your humble author. For others, just adding guns and grenades is a bit underwhelming considering the potential of the setting's era. This is a bit constrained because of the region, but when I think of transporting Mount & Blade into the 17th century, I think of opening up political machinations on the story side and massive ship battles on the battle side. Considering the potential, I can't help but feel that With Fire & Sword just might underwhelm.

Wednesday - March 02, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Trailers

Tuesday - February 01, 2011

Mount&Blade - Video, Screens

Wednesday - January 26, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Preview, Screens

by Dhruin, 21:26

There's a preview of Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword at The Escapist, although it appears based on available information rather than hands-on:

While some (myself included) might miss the fictional setting of Calradia, it seems that the community responds the most to the real-world accuracy of Warband. To that end, Yazbeck is busy adding features to the strategic level of play that will make With Fire and Sword seem more realistic. Instead of villages and towns just being places you go to "beg for babies" as what Yazbeck called recruiting soldiers, there will be structures you can build such as universities, smithies and even banks. Banks will be able to issue loans, which will come in handy for those who play the game as a complex economic sim. Don't welch on those loans though, the banks will post bounties on the heads of people who don't pay them back.

You can also grab some screens at Worthplaying and for those into Kinect, here's an article on playing Mount & Blade with motion control and head tracking.

Thursday - January 20, 2011

Mount&Blade - With Fire and Sword Announced

by Dhruin, 21:35

You might remember our reader Dagon wrote in last September to say CD Projekt had let slip a spin-off of Mount & Blade called With Fire and Sword.  Now PC Gamer has news With Fire and Sword has been officially unveiled at a Paradox Interactive press conference:

In possibly the most exciting news of the conference so far, Paradox Interactive have announced that their new expansion for Mount and Blade – ‘With Fire and Sword’ – will be set in 1653 and feature muskets, plus an actual storyline to follow in singleplayer.

Head over for a trailer.

Friday - August 27, 2010

Mount&Blade - v1.130 Patch, Steam Sale

by Dhruin, 21:17

Taleworlds has released a v1.130 patch for Warband that includes some new MP maps.  Here's a partial snip from their site:

Version 1.130 for M&B Warband has been released. You can download the upgrade patch on our download page. The changelog is:

Features and Gameplay:
3 Amazingly awesome multiplayer maps:

  • NEW! Forest Hideout: Perfect for team play modes like TDM, CTF, and Conquest. 
  • NEW! The Arena: The go to place for battle, deathmatch, and duel modes.
  • NEW! Jammeyyed Castle: A unique siege in the desert.

Other content additions:

  • New music and sounds have been added to single and multi-player modes.
  • Steam also has a sale with Warband 66% off, and Mount & Blade 75% off.

    Source: Blues News

    Friday - July 23, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband v1.127, New MP Mode

    by Dhruin, 23:19

    Paradox sent us this PR, announcing a new patch for Mount & Blade: Warband that adds a "Duel" multiplayer mode among other things.  They also note the game is on 50% off sale at most digital delivery sites:

    A New Mode and Armor Take Center Stage in Combat


    NEW YORK – July 23, 2010 – Paradox Interactive and developer TaleWorlds today released the latest update for their medieval strategy game, Mount & Blade: Warband. The new update provides exciting new content for the game along with subtle improvements to the overall gameplay.

    In response to community demand, Duel, the newest multi-player mode requires you to test your steel in one-on-one battles of wit, speed and skill. This new mode allows for protected 1 on 1 duels with no interruptions from others. Similar to the other servers, Duel supports up to 64 players and contains all the other options as the normal servers.

    An update would not be complete without new gear for battle. In time honored DLC fashion, Mount & Blade: Warband is putting new armor on old horses at a cost of zero denars. Mount up with two newly modeled horse armors, one available for the Sarranids and another for the Vaegir/Khergit factions. In addition, there is now a server setting that bans ranged weapons eliminating those pesky archers.

    Mount & Blade: Warband is available for sale in stores and all major digital distribution outlets and is currently enjoying a 50% off sale via digital outlets. For more information www.mountandbladewarband.com and join the Mount & Blade community on www.facebook.com/mountandblade and follow the game on www.twitter.com/mount_and_blade

    The Taleworlds site has patch notes that are easier to read, if you are interested.

    Wednesday - July 07, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband 1.126 Patch

    by Dhruin, 22:54

    Mount & Blade: Warband has advanced to v1.126:

    Features and Gameplay:

    • NEW! Gameplay features have been added, now players have the ability to build production houses that produce valuable goods such as iron, wine, velvet and more. The building of production houses is accessible through guild masters in towns. Also players may visit these newly modeled scenes via the town menu.
    • New Swadian houses have been added to major Swadian towns.
    • New, AI Behavior enables more realistic AI lord behaviors, such as AI lords collecting taxes.
    • Campaign difficulty has been rebalanced, hard mode is now even more challenging with AI lords recruiting troops faster.
    • Economy parameters such as taxes from fiefs and raiding outcomes, have been balanced.
    • The Khergit faction has been given some much needed love and as a result has had their troops and items rebalanced.
    • Khergits get modified hats and steppe armor instead of leather vests in multi-player.
    • Man-hunters and high tier slaver troops have been given an overhaul and have top tier troops equal to other top tier army troops.
    • Weapons that cannot be used to block can now do feint attacks.
    • All items from hammers to warhammers and spiked clubs to iron maces now have knockdown capabilities.

    Technical:

    • New flags for items are added and new operations are defined to give more freedom to modders.
    • Out of memory errors while rendering are now handled more properly.
    • Fixed a bug that caused AI lords to have too many high level troops.
    • Several bug fixes to the level editor.
    • Lots of other bug fixes and some healthy re-balancing/improvements in both single and multi-player modes.

    Source: Blues News

    Friday - May 07, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband Reviews

    by Dhruin, 21:37

    Here's a couple of new Mount & Blade: Warband reviews - coincidentally, both with negative views. Diehard GameFAN has a lengthy article, and they question the value and bugs:

    There’s a lot to like here, but I’m penalizing the amount of bugs heavily here. This engine is two years old now, it is inexcusable for me to be physically unable to play the game at this point, for any amount of time.

    On to TheGamersHub, with a score of 2/5, though mainly because they can't get over the graphics:

    Warband is perhaps the closest example of a gaming industry equivalent to the B-Movie. The budget was small, the production values are low and this stand-alone expansion pack, which allegedly has been given a graphical upgrade over the original 2008 game, looks like it belongs to 10 year old technology. I will admit that it is not typically a game I would choose to play, solely because despite my conviction that graphics do not make a game, I’m still a bit of a pixel snob. High budget RPGs like Fallout 3 or any Bioware title are more my bag. But in one respect Warband walks all over these titles. And that respect is the completely insane level of open-endedness offered in its story.

    Monday - May 03, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband Reviews

    by Dhruin, 11:38

    Here's a pair of new Warband reviews. GamingEvolution awards a 7.5/10:

    Despite being a major addition to the expansion, multiplayer feels underwhelming. There's fun to be had fighting other humans with the game's robust combat system, but by falling back on familiar competitive multiplayer tropes, it just feels like only a small fraction of the singleplayer experience. What's sad is that the singleplayer provides such a good model for multiplayer. It would be so much more interesting not simply fighting other human players in single combat, but going up against each other with armies, conquering towns and castles on smaller overworld maps with the chance to really cooperate and coordinate with your teammates. As the multiplayer currently exists, it's an interesting experiment, but I would think the core game would have benefited more from those resources.

    ...and Gamers Daily News likes it a little better, scoring 8.5/10:

    There are so many things to do and ways to play Mount & Blade: Warband that it would take several articles to cover it all. Overall the game is intriguing, time-consuming and enjoyable. I found myself running around the countryside chasing bandits, trying to gain the favor of particular nobles, making a little coin doing some trade runs and generally wandering about. There is a massive learning curve if you’re new to the series but that’s part of the fun. Plus, there’s a very active community that is generally happy to answer all of your questions about the games, not only at the TaleWorlds website but also through various community sites.

    Wednesday - April 21, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband Patch 1.112

    by Dhruin, 21:04

    This thing is getting patched every other day, so we've missed a couple.  Worthplaying points out Mount & Blade: Warband has hit v1.112.

    Monday - April 19, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband Reviews #2

    by Dhruin, 21:01

    Three more Mount & Blade: Warband reviews have popped up over the weekend. Altern8 is impressed, with a score of 8/10 in their very short article - although they haven't really tried multiplayer.  ComputerGames.ro is similarly impressed, with a score of 85%.  Finally, Out of Eight scores 5/8, saying multiplayer - the game's highlight - is a mixed bag.  Here's a snip:

    Mount & Blade: Warband is much better with an organized group of many people: most matches online devolve into a mess of horses running around, ranged units firing at nothing, and melee units turning around looking for targets. You are almost required to coordinate because of the high effectiveness of shields: you can simply hold down the “block” button and deflect most incoming shots. The only way to kill effectively is to double-team people from opposite sides. Traditional first person shooters get around mandatory teamwork by allowing individuals to successfully kill opponents (you are, of course, more effective by working together, though), but since you must work together in Mount & Blade: Warband, the game’s success depends on how well people are coordinated, and usually they are not. And if one side is coordinated and the other is not, expect quick slaughter. Mount & Blade: Warband can be entertaining if the matches are organized, but this is an uncommon occurrence in my experience.

    Tuesday - April 13, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband Reviews

    by Dhruin, 22:27

    Here are three Mount & Blade: Warband reviews.  First, a 2 Minute Review at Australian site Games On Net.  Their score is 3.5/5:

    If this is your first foray into the Mount & Blade games, it's definitely the best place to start, and the price isn't exactly steep. The graphics are cleaner, the game is less buggy, and there's more for you to do than in the original. But if you did buy the original and were hoping for substantial improvements in what TaleWorld are generously calling a "sequel" then you might be slightly underwhelmed. It's more of a spit-polish on the single-player mode than anything else and the multiplayer mode, while fun, is a missed opportunity.

    Next, Elder-Geek, who say they were "less than impressed":

    The combat is brutal in Mount & Blade: Warband. You can’t charge into battle expecting to take 20 arrows to the chest and then have your health regenerate if you just hide behind a rock for seven seconds. A few solid blows will raze even the strongest of men. If you find yourself too far ahead of your army, you’ll quickly be surrounded by the enemy and subsequently, your men will have to drag you from the field. Discretion, tactics, and pace are the name of the game. You need to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away and know when to run. Also having your archers thin their numbers before your infantry reaches their front lines helps, too. It is absolutely exhilarating when you win a battle against a team that outnumbers you. And the feeling you get the first time you attempt to siege a castle is something I haven’t felt with gaming since I was much younger.

    ...and Gamers Nexus, who loved it and score 82%:

    The singleplayer campaign is just as great as the original, but the focus is definitely on multiplayer for this expansion. The campaign map has changed a little bit; there are now six factions, players have an expanded ability to lead their own kingdom, marry for political gain, and even force other kings into vassalage; influence from the Total War series can be seen all over the campaign. You can build up an army of thousands, rule a kingdom, a rebel army, or command a band of brigands that thrives on pillaging small villages and caravans. Quests are somewhat unimaginative and dull, but they get the point across. The roleplay element has been revitalized with the inclusion of Warband, adding more options for companions and personality conflict than expected for a war game. It’s addictive and tough to quit, just like the Multiplayer.

    Thursday - April 08, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband Patch 1.105

    by Dhruin, 21:36

    We've missed a couple of Warband patches but Blue's notes that v1.105 has been released.  Manual patch here and, of course, Steam self updates.

    Source: Blues News

    Monday - April 05, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband Review @ Bit-tech

    by Dhruin, 20:28

    Bit-tech has a review of M&B: Warband.  The score is 7/10, with some frustration that the UI hasn't been improved at all and the pacing of multiplayer.  Here's a snip on single-player changes:

    If you can overlook some of these annoyingly-still-present flaws though then there’s a few new things that Warband brings to the table – though the emphasis is mostly on the ‘few’, rather than the ‘new’.

    In singleplayer, the main expansions come at the higher end of the game and are focused on lengthening the playtime through new missions, rather than expanding the skill tree or supplying new abilities. There’s a whole new area for players to explore, but it’s all pretty untailored and impersonal, lacking in the character required to make you actually love the kingdom you're in.

    The kingdom though is what the singleplayer game is now all about, with the logical aim for all new adventurers being to become ruler of the realm, put the new faction under your leadership and turn the lords into your subjects and vassals. Getting there can take a long, long time, but the fact that it’s even possible is going to be a major draw for long-term fans, while providing an incentive for newcomers to prefer Warband over the first game.

    Saturday - April 03, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband Patch v 1.012

    by Magerette, 15:55

    Taleworlds has released a patch for their recent title, Mount & Blade Warband, bringing it from v 1.100 to 1.1002. You can find it, along with server information, on the downloads page of the official site, and it's also mirrored at GamersHell and Worthplaying.

    Source: Blues News

    Tuesday - March 30, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband Release in NA

    by Dhruin, 21:58

    Paradox has released Mount & Blade: Warband in NA.  Here's the PR they sent us:

    Mount & Blade: Warband Available Today

    Highly Anticipated Sequel Marks Triumphant Return for Medieval Horseback Combat


    NEW YORK - March 30, 2010

    Medieval battlegrounds rage once more with the thunder of galloping hooves and the clash of swords, as Paradox Interactive and developer TaleWorlds bring forth Mount & Blade: Warband, now available on all major digital distribution outlets and shipping to North American retail stores.

    Watch the release trailer for Mount & Blade: Warband here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwGxzdGqEDg

    The sequel to the original Mount & Blade introduces grueling 64 player multiplayer battles in the action-RPG that truly sets the standard for equestrian combat. With a host of new features and improvements, including a new campaign, highly-detailed open environments, and the ability to find love amongst violence, the ultimate battle for the throne of Calradia starts today.

    Mount & Blade: Warband Game Features:

    • Multiplayer battles with up to 64 players. Multiplayer modes include Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Conquest, Battle, and Siege.  
    • Graphical overhaul: State-of-the-art rendering technologies combine with a more informative interface, allowing new and advanced players alike to enjoy an unprecedented level of immersion.  
    • Seek adventure alone, or recruit and train an army fit for a king. You and your companions will gain experience and skills while your soldiers evolve into a deadly fighting force.  
    • New campaign allows you to become the ruler of a faction and convince lords to become your vassals.  
    • New ability to marry a lady of the realm for romance or cold political gain. Try to win a lady’s heart through poetry or bravery.

    For more information visit: www.mountandbladewarband.com and join the Mount & Blade community on Facebook.

    There's also a launch trailer over at VoodooExtreme.

    Saturday - March 13, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband GDC Hands-On @ Gamespot

    by Magerette, 17:39

    Amidst the slew of GDC articles at Gamespot is this hands-on look at Warband, the multiplayer expansion to Taleworld's Mount & Blade, presently in beta. The article is subtitled Castle Seiging, Melee, and Dying Horribly:

    In Warband's multiplayer, life is cheap, and death by crushed skull or arrow-in-the-throat happens all the time. In several cases, while we made our feeble attempts to set up ladders, we took well-placed arrows from defending soldiers clean in the face. Warband's archery, like its swordplay, isn't a simple, button-mashing deal--it requires precision and careful timing. Your accuracy when firing an arrow is extremely compromised if you're on the move and will also decrease if you nock an arrow and hold it too long. Fortunately for us, our opponents were already extremely high up the game's learning curve and had no trouble feathering us with arrows multiple times before we made it up into the castle. Once inside, we experienced the chaotic and brutal nature of Warband's melee combat--repeatedly.

     

    Monday - March 08, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband Preview @ GameBanshee

    by Dhruin, 19:54

    Brother None has penned a preview of Mount & Blade: Warband over at GameBanshee.  I haven't been paying too much attention to this but I hadn't realised the RPG elements are scaled back for MP:

    One unsurprising thing should be obvious from the above description: Warband's multiplayer opts to focus purely on one side of the Mount & Blade experience, that of medieval warfare simulator. Sure, stats are still there for different troops, and you can customize to some extent, but as characters are dumped for every new session, it doesn't allow you to tie a single character to your account, nor does it allow for experience to be gained and progress to be made. There is no imbalance between characters which is a good thing for the multiplayer experience, but also means the outcome of fights is purely dependent on the player's (twitch) skill.

    Monday - February 22, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband Preview @ Resolution

    by Dhruin, 19:48

    Mount & Blade: Warband has been previewed at Resolution Magazine.  Here's a snip:

    Warband, then, finds itself in an interesting position. It’s a standalone expansion that aims to refine, rather than reinvent, the world of Calradia. In keeping with Mount & Blade tradition, there’s still no predefined storytelling to speak of, so Warband’s focus is on new features and a tightening up of what came before.

    warband1An advanced political system allows progression right to the very top, and as a king you’ll be able to grant your companions land within the world. You can now get hitched to NPCs, with wives looking after affairs while you’re away at battle. There’s a larger map and more units, and a heavier focus on dialogue promises to make interaction a little less bland than it had a tendency to be in the original game.

    Monday - February 15, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Warband Multiplayer Beta

    by Dhruin, 20:11

    The Taleworlds forums for Mount & Blade have a banner announcement that the  expansion multiplayer beta is now open to everyone with a Mount & Blade serial.  I'm not sure when this opened up and I can't find the full announcement but download links can be found in the Warband forum.

    Saturday - February 13, 2010

    Mount&Blade - Steam Sale

    by Dhruin, 21:11

    Mount & Blade is on sale at Steam for USD$4.99, well worth consideration if you never got around to playing it previously.

    Thursday - October 08, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Warband Delayed

    by Dhruin, 21:57

    Warband has been delayed to March, according to this press release at Gamer's Hell:

    Paradox Interactive has unveiled that Mount & Blade: Warband, a Mount & Blade multiplayer expansion in the works at TaleWorlds Entertainment, will be available on March 19th. Mount & Blade: Warband will include improved strategic AI, extended diplomatic options, state-of the-art rendering technologies, including the addition of High Dynamic Range (HDR), as well as the ability for 32 players to play on a single map in team death-match style battles.

    Source: GamersHell

    Monday - October 05, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Warband Preview @ Strategy Informer

    by Dhruin, 21:22

    Strategy Informer takes a look at Mount & Blade: Warband in this preview.  Since we've taken quotes on the multiplayer before, here's a bit on single-player improvements:

    Speaking of single player, that mode is also getting some love. New factions, a larger map and more units will enhance the current gameplay. Politics and Conspiracies have also been given a revamp as part of the improved role-play section. They’ve even included a ‘marriage’ feature, whereby you can marry one of the noble women you see scattered about the land. Unfortunately, this is only working for male characters at present, as it may be too hard to implement for female avatars due to technical reasons. Your ‘wives’ will inhabit your halls, and will manage things whilst you are gone. Previously, you would have to visit the castle or towns you controlled every so often in order to continue their development, but now your spouse should be able to handle bits of that for you.

    Source: Blues News

    Thursday - September 24, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Warband Beta Impressions @ Critical Gamer

    by Dhruin, 22:41

    Critical Gamer has some impressions from the Mount & Blade Warband beta, which apparently goes for a straight action approach:

    To ease the passage of multiplayer into the game, developers Taleworlds have pretty much dispensed with the RPG trappings of the single player game. Gone are levelling, stats and skills, instead you simply pick a faction and a troop (read character class), with slightly different equip depending on the faction. For instance the Viking-influenced Nords, use throwing axes to devastating advantage, while the Mongol-esque Khergit have their intensely annoying signature horse archers. Earning gold from your kills, you can upgrade and customise your equipment once a battle has started, with plenty of shields, horses and upgraded weapons on offer. 

    Source: GameBanshee

    Monday - September 14, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Warband Preview @ RPS

    by Dhruin, 22:41

    Mount & Blade: Warband has been previewed at Rock, Paper, Shotgun:

    Mount & Blade was always a triumph of game over graphics. It looked old when it was released, and even with a wide range of mods giving it HDR and high quality textures, it still looks considerably worse than some games released even 5 years ago. Thing is, none of that stuff has ever mattered, because it gets the feel of being in a medieval battle perfectly. It was glorious, running down pathetic peasants on your courser, axe held high, ready to lop off heads. It was glorious because it was, for the most part, easy. You were the badass on the field of battle, racking up the kills and making a name for yourself.

    Friday - September 04, 2009

    Mount&Blade - New Spinoff from CD Projekt

    by Dhruin, 11:59

    Here's an unexpected one for Polish fans of Mount & Blade.  Dagon writes that CD Projekt is working on a spinoff together with Taleworlds and some other developers.  This one looks specifically aimed at the Polish market, so I'll hand over to Dagon for the details:

    CDProjekt just announced the new game of Mount & Blade franchise, the game is called "Mount & Blade: Ogniem i Mieczem" (don't know the english title but it will probably be "With Fire and Sword"). The game is developed by Snowberry Connection, Sich Studio and of course TaleWorlds Entertainment and will be set in XVII century Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth. The game is based on the books of the polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz. The funny thing is that there is already a mod with the same name in production, but both project are completely unrelated to each other.

    Anyway, here's the trailer to this new game:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUbvxqRpebM

    Friday - August 21, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Warband Trailer

    by Dhruin, 23:26

    Paradox has kicked up a Warband trailer for GamesCom.

    Thursday - August 13, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Review @ PC Cohort

    by Dhruin, 00:24

    It's been a little while since we had a Mount & Blade review and PC Cohort pops up to fill that role.  The score is 8/10, despite the criticism of a lack of long-term goals:

    But yes, it’s fun. No small accomplishment these days. “Why is it fun” you might ask. A fair question. I will simply state that the combat is, for lack of a better word, “perfect.”

    Nearly every aspect of medieval warfare is accurately depicted, in detail, and it works magnificently as as a game. I could run around on a horse for HOURS butchering farmers and enemy infantry and not get bored. Even the less glamorous combat aspects, like throwing knives, are HILARIOUS.

    It’s interesting, too. I could go so far as to say that it’s “history in motion”. I’m not sure about you guys, but I’ve never seen medieval combat at ground level or grown to appreciate why short swords are better for close range combat. This alone could have kept me playing, but instead this is merely lumped onto a rather large pile of positive traits.

    After playing this game, I can honestly say I have an appreciation and knowledge of new things. Few games offer that, and fewer still in this day and age.

    Source: Blues News

    Friday - July 24, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Warband Beta Announcement

    by Dhruin, 23:23

    From the Mount & Blade forums:

    Hello everyone,

    We are getting closer to starting M&B Warband multiplayer beta tests and this is an invitation to all our community to apply as beta testers and join in the fun. All you need to do is fill out the application form at:

    http://beta.taleworlds.com/apply.aspx

    Since server capacity will be limited, we'll be able to accept a limited number of applicants to the beta tests. Our choice criteria will be as follows:
    - Applicants who enter a valid serial key are much more likely to be selected than those who do not.
    - As we open new test servers, we'll invite new beta testers whose locations are close to that server's location. For example, if we open a server in Germany, we'll invite testers who live in Europe.
    - Other than that, selection will be random.

    Thank you in advance to all those who will apply.
    Looking forward to duke it out with you guys on the beta servers... :P

    Saturday - June 06, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Warband Video

    by Dhruin, 00:31

    More PR from Paradox, this time promoting a Warband video on Youtube (link is at the end of the PR):

    E3 2009: New Mount&Blade: Warband gameplay video released!


    Get an insight in to the multiplayer expansion to the critically acclaimed medieval combat game

    E3, Los Angeles – June 4th 2009 – Paradox Interactive has today released a new gameplay video for the upcoming multiplayer expansion Mount&Blade: Warband. The expansion to the critically acclaimed Mount&Blade introduces a number of features that players have specifically requested and which will vastly improve the overall gameplay experience of this revolutionary title.

    To watch the gameplay trailer for Mount & Blade: Warband, click here;
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqgjw4EvbHo

    Key features revealed for the first time at E3:
    • Overhauled graphics; HDR, FSAA, Depth of Field, Soft particles, Tone Mapping and many other effects are all now implemented.
    • Majority of Models are being redone.
    • Multiplayer battles can now handle up to 64 players with Mods including ‘Team Death Match’ and ‘Search & Destroy’.
    • Ability to become the ruler of a faction and convince lords to become your vassals in the Single Player Campaign.
    • Ability to upgrade your companions to vassalage by granting them land.
    • Improved Mechanics for Soldier Morale: Soldiers will break and run away if their morale gets too low.

    A summary of additional features previously revealed at GDC are Multiplayer for up to 32 players, improved strategic AI, improved graphics and optimization including customizable quick battles, extended diplomatic options and new weapons, armor and animations, a new faction with unique troops and equipment.

    Other aspects introduced in Mount&Blade: Warband are improvements to the combat system with more physically accurate horse archery, a variation in horse sizes, and more options when embarking on sieges.

    About Mount&Blade:
    War has come down on Calradia. In a land torn by constant danger, raids and skirmishes, you will raise and lead your own war band, commanding dozens of hardened soldiers. Mount & Blade is a single-player, third or first-person action/role playing game featuring groundbreaking horseback combat, intuitive swordplay, and a free-form environment in which players can roam freely.

    Read more about the game: http://www.taleworlds.com/

    At E3 in Los Angeles development teams for Hearts of Iron III, East India Company and Majesty 2: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim will be showcasing brand new features for their eagerly anticipated titles.

    To watch a game presentation from a press event earlier this year, please click here;
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K16bIpGnd1o

    Thursday - June 04, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Warband E3 Details

    by Dhruin, 00:28

    IGN has a two-paragraph update on Mount & Blade: Warband from E3:

    Earlier today at E3 2009, Paradox Interactive released details about Mount & Blade: Warband, the upcoming expansion for the RPG released last September. Warband returns players to the land of Calradia, which has been torn by war and other strife. Players will raise and lead their own war bands, giving them command over dozens of soldiers that they can lead into battle. Improved strategic AI has been included, as have new diplomatic options that provide players with additional negotiation tactics. If all discussions break down, you'll receive new options whenever you choose to siege kingdoms.  

    In related news, Worthplaying has a bunch of screens on offer.

    Monday - May 25, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Review @ Worthplaying

    by Magerette, 18:15

    Worthplaying posts a review of TaleWorlds' Mount & Blade that takes a look at the pros and cons of the game overall, giving it a final score of 7.5/10:

    All this choice is merely an illusion, though, because it all amounts to the same thing and leads to the same place. Fighting is what M&B is good at, and it's no surprise that there are really no other options than to fight. Every quest action you complete or unique party member you recruit is good for only one thing, and that's battle. All but one of the skills you learn help you out during, before or after a big fight, and the purpose of making money is to hire more troops for the next war. Even the reason to fight is to increase your renown and money so you can increase your party capacity and bring on more troops to fill the newly opened spots. It's a vicious loop...

    Conclusion:

    Mount & Blade boasts solid battles and the eventual freedom to fight whoever and whenever you want while maintaining a kingdom, and it's a powerful draw. Some people with an inclination toward Civilization-era strategy and a well-honed trigger finger will find a lot of joy in conquering the lands of Calradia. The community surrounding the game proves that, and thanks to them, most people can conquer the otherwise impossible learning curve present at the beginning of the title. It's a concept with a lot of flaws and not much in the way of variety, but an indefinable charm spurs you to continue improving your character and roaming the land.

     

    Sunday - May 03, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Warband interview @ Strategy Informer

    by Magerette, 19:05

    Strategy Informer posts a short Q & A with the producer of Taleworld's soon to be released Mount & Blade mp expansion, Warband, Cem Cimenbicer:

    Strategy Informer: With the Mount&Blade expansion pack, what is the most significant new feature you’re introducing?

    Cem Cimenbicer: In my opinion – some people might think different – multiplayer is the main feature of the game. It will add a lot more longevity to Mount&Blade because you will never get bored of the game’s AI, as people will be playing with you. And if you like medieval combat, Mount&Blade will serve you at it’s best, because no other game has given you proper medieval combat in a multiplayer mode.

    Strategy Informer: Have you any other future expansions planned for Mount&Blade?

    Cem Cimenbicer: We have hundreds of new features for this expansion such as more combat strategies that we had never thought of before and there may be more of these added in the future. There will also be some additions to the map and the campaign mode in which you’ll be able to travel across a larger map with more cities, more armies in a more active world with better AI. There are also small additions to the moments in the map that will be added on.


    Thursday - April 23, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Review @ RPG Codex

    by Dhruin, 12:59

    RPG Codex has posted a lengthy review of Mount & Blade.  There's a litany of critcisms, from lack of direction to issues with the mechanics to the broken economy...but it's fun:

    Your goal in M&B is to mindlessly slaughter everyone you meet. M&B makes up for this by making mindlessly slaughtering everyone you meet boat-loads of fun. Oh sure, the more you play, the more experience you get, the more enemies you face, the larger battles you have. The endless battles just get bigger and more endless. Suddenly your drained by combat and without an army, you have little hope of achieving anything. Meaning you go for high troop numbers, get all the hero NPCs, level-up all their party skills (because they suck at combat) and essentially have the same character no matter what you do.

    ... but it's fun.

    Saturday - April 11, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Warband Video Interview

    by Dhruin, 01:48

    Gamereactor has a video interview with Armagan from Taleworlds on their multiplayer-focused expansion to Mount & Blade, Warband.  The 6 minute video has Armagan showing off several features, such as improvements to the combat system, bots and being able to use equipment picked up from the battlefield.

    Monday - March 30, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Warband Officially Announced

    by Dhruin, 22:10

    Placing the horse long after the cart, Paradox has officially announced the Mount & Blade expansion, Warband.  Here's the PR they sent over:

    Multiplayer expansion to the critically acclaimed medieval combat game debuts at GDC

    GDC San Francisco, March 27th 2009
    – Following on from the recent announcement that a Multiplayer expansion was in development for the widely lauded Mount&Blade, Paradox Interactive have today revealed the first detailed information for the newly titled Mount&Blade: Warband.

    Demonstrated publicly for the first time at GDC in San Francisco by the development team at Taleworlds, the expansion introduces a number of features that players have specifically requested and which will vastly improve the gameplay experience.

    The key features revealed:
    Multiplayer – previously announced, the ability for up to 32 players to play simultaneously on a single map in Team Death-Match style battles
    Faction Rulers – A new in-depth system allowing the player to gain followers even as a rebel and to become the ruler of their own faction and recruit Lords as their vassalals
    Accessibility – Improved and additional detailed game information for players.
    Improved Graphics and optimisation – The introduction of state-of-the-art rendering technologies including HDR (High Dynamic Range), as well as significant improvement in the level of detail on characters, armour and weapons
    Increased interactivity - New interactivity implemented in the environments that the AI will recognize and adapt to, directly impacting the Siege mode

    Commenting on the development of Mount&Blade: Warband, Armagan Yavuz, Producer at Taleworlds Entertainment said, “As a development team, we are used to short development circles, fast feedback from our users and the ability to have our gamers in the development loop. That is why we decided to create this expansion. We have received a large amount of requests from players for multiplayer and when we had published the game we saw an opportunity to explore this as well as additional improvements that our gamers requested. I feel that the multiplayer mode adds tremendously to the game experience.”

    A summary of additional features includes customizable quick battles, extended diplomatic options and new weapons, armor and animations. Other aspects introduced in Mount&Blade: Warband are improvements to the combat system with more physically accurate horse archery, a variation in horse sizes, and more options when embarking on sieges.

    Mount&Blade: Warband is scheduled for release in Q3 2009.

    To watch a game presentation from a press event earlier this year, please click here;

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K16bIpGnd1o

    Saturday - March 28, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Multiplayer Expansion Media @ GamersHell

    by Magerette, 16:09

    GamersHell has added two trailers and some screenshots for TaleWorlds' multiplayer expansion to the recently released Mount & Blade, entitled Warband.

    Here's the description:

    Paradox Interactive has released the first trailer and screenshots from Mount & Blade: Warband, showcasing this upcoming Mount & Blade multiplayer expansion in the works at TaleWorlds Entertainment. Mount & Blade: Warband will include improved strategic AI, extended diplomatic options, state-of the-art rendering technologies, including the addition of High Dynamic Range (HDR), as well as the ability for 32 players to play on a single map in team death-match style battles.

    Thursday - March 19, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Review @Gamersinfo.net

    by Magerette, 17:02

    Casual gaming site Gamersinfo.net posts a scoreless but enthusiastic review of Taleworlds' medieval combat/sandbox rpgish title, Mount & Blade:

    ...This is the fourth paragraph, and I haven’t even mentioned what type of game Mount & Blade is because RPG doesn’t fit. Mount & Blade is a first-/third-person combat game set in the medieval period. We’ve been here and done that before, haven’t we? Medieval games can be a dime a dozen, but this is different and very unique from the others...

    Although there is no story, the combat is extremely well-rounded, very detailed and something that must be experienced. Mount & Blade was designed to be modded, from mods that improve the combat, add new weapons and features, and add in new tactics and troops, all the way to completely overhauling the game into something different. Maybe, in time, there might be a couple out there that adds in a good story. Each time I’ve tried to describe what a battle is like, it just feels wrong. There are too many aspects to write about, so just go and try it! If you like first-person combat, medieval combat or even RPG-style leveling systems, you’ll go crazy for the detailed, fast-paced action in Mount & Blade. But what I’ve been trying to write this whole time without being too blunt is that horse-mounted combat is absolutely incredible and must be tried. This is by far the most fun I’ve had in combat in any game to date, and I really can’t stop playing it. Plus, why not support an independent developer?

    Source: Blues News

    Wednesday - February 18, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Expansion Impressions @ Gamespot

    by Magerette, 17:06

    Gamespot gives their brief impressions on the proposed multiplayer expansion for Taleworld's Mount & Blade in this article:

    As well as the major[graphics and multiplayer capability] improvements, there will be plenty of tweaks to the Mount & Blade engine. The developers promise improved AI, enhanced combat, and easier modding tools for those who want to adapt the game. It's still early days for the Mount & Blade expansion, and there are plenty of questions yet to be answered, but we're promised a closed beta of the game in the next three months.

    Monday - February 16, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Review @ Cheap Gamer

    by Dhruin, 21:03

    The Cheap Gamer blog sends word of their review of Mount & Blade.  There's no score but the text says it has "nearly perfect game play fundamentals":

    MB is a game of choice. I have now played as an archer, mounted knight, and cowardly merchant. All of these character types were well balanced, and the game is designed to allow a great many play styles. You can ally yourself with any kingdom, and each kingdom provides different troop types. It is also possible to remain an independent adventurer. I found roaming the worlds cities, and fighting in tournaments unnaturally addictive. The game has unlimited quests, so work is always available. A dedicated modding community (encouraged by Tale Worlds) adds even more replayability.

    Thursday - February 05, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Interview @ GDN

    by Dhruin, 22:03

    Gamers Daily News has caught up with Armagan to talk about the newly announced multiplayer addon for Mount & Blade:

    [GDN] Why wasn’t multiplayer included in the original Mount & Blade?
    How was the decision to do a multiplayer expansion arrived at for Mount & Blade?

    [AY] Players had been requesting Multiplayer functionality since the time we had released our first beta version. However, at the time, our primary focus was the single player gameplay, and we thought we should rather focus on one thing rather than try to do them both at the same time.

    After the release of the game, we were free to work on something new. At the same time, we were researching and thinking about how we could implement multiplayer functionality, and we were able to come up with a method that we thought would work well enough. Multiplayer was also something we were very interested in, since we wanted to play against each other ourselves. And lastly, we thought the single-player game would benefit  from this as well, since we would need to improve the balance and fine-tune combat mechanics.

    Saturday - January 31, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Multiplayer Expansion

    by Dhruin, 09:31

    We haven't seen any press releases but Blue's is reporting an event to unveil a multiplayer expansion for Mount & Blade:

    Paradox Interactive held a media event in Stockholm yesterday for European journalists, and revealed plans for a multiplayer expansion for Mount & Blade, which they say will include a number of new features requested by players, including improved strategic AI, extended diplomatic options, new rendering technologies including the addition of High Dynamic Range lighting, and a new multiplayer feature including the ability for at least 32 players team deathmatch battles.

    Source: Blues News

    Thursday - January 29, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Review @ VGBlogger

    by Magerette, 16:36

    Txa1265 has another review up at VGBlogger, this one taking a look at TaleWorld's sandboxy medieval RPG Mount&Blade:

    Because there are so many factions battling for supremacy, you can set yourself up as a good or evil character or simply a mercenary, and role-play your way through the game without the developers’ pre-determined notions stopping you. Unfortunately, while there are many paths and a near infinite number of quests, they are mostly random quests selected from a fairly limited template.

    However, do not for a second think that you are going to be rolling around the countryside one-hit dropping dragons as I was by the end of Two Worlds; you are a skilled warrior, but you are not a one-person wrecking crew. You will need to find and recruit many warriors to fill out your band throughout the game, and they won’t all make it home. This provides an excellent balance and depth to the game - rather than just maxing out your sword-fighting skills and mowing a path of destruction, you need to hone your skills and complement them with a solid group of adventurers in order to succeed.

    Thanks for the heads up, Mike.

    Thursday - January 01, 2009

    Mount&Blade - Review @ IGN

    by Magerette, 17:15

    IGN posts a review for TaleWorld's sandboxy medieval combat title, Mount & Blade,giving it an enthusiastic 8/10:

    Mount & Blade may be the best game about medieval life ever made. Granted, games about the medieval era are few and far between, but they usually focus on adventure or strategy. In comparison, it's difficult to easily describe Mount & Blade, but it's a bit like a medieval version of Sid Meier's Pirates. It is part action game, where you can ride into battle, swinging a sword to hack your opponents. It's part role-playing, as you control a character that can level up, learn more skills, and even climb the ladder of feudal society. It is part strategy game, as you hire and train a company of soldiers that fight alongside you in battles. And it all takes place in an open world where you choose to be as noble or as dastardly as you want to be.

    Conclusion:

    If you can get over the lackluster production values, you'll find an incredibly well-paced and engaging game that immerses you into a remarkable world that you can do what you will in. You can be the hero, the villain, or just a guy or gal trying to get by. This is a game for anyone who has a yen for history, the Middle Ages, knights, and medieval warfare.

    Friday - December 26, 2008

    Mount&Blade - Review @ Strategy Informer

    by Magerette, 15:45

    Strategy Informer has a review up for TaleWorld's Mount & Blade, giving it mostly high marks with a score of 8/10:

    One of the good things about Mount & Blade is that it doesn't conform completely to stereotyped genres - it tries something new for change. The dominant traits are action (with the combat) and role-playing (with the character development and interaction). There are also elements of strategy and simulation when it comes to the world map, as your character can be granted land to own, as well as taking it off your enemies...

    ...Its fresh take on RPG combat is one of great things about Mount & Blade, and is definitely one of the better feats of innovation to grace a PC game. Their take on Cavalry combat especially adds a sense of gritty realism to the game as you struggle with mouse and keyboard to aim that perfect decapitating strike. (Although, unfortunately, no heads literally roll in this game.) The whole combat element as a whole is probably the best part of the game, but only in the sense that it's the most complete.

    Conclusion:

    There is unfortunately a fair bit of wasted potential in this game, but that's not to say that Mount & Blade isn't good. For those who are more into the 'Indie' PC Gaming scene, then this is probably one of the better titles out there. Even [for] those who are more [into] a general PC game, this is well worth the try. Its fresh and dynamic view on medieval gameplay, as well as the fantasy setting (minus the clichéd elves and magic) make it a true gem. Unfortunately, at the end of the day this game is a diamond in the rough that sadly has too much rough in some places.

    Saturday - November 15, 2008

    Mount&Blade - Review @ Hooked Gamers

    by Dhruin, 22:23

    Hooked Gamers serves up a standard review of Mount & Blade with a score of 7/10:

    Mount & Blade is an action Role Playing style game set in the medieval land of Calradia. Sounds just like any number of RP games out in the market, doesn’t it. The main thing that separates this title from other RPGs is, as the title suggests, the ability to use mounts (horses). Sure there are other RPGs (or even MMORPGs) that allow the gamer to use horses or another form of vehicle, but the use of this transportation has largely been a way to get from one location to another in a shorter period of time. In Mount & Blade, apart from using your trusted steed to get from place to place, you also get to sit atop your horse whilst in combat.

    Source: Blues News

    Tuesday - November 04, 2008

    Mount&Blade - Now on Steam

    by Asbjoern, 22:16

    The Swedish publisher Paradox Interactive and owner of the digital distribution service GamersGate has let Mount&Blade loose on Valve's competitive distribution platform, Steam. The price tag is $29.99.

    Monday - November 03, 2008

    Mount&Blade - V1.011

    by Dhruin, 22:45

    A minor update to Mount & Blade is out that fixes a save game compatibility issue.

    Wednesday - October 29, 2008

    Mount&Blade - v1.010 Released

    by Dhruin, 20:59

    Taleworlds has upped Mount & Blade to v1.010 (and remembered to keep a changelog this time).  The headline item is a fix for issues with ATI cards, although a bunch of general fixes are included:

    Version 1.010 Changelog:
    ----------------------
    Rendering artefacts with ATi Radeon 4x cards has been fixed.
    Fixed occasional problems in launching the game on Windows Vista.
    Optimizations in rendering performance.
    Fixed bug where a village elder would never give you another quest if you ever refused one.
    The game will no longer issue a warning if a track is supposed to be played while music is disabled.
    During castle attacks, attackers now spread out at the beginning so that those who run to push the assault tower can pass through easily.
    Player's items will no longer loose qualifiers if you pick an item of the same type from the ground.
    Laidies will no longer give dueling quests against their own husbands.
    Raiding a village now reduces your relation with its faction.
    Fixed equipment for khergit_horsemen and Camp Defenders.
    Problems in various villages and castles have been fixed.
    Pathfinding to towns on the map has been improved.
    Crossbows will now start as loaded in battles.
    Each point for stength now adds +1 to total hit-points.
    Base hit-points has been reduced to 35
    Fixed bug where some deserter parties would contain clones of the player character.
    Assault tower now works correctly at Dhirim Town Walls.
    Fixed bug where being attacked while raiding a village would result all subsequent battles to take place in that village.
    Player is now awarded with money after finishing the "Follow Spy" quest.
    Fixed various problems with "Follow Spy" quest.
    Fixed bug where allied Lords wouldn't join your battles after winning a civil war.
    Fixed bug where player wouldn't be awarded the full prize in arena fights if he managed to be the "last man standing".
    Fixed bug where there would be an odd item at the bottom of merchant inventories.
    Fixed bug where sometimes a horseback character would be thrown forward unrealistically after being killed.
    Players can no longer use shields that can't be used on horseback if they start the battle wielding the shield.
    Various dialog and text errors have been corrected.
    Abandoning the civil war of a claimant and then taking up the claim of a new one no longer causes incorrect behavior.

    Thursday - October 23, 2008

    Mount&Blade - Review @ GameShark

    by Dhruin, 23:59

    GameShark serves up a review of Mount & Blade with a rating of 'A-':

    At its heart, this game is an RPG, so all these choices have an affect on your starting skills. Your character has the usual set of attributes: Strength, Agility, Intelligence and Charisma. But there’s also a large set of skills that are grouped into specific classes. There are Personal Skills, like Power Strike (affects your combat damage) and Inventory Management (how much you can carry). There are Party Skills that come into play as you recruit soldiers to join you, like Tactics (affects your Battle Advantage) and Tracking (allows you to track the footprints of anything moving across the world map). And there are two Leader Skills: Prisoner Management (how many prisoners you can hold) and Leadership (how many troops you can command). Finally, there is an additional set of weapon proficiencies that determine how skilled you are with various classes of weapons.

    The only real problem with this in depth beginning is that it sets the expectation that the choices you make here are going to have some affect on the game’s story. They don’t. Since this game has no set story, it’s all just a way to configure your initial character skills and starting location. If you enter the world motivated by “revenge” you’ll never find out who wronged you. You’ll never exact that revenge. It’s an implied plot point that doesn’t actually exist in the game and that’s a bit of a letdown. Fortunately, it doesn’t take long to get over it.

    Source: Blues News

    Monday - October 13, 2008

    Mount&Blade - Review @ Computergames.ro

    by Dhruin, 22:14

    The latest Mount & Blade review comes from Computergames.ro, where the score is 9/10:

    Perhaps the most attractive aspect of the game is the mounted combat, where, again, the implementation is top-notch. Your horse can be controlled easily and maneuvers quite well and fighting from horseback gives a whole new dimension to the battle. Tactical-wise you get a well-deserved damage bonus when hitting an enemy from the saddle, which makes sense, while the poor beast itself can be used to knock down opponents and even stun them. Most weapons can be used while riding, but the most effective of all is the jousting lance. If used properly (set up in the special holster located on the hip) the lance has the highest damage in the entire game. Fighting from behind a horse’s steering wheel does not guarantee victory however, as the steed may die from combat wounds, in which case you will be thrown in the middle of a not-so-pleased crowd.

    Source: Blues News

    Thursday - October 02, 2008

    Mount&Blade - Interview @ RPS

    by Dhruin, 01:03

    Rock, Paper, Shotgun interviews Armagan from Taleworlds about Mount & Blade, having recently reached v1.0 and its commercial release:

    RPS: Could you talk about the moment of conception of the game? Was it a Eureka moment, or did it grow from games that you love?

    Armagan Yavuz: Initially we wanted to make a game where sword fighting felt like you were actually involved by using your reflexes; parrying, feigning, etc. Then, while we were working on that bit, we wanted to add more aspects of medieval combat such as horseback fighting, and interesting and realistic archery. At another level, we wanted to make the general gameplay like a sandbox game because we do love those kinds of games. Sid Meier’s Pirates!, in particular, inspired the feel we were trying to create in Mount & Blade. Pirates! had a unique randomness about it that would make the player feel like he was having a completely new experience each time he played the game, and we strived to give Mount & Blade that same sense of freedom and replayability.

    Wednesday - October 01, 2008

    Mount&Blade - Review @ GameBanshee

    by Dhruin, 12:11

    GameBanshee sports the latest Mount & Blade review, with Thomas 'Brother None' Beekers loving the combat (as you'd expect) but finding it a poor RPG.  The score is 7.4/10 and here's a grab:

    The quests aren't much for adding more substance, either. Guild masters have boring quests like escorting caravans or herding cattle while village elders are even worse, sending you to find and fetch cattle or food. Lords are just as bad at the start, trusting you only to deliver letters or go out to claim debts. A lot of fetch and deliver quests, in other words.

    It gets better later on, though not by much. The problem is that interesting ideas never have interesting execution. Sent out to pay the ransom for a kidnapped girl? No intrigue here, just hand over the money and you get her - the only trouble is of the type you can start. Have to track down a killer amongst his kinfolk? Just look for the guy with a sword. Need to follow a spy and capture him and the person he's reporting to? Just follow their tracks, equip blunt weapons, charge in and knock them over the heads to knock them out and take them back. You should be seeing the pattern here: it's almost exclusively fight or fetch, and since there's only about 2 dozen quests you'll start running into the same one over and over soon enough.

    Wednesday - September 24, 2008

    Mount&Blade - Review @ GameSpot

    by Dhruin, 00:53

    Mount&Blade comes in for a fair bit of criticism at GameSpot, with their review citing the lack of structure for the 6/10 score:

    If all you had to do was fight, Mount & Blade might have been a winner. TaleWorlds Entertainment has come up with one of the most innovative and user-friendly re-creations of combat ever seen in a first/third-person RPG, with exciting battles on foot, mounted on horseback, and at the head of a private army. Unfortunately, this derring-do is only one part of a cheaply stitched-together, single-player-only role-playing game that replaces plot with a sandbox world that leaves you without a clue of what to do or where to go. There is something positive to be said for wide-open RPGs that leave the storytelling up to you, but this game is so incomplete that it'll feel as if you're being asked to script a heroic saga without the benefit of pen and paper.

    Tuesday - September 23, 2008

    Mount&Blade - Review @ bit-tech.net

    by Magerette, 18:42

    UK site bit-tech.net posts their review for Taleworlds' Mount & Blade, giving it an 8/10 score:

    Mount & Blade ...doesn't have a story, but your place in the world is clear. The freedom of the game means that the story is whatever you make it.

    This level of freedom might not be for everyone though – a lack of targets and goals might be off-putting to some. Still, Mount & Blade is really just "Ye Olde Elite" with horses instead of spaceships, and a more in-depth socio-economic framework.

    That's not to say that all is a bed of medieval roses with Mount & Blade. The structure of the game means that there is a lot of repetition – there seem to be only a limited number of quests available, and getting constantly attacked by bandits early on in the game is a massive drag. It may be an open-ended affair, but the replayability will still eventually get worn out thanks to the fairly limited number of quests.

    Still, persevere and you'll be rewarded by the depth of the game: the further you progress, the more political and strategic the game becomes, and the various factions gain and lose power. The world on offer in Mount & Blade is interesting, compelling and flexible - a toy which begs to be played with and is fun to mess with.

    Friday - September 19, 2008

    Mount & Blade - v1.003 Available

    by Dhruin, 23:36

    As promised, you can now grab Mount & Blade v1.003:

    This has been such a wonderful ride and so many thanks are in order. If you'll excuse me, I want to start with my dear wife Ipek, the first artist I had the pleasure of working with, the sunshine of my life, without whose determination and hard work and wonderful courage this project would never start in the first place.

    I would also like to thank our dear team at Taleworlds offices, Ozgur, Cem, Pinar, Mustafa, Umit, and Serdar who have worked on the game with great enthusiasm and creativity, each bringing in their great talents and hard work into turning a humble indie game into a professional production. And many thanks to all the other wonderfully gifted people who have directly contributed to the game, Steve Negus, who masterfully wrote and designed all the different lord commentaries, richly characterized companions and claim holder rebellions, Ryan A. Span who again did a wonderful job, turning my amateurish lines into an excellent game dialog and text. We have had the great fortune of having the game's concept art made by a genius of an artist, Ganbad Badamkhand, and then our stroke of luck went further when another genius in his field, Jesse Hopkins, composed the brilliant sound track. Tassilo Egloffstein and Jade Henderson did the top-notch voice work. Then of course, we had all the creative ideas, and wonderful support from this community, so thank you all, our always so fun and witty administrators and moderators who give these forums its unique character, the brilliant community of modders, and of course everyone else who have contributed to these forums and supported this game. And last but no least, I want to thank our dear partners at Paradox Interactýve, Boel, Fredrik, Susana, Simon, Johan, Theo, Jeanette and all the team there for their friendship and for believing in us and our project and for all the help they gave us in realizing it..

    And now, without further ado, and with great pleasure, I present you Mount&Blade 1.003, the final release of our little indie game, which I believe, we made happen all together...

    From filefront (380.29 MB):
    http://files.filefront.com/mountandblade+1003+setupexe/;11835633;/fileinfo.html

    From the Repository (only if FileFront is giving you trouble, please):
    http://www.mbrepository.com/modules/PDdownloads/singlefile.php?cid=6&lid=881

    Thursday - September 18, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Download on the 19th

    by Dhruin, 23:25

     ...or maybe Monday.  Armagan has announced existing owners of Mount & Blade will be able to download v1.0 on Monday the 19th.  Since the 19th is actually Friday, that sounds even better:

    Hi everyone,

    Just wanted to announce that we'll make the final release ready for download tomorrow Monday 19th. We will also release the first bug-fix patch which not only fixes some minor bugs, but also has improved performance and optimizations.

    My deepest thanks to you all for supporting us all this way and making M&B possible.

    See you tomorrow, :)

    Mount & Blade - Review @ GameSquad

    by Magerette, 16:56

    Gamesquad posts a highly positive review of Taleworld's Mount & Blade, giving it a 9/10 score, while stressing it has little in common with traditional rpgs:

    The first thing a prospective gamer has to understand about Mount & Blade is that this is not your typical RPG.  If you have come looking to slay some orks or trolls, look elsewhere.  Likewise, if casting fireballs from your fingertips is your preferred method of bring down a foe, move on.  Mount & Blade is refreshingly original in that while it takes place in the mythical land of Calradia, this is a realm that has far more in common with the medieval kingdoms of Europe than they do with Middle Earth.  There is none of the fantastic here, just armed bands of troops jockeying for the favor of local lords and kings.  Again, if you enjoy questing for the lost moonstone of Neverland, you won’t find much to your liking in Calradia.  On the other hand, if your idea of a good time is sacking the village of a rival lord and carrying off loot and prisoners, well, in that case Mount & Blade offers a lot you might enjoy.

    Source: Blues News

    Wednesday - September 17, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Shipping in NA

    by Dhruin, 01:10

    Paradox has announced Mount & Blade v1.0 is shipping in NA, with Europe to follow on the 19th.  You can also buy it digitally from Paradox' Gamersgate service.  No word that I can see on when existing key-holders will be able to download the update.

    Sunday - September 14, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Review @ Boomtown

    by Dhruin, 01:38

    It's not clear if this review is on the final release, with Boomtown enjoying the combat in Mount & Blade but finding the lack of storyline an issue.  The score is 7/10 and here's a major criticism:

    This is the first major problem with the game. Open ended story telling is great but when you're dropped off in a game with nothing but your own imagination it falls apart. After I had seen my fair share of Calradia I became disillusioned with my character. The fact that there is no main storyline means that my character lacks direction and a purpose. I just ended up wondering what the point of his existence was and why I bother ransacking this and laying siege to that? Boring and dull side quests further dampen my experience. Most Lords seen to give identical quests that always have the same out come. A perfect example is when you're asked to track down a murder. Just look for the guy in the village with a weapon. He is the only one and when you just introduce yourself he confesses and attacks you. It's the same outcome each time. I wasn't expecting a Nancy Drew mystery but something with a bit more drama and detective work would have been nice. It must be said that not all side quests are dull and getting involved with some devious lords can introduce you to some interesting ones. It's just a shame they are in the minority.

    Source: Blues News

    Monday - September 08, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Previews @ GameSquad & 1Up

    by Magerette, 16:37

    Gamesquad takes a mostly positive look at Taleworld's soon to be released RPG Mount & Blade in this preview:

    Another major change that M&B brings to the table is the end of small party questing.  Most RPGs are intimate affairs, with the player managing his character with maybe one or two AI-controlled assistants.  Not so in M&B.  While the gamer does begin alone, as he accumulates wealth, he is free to hire as many soldiers as his skills and wallet allow.  A reasonably successful player will quickly have a sizable group of mercenaries in his employ....

    Conclusion:

    Mount & Blade has the potential to be a trend-setting title.  By ditching the fantastic for a down to earth medieval reality, embracing a novel FPS perspective, and allowing the formation and management of large raiding parties, M&B has already succeeded in shattering the conventional RPG stereotype.  While it’s too early to declare M&B a complete success, if the 0.960 beta is anything to go by, Mount & Blade will prove to be a watershed event for RPG gamers everywhere.

    1UP also has a preview here, along with a gallery of screens:

    Mount & Blade takes a unique approach to medieval combat, focusing on cavalry attacks while trying for as much realism as possible. The game puts careful focus on combat physics and calculates a number of factors into determining damage, including the arc of the attack and the momentum behind it. After all, a man swinging a sword from a galloping horse is obviously deadlier than a foot soldier swinging a mace. You won't find any dragons or magic spells here, just down-and-dirty melee combat and archery.

     

    Source: Blues News

    Friday - September 05, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Gold!

    by Dhruin, 23:31

    Paradox has announced v1.0 of Mount & Blade has gone Gold:

    Paradox Interactive's Mount & Blade Goes Gold

    Highly Acclaimed Medieval Action-RPG Title Ready to Ship

    New York - September 5, 2008
    Paradox Interactive today announced that development of Mount & Blade, the upcoming single-player medieval combat title for the PC, has been completed. Developed by Turkish development house TaleWorlds Entertainment, the game has already developed a loyal fan community and received acclaim from PC gaming enthusiasts worldwide. Having enjoyed a highly successful beta, Mount & Blade is now green-lighted for release in the United States on September 16th and Europe on September 19th.

    Mount & Blade is a single-player, third or first-person action/role-playing game set in the medieval war-torn land of Calradia. The game features groundbreaking horseback combat, intuitive swordplay, and a free-form environment in which players can roam freely to explore new cities, conquer foreign armies and earn a reputation as the realm’s most courageous warrior.

    Mount & Blade will be available for purchase in stores and for digital download at GamersGate, the leading digital distribution platform creating easily accessible gaming experiences for gamers worldwide.

    According to the official site, those of us with old keys will be able to download the game a few days after the retail release.

    Monday - September 01, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Preview @ Realgamer

    by Dhruin, 22:03

    Mount & Blade continues to do the preview rounds, with Realgamer whipping up some thoughts:

    One of the major selling points of Mount & Blade is the on horse combat, which while not easy to master has been implemented brilliantly. You are able to use the games full range of weapons from horseback, swords, spears, bow and arrows and crossbows. Your horse will also carry on moving without you having to hold down the forward control allowing you to concentrate on battle, whilst the speed at which it travels depends on how long you hold down the forward movement key, it’s a very good system that works very well.

    Unfortunately in this early build tasks seem few and far between and I seemed to have to go long periods of time with nothing to do. I also encountered problems recruiting men into my party as every village I travelled to, no one seemed interested in joining me so I was left to wonder the game world on my own. I hope this is something that is put right before the final release build.

    Source: Blues News

    Wednesday - August 27, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Preview @ IGN

    by Dhruin, 02:43

    IGN has a brief GC preview of Mount&Blade (so brief, they forgot to finish one sentence):

    The game's hook is its swordplay, letting you control from which direction you attack and defend. So if, during battle, an enemy does an overhead slash, you'll need to align your sword appropriately to deflect the attack. If you've got it positioned as to stop a swing coming in from the left or right side, it's not going to work. Fighting takes place either from horseback or on foot, and you'll have to make a few decisions as to what you bring to battle. A shield will obviously provide better protection, but it can break. A two-handed weapon offers superior offensive power, but it's not as good for defense. Momentum also needs to be taken into a

    Friday - August 22, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Preview @ GameZone

    by Dhruin, 00:25

    Mount & Blade has been previewed at GameZone and apparently the character development system has an eerie similarity to Fallout:

    Did I mention the almost eerie way the game allows you to spread character points, attribute points and other character development like the Fallout RPG titles? Well, I didn't, but now I just did. If you are a fan like me, then you will smile with the ease and familiarity of the setup. There is no smarmy humor injected into the different attribute descriptions, but the flow is still the same. I like it.

     

    Source: Blues News

    Monday - August 11, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Final Beta?

    by Dhruin, 22:17

    Blue's is pointing out a press release from Paradox, announcing the final beta of Mount & Blade as the retail release looms.  The PR points to an exclusive Gamespot dealie for v0.960, which my trusty database says was released a while back - and my memory says I've already played.  With that in mind, I'm guessing this is a promotional thing:

    NEW YORK - August 11, 2008 Paradox Interactive today announced the opening of the final beta, version 0.960, for their upcoming PC medieval, action-RPG title, Mount & Blade. Mount & Blade will be released in North America on September 16th and in Europe on September 19, 2008. To sign-up for the beta, please visit http://www.gamespot.com/event/codes/mount-and-blade/. The beta period will be open for two weeks, closing on August 25th.

    Mount & Blade is a single-player, third or first-person action/role-playing game with a focus on medieval combat. Developed by the Turkish development house TaleWorlds Entertainment, the BETA version of the game has received acclaim worldwide from gamers impressed by the game’s realistic horseback combat, luscious graphics, and open-world sandbox gameplay. The latter enables players to roam the map freely in a medieval world that offers activities ranging from hunting down bandits, to trading for profit in the game's complex economic system, to becoming a commander and taking part in the wars, with the ultimate goal of becoming a great lord of the realm.

    Mount & Blade will be available for purchase in stores and for digital download at GamersGate, the leading digital distribution platform creating easily accessible gaming experiences for gamers worldwide. For more information, please visit www.paradoxplaza.com/Mount&Blade

    Source: Blues News

    Wednesday - July 30, 2008

    Mount & Blade - September Retail Relese Date

    by Dhruin, 23:31

    Paradox sent out this press release, revealing a September 19th release date for the full version of Mount & Blade:

    Paradox Announces Release Date for Mount & Blade

    Groundbreaking combat title rides to release in September


    NEW YORK- July 30, 2008
    – Paradox Interactive today announced the release date for their highly anticipated upcoming PC medieval, action-RPG title, Mount & Blade. Mount & Blade will be released in the UK and Europe on September 19th, 2008.

    Mount & Blade is a single-player, third or first-person action/role-playing game with a focus on medieval combat. Developed by the Turkish development house TaleWorlds Entertainment, the BETA version of the game has received acclaim worldwide from gamers impressed by the game’s realistic horseback combat, luscious graphics, and open-world sandbox gameplay. The latter enables players to roam the map freely in a medieval world that offers activities ranging from hunting down bandits, to trading for profit in the game's complex economic system, to becoming a commander and taking part in the wars, with the ultimate goal of becoming a great lord of the realm.

    Mount & Blade will be available for purchase in stores and for digital download at GamersGate, the leading digital distribution platform creating easily accessible gaming experiences for gamers worldwide.

    Visit the website at: www.paradoxplaza.com/MountandBlade

    Mount & Blade - Preview @ Boomtown

    by Dhruin, 12:39

    Boomtown serves up a preview of Talesworlds' Mount & Blade:

    In mounted combat it is all about how you tilt your body and ready your weapon. Where you hit your target is also critical. There is nothing more satisfying then slicing an unsuspecting soldier in the back of the neck for a coup de grâce. When not saddled up combat on foot is just as entertaining. How you fight all depends on the weapon you use. Fighting with a shield is a simple affair of swinging your one handed weapon and blocking in a timely manor.

    Without a shield is a different story. You have to wait for your opponent to raise their weapon at which point you press the block button the deflect the incoming strike from whatever direction it was aimed. Its a bit hard to get to grips with, when you first try the combat you'll make many mistakes. However you can get better quickly and become thoroughly enthralled in the battles.

    Source: Blues News

    Monday - July 21, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Preview @ Jolt

    by Dhruin, 21:54

    Mount & Blade has been previewed at Jolt:

    Once you’ve beaten up your first few peasants, it’s time to head out into the big wide world. Or, in this case, the big wide overhead-viewed world map. When you hit your first settlement, echoes of Pirates can again be felt as you visit the town elder for a quest or hire some local scruffs to join you. Quests range from training up the population of villages so they can defend themselves against bandits, to delivery assignments which will likely take you into a town.

    Towns are usually fortified castles that preside over their own area, of which there are five in all. A wider variety of quests can be picked up here, as can more skilled (and more expensive) mercenaries to join your entourage. Visiting the rulers in these places can see them asking you to carry out favours for them, such as assassinating their enemies or more general bounty hunting.

    Sunday - July 13, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Screens @ Worthplaying

    by Dhruin, 10:36

    Worthplaying has a dozen Mount & Blade screens from Paradox as Talesworlds works their way to a retail release.

    Thursday - July 03, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Quest Trailer @ GameTrailers.com

    by Magerette, 17:29

    Gametrailers has a nice two minute video up showing some sweeping horse combat and  detailed locations for TaleWorld's upcoming sandbox/rpg Mount & Blade. You can check it out here.

    Friday - June 27, 2008

    Mount & Blade - September Release Date

    by Magerette, 17:48

     GamersHell  posts that Paradox Interactive has issued a press release promoting  Mount & Blade's free form sandbox medieval combat and other features. The only new detail I saw here (and it may not be that new) was the September 2008 ship to stores date.

    Here's the list of features:

      - Free-form sandbox gameplay. Trade, serve, or even joust. Go anywhere, do anything in a world thriving with hundreds of locations.
    - Distinctive horseback combat. Mount up and attack your foes with swords, lances or arrows.
    - Highly advanced and intuitive sword-fighting system.
    - Be a lonesome adventurer, conniving merchant, or a commander of armies.
    - Interact with hundreds of characters; hire mercenaries to build a private army, accept quests to assassinate troublemakers, or boost your reputation by buying a round of beer at the local tavern.

    Source: GamersHell

    Thursday - June 19, 2008

    Mount & Blade - New Screenshots @ GamersHell, WP

    by Magerette, 17:34

    GamersHell has added eleven new screens to their gallery for TaleWorld's Mount & Blade, to be published by Paradox Interactive. You can check them out here.

    Worthplaying has the same shots, as well as a beta demo link and some game info here

    Wednesday - June 18, 2008

    Mount & Blade - v.960 Released

    by Dhruin, 23:38

    Not just a bug-fix release this time with Mount & Blade hitting v0.960:

    Changes and bug fixes in this version are as follows:
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Lots of fixes related to strategical faction AI.
    Lance models now match their length in item stats correctly.
    Bug with speed bonus calculation fixed.
    Troop portraits displayed correctly in notes window in DirectX7 mode.
    Faces should no longer be entirely black on some older video cards in Dx7 mode.
    Various problems with the physics system fixed.
    AI pathfinding improved.
    Bug fixed where sometimes an arrow would pass through the target without colliding.
    Various crashes related to parties being removed fixed.
    Face generator changes.
    Rock physics objects now match their models.
    Siege defense is no longer lost automatically when the player is knocked unconscious.
    Retirement system fixed.
    Siege attacks are now started more frequently if the player is around (either defending or attacking).
    Looting a village now produces some cattle.
    You can now put captured lords into town or castle prisons.
    Miscellaneous other fixes and changes.

    Download options:
    -------------------------
    Mount&Blade 0.960 full installer (153.17 MB):

    From Filefront:
    http://files.filefront.com/mountandblade+0960+setupexe/;10696378;/fileinfo.html


    From 2shared.com (you need to wait until "Save file to your PC" text appears.):
    http://www.2shared.com/file/3458659/8ce3f060/mountandblade_0960_setup.html


    If you already have version 0.950 or above you can use the following upgrade patch (21.33 MB):
    From Filefront:
    http://files.filefront.com/mountandblade+upgrade+0950exe/;10696500;/fileinfo.html


    From 2shared.com (you need to wait until "Save file to your PC" text appears.):
    http://www.2shared.com/file/3458747/73828611/mountandblade_upgrade_0950_to_0960.html


    Please note that this version is not compatible with any previous versions. You may want to export your character from the Character-Statistics window before upgrading.

    Please post bug reports about this version here:
    http://forums.taleworlds.net/index.php/topic,39195.0.html
     
    I wish everyone good fun with version 0.960!

    Thursday - June 05, 2008

    Mount & Blade - v0.955 & Official Product Page

    by Dhruin, 22:09

    Oops.  The installer for Mount & Blade v0.954 yesterday didn't include the executable, so you'll need to move on to v0.955 for the latest version.

    In other news, Paradox has kicked up a new official product page for their published version.

    Wednesday - June 04, 2008

    Mount & Blade - v0.954 Released

    by Dhruin, 23:15

    Mount&Blade hits v0.954:

    Many thanks for your kind feedback on the past versions. We have been able to fix a number of bugs and improve the performance of the game. We hope that version 0.954 will be more stable and more fun to play. As usual, please let us know if there are any bugs so that we can try to fix them as soon as possible.

    I'll post the download information for 0.954 here rather than starting a new thread.

    Fixes in this version include:
    - Video memory is now freed properly.
    - Fixed various crashes related to removal of parties.
    - Several problems related to strategical AI corrected.
    - Caravans now travel to trade route destinations correctly.
    - Troops should no longer spawn at trees.
    - Various other changes and fixes.

    Fixes in version 953 were:
    - Crashes related to parties being removed solved.
    - Character portraits in notes window fixed
    - Bug fixed which resulted in strange behavior in spawning new troops in arenas and some other scenes
    - Fixed incomplete shadows in towns
    - Various balancing fixes.

    Again many thanks for reporting these bugs.

    Thursday - May 29, 2008

    Mount & Blade - v0.953 Released

    by Dhruin, 23:43

    On to v0.953 for Mount&Blade:

    Many thanks for your kind feedback on the past versions. We have been able to fix a number of bugs and improve the performance of the game. We hope that version 0.953 will be more stable and more fun to play. As usual, please let us know if there are any bugs so that we can try to fix them as soon as possible.

    I'll post the download information for 0.953 here rather than starting a new thread.

    Fixes in this version include:
    - Crashes related to parties being removed solved.
    - Character portraits in notes window fixed
    - Bug fixed which resulted in strange behavior in spawning new troops in arenas and some other scenes
    - Fixed incomplete shadows in towns
    - Various balancing fixes.

    Known problems:
    - In Video options, Realistic Shadows on Plants has the wrong default value. This should be "Full".

    Again many thanks for reporting these bugs.

    Monday - May 19, 2008

    Mount & Blade - v0.952 Released

    by Magerette, 16:59

    TaleWorlds' indie RPG, Mount & Blade, inches closer to the final version with the latest release, taking the game to 0.952. Heres some info from the official forum where you can also find the download options and instructions:

     Hi everyone,

    I am happy to announce that version 0.952 is finally ready.

    I hope you will see for yourself that this is the most sophisticated and improved Mount&Blade version so far, and this fact owes itself to the extra-ordinary efforts of our team and community. First and foremost, I want to thank Steve (aka nijis) who designed and wrote some of the most exciting new features of this version, breathing fresh life to Mount&Blade's gameplay and atmosphere. Also a newer addition to the team but no less welcome, was Ryan (aka Winter), who did a wonderful job rewriting and polishing dialogs, menu and quest texts, making it all so much more inspiring and fun to read. Our programmer, Cem has worked relentlessly, adding new features, fixing and improving the AI and everything else. Our art team, including Ozgur, ipek, Mustafa and our new animator, Pinar (Special congratulations are in order here, because she's getting married tomorrow!!!) have created wonderful looking new models, animations and enviroments. Our concept artist Ganbat has sent us some stunning new drawings and our voice actor Tassilo has sent some excellent new voice samples. We'll also have some very exciting surprises for you soon, from yet another new addition to Mount&Blade team, but let that be my secret for the time being.

    The download, which as always functions as a trial version of the game, is also available here at GamersHell

    Source: GameBanshee

    Friday - May 16, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Preview @ GameBanshee

    by Dhruin, 13:02

    Brother None has whipped up a preview of the latest build of Mount&Blade for GameBanshee.  Here's a sample:

    Mounted combat is when fighting starts becoming something special. Damage is calculated based on your skill, what kind of weapon you have, the opponents armor and what kind of spot you hit, but it can also get enormous speed bonuses. This system means that if you ride your horse at full speed, lean into your blow and hit someone in the back of his head with a sword, you can be pretty damned sure he'll be dead. Mounted units are often armed with lances, and if they charge at full speed they can couch the lance to cause hits that are nearly guaranteed to kill the opponent. Even if the opponent is smart enough to raise his shield against this, it is immensely satisfying to see it shatter into pieces under your blow.

    Thursday - May 15, 2008

    Mount & Blade - New Screens @ GamersHell

    by Magerette, 19:44

    GamersHell has eleven new screens on display from TaleWorlds' and Paradox Interactive's Mount & Blade. You can check them out here, and they're also up in a slightly different format at Worthplaying.

    Monday - May 05, 2008

    Mount & Blade - v0.951 Relased

    by Dhruin, 22:59

    Taleworlds has released v0.951 of Mount&Blade - as usual, Armagan hasn't supplied patch notes but presumably this is the bug-fix version following from the recent .950.  That said, here's Armagan's supporting post:

    Hi everyone,

    I am happy to announce that version 0.951 is finally ready.

    I hope you will see for yourself that this is the most sophisticated and improved Mount&Blade version so far, and this fact owes itself to the extra-ordinary efforts of our team and community. First and foremost, I want to thank Steve (aka nijis) who designed and wrote some of the most exciting new features of this version, breathing fresh life to Mount&Blade's gameplay and atmosphere. Also a newer addition to the team but no less welcome, was Ryan (aka Winter), who did a wonderful job rewriting and polishing dialogs, menu and quest texts, making it all so much more inspiring and fun to read. Our programmer, Cem has worked relentlessly, adding new features, fixing and improving the AI and everything else. Our art team, including Ozgur, ipek, Mustafa and our new animator, Pinar (Special congratulations are in order here, because she's getting married tomorrow!!!) have created wonderful looking new models, animations and enviroments. Our concept artist Ganbat has sent us some stunning new drawings and our voice actor Tassilo has sent some excellent new voice samples. We'll also have some very exciting surprises for you soon, from yet another new addition to Mount&Blade team, but let that be my secret for the time being.

    But what made it all this possible was you people, all the wonderful Mount&Blade players. You provided us with great ideas, criticism and feedback. You made the project stand on its feet by supporting it financially, buying it and recommending it to friends. You inspired us, encouraged us, made wonderful mods, and created a great community. So, my thanks to you all.

    This is not the final version yet, but we have put in most of the features we are planning to, and after this, our job will mostly be polishing rough corners and fixing bugs and problems. To this end, I hope that you will help us, as you always do, by providing feedback, comments and bug reports. We have the basics here, but there is still a lot to do, especially in terms of long term game balance, but I am sure, together, we'll create a stable and very fun game by the time we have the final release.

    Thursday - May 01, 2008

    Mount & Blade - AAR @ RPS

    by Dhruin, 00:53

    Rock, Paper, Shotgun's Kieron Gillen has penned a humorous After Action Report on the first couple of hours playing with the new Mount & Blade release.  Apparently the new version has a bug, which can see you starting in the wilderness and under-equipped -- just the thing for some mayhem:

    I go to see the Lord and see if there’s any missions that I could possibly complete. Good grooming leads to him not caring about my disrobed state, and he points me in the direction of a murderer to hunt down. Since I’m playing on standard difficultly – so I’m a lot harder than the average combatant – I figure I could deal with this. I head to the shops, and see what my coins can buy. Firstly, some chicken, as a man’s got to eat. Secondly, a weapon and some armour. The only thing I can afford is a big stick and a woman’s dress. This is me, cross-dressing…

    Sexy, I know. I head off the the village where the murder was rumoured to be hiding. I get there with no trouble. When I say “no Trouble” I mean “I met a rampaging group of bandits, was captured, dragged around the country for a few days, then escaped”, but since I only had a handful of coins, I couldn’t lose much. In the village, I question a few of the locals, then head up to the nervous looking guy near the windmill and beat him unconscious with my awesome stick of twattage.

    Wednesday - April 30, 2008

    Mount & Blade - v. 0.950 Available

    by Magerette, 16:04

    The official site for Mount & Blade, the indie rpg by Taleworlds, has posted the news that the latest version, 0.950, is ready to go. Here's a snip from the forum post:

    I  am happy to announce that version 0.950 is finally ready.

    I hope you will see for yourself that this is the most sophisticated and improved Mount&Blade version so far, and this fact owes itself to the extra-ordinary efforts of our team and community...

    This is not the final version yet, but we have put in most of the features we are planning to, and after this, our job will mostly be polishing rough corners and fixing bugs and problems. To this end, I hope that you will help us, as you always do, by providing feedback, comments and bug reports. We have the basics here, but there is still a lot to do, especially in terms of long term game balance, but I am sure, together, we'll create a stable and very fun game by the time we have the final release.

    You can download the current version at the site, or from GamersHell  or Computer.ro.

    Source: Blues News

    Thursday - February 28, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Screens @ Worthplaying

    by Dhruin, 21:20

    It seems odd to get Mount & Blade screens through a publisher-driven PR system rather than the Taleworlds' forum, but there you go.  Paradox has released a batch of (hopefully new) screens, which you can find at Worthplaying.

    Tuesday - February 05, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Preview @ GameSpy

    by Dhruin, 23:05

    Paradox' signing of Mount & Blade is having an impact with a major site writing a preview.  GameSpy's article covers ground that will be familiar to anyone who has checked M&B out but it's nice to see them getting coverage:

    Battles on the big map aren't so forgiving as in the arena. Your typical mountain bandit is more interested in slitting your throat than in knocking you unconscious. The game really shines during field battles where a couple dozen of your troops will clash on the field against a few dozen raiders -- axes whirl through the sky, arrows fly, horses stampede, and blades flick through the air decimating anything in their wake. Your helmet, weapon, and sword-arm become red with blood. Few games depict combat the way you'll see in Mount & Blade. Bring your bastard sword down onto the head of a fleeing rider and he might do a front-flip over his horse, sending both man and animal into a gruesome somersault.

    Sunday - January 27, 2008

    Mount & Blade - Screens @ Strategy Informer

    by Magerette, 20:21

    Strategy Informer has posted some recent screenshots for TaleWorld's soon to be published title Mount & Blade. You can view them and SI's entire gallery of Mount & Blade screens here.

    Thursday - January 24, 2008

    Mount & Blade - To Be Published by Paradox Interactive

    by Magerette, 18:09

    TaleWorlds Entertainment's medieval action-oriented RPG has picked up a publisher and is slated for worldwide release in Quarter 2, 2008. Gamebanshee has posted the press release here

    Excerpt:

    Paradox Interactive signs much awaited Mount & Blade

    The PC action/role-playing game gears up for official release

    New York, USA (January 24, 2008) – Paradox Interactive announced today great news for all fans of medieval combat title Mount & Blade. After several years in BETA, the game is close to completion and scheduled for a worldwide release during Q2, 2008.

    Mount&Blade is a single-player, third- or first-person action/role-playing game with a focus on medieval combat. Developed by the Turkish development house TaleWorlds Entertainment, the BETA version of the game has received acclaim worldwide by gamers impressed by everything from the realistic horseback combat to the sandbox gameplay. The latter enables players to roam the map freely in a medieval world that offers options ranging from hunting down bandits, trading for profit in the game's deep economical system and becoming a commander and taking part in the wars ultimately becoming a great lord of the realm.

    "We believe Mount & Blade could be a genre defining title and we are thrilled to be working with TaleWorlds Entertainment to bring the game to a worldwide audience, said Fredrik Wester, Executive Vice President of Paradox Interactive. "In BETA, the title has already garnered much deserved attention and excitement in the gaming community and this will be a release to look forward to."

    "Paradox Interactive has reached great success because they know their market and understand gamers, which is the main reason we chose to partner with them for this significant release, said Armagan Yavuz, Co- Founder and lead programmer of TaleWorlds Entertainment. "Our vision for Mount & Blade has been an ambitious one and now that we are so close to completion, we can't wait to invite gamers into the world we have created".

    Source: GameBanshee

    Wednesday - December 12, 2007

    Mount & Blade - v.903 Released

    by Dhruin, 21:44

    Mount&Blade has moved to v0.903 - here are the notes:

    Version 0.903 is out now. I thought it would be better to just modify this post rather than start a new thread about it.

    Many thanks to everyone who gave feedback on version 0.90x. We have tried to fix the known bugs so this version should hopefully be more stable and fun to play.
    Version 0.903 changelog:
    - Factions should no longer be at war with themselves.
    - Shininess back on all armors. (A million thanks to Guspav who campaigned for this and provided fixes himself for previous versions!)
    - Horse archers now dismount immediately when ordered.
    - Various other fixes

    Saturday - December 01, 2007

    Mount & Blade - v.901 Released

    by Dhruin, 01:28

    The expected bug fix release for Mount&Blade is already out: v.901

    Thursday - November 29, 2007

    Mount & Blade - v.900 Released

    by Dhruin, 01:37

    Hmm...getting close to v1.00. Here's the deal from the Mount&Blade forums:

    Hi everyone,

    Version 0.900 is finally ready. This version adds many new quests, a brand new map, lots of new villages and castles, books, AI improvements, gameplay changes and much more! As usual, we release this version to you, our forum community before the general public, because it no doubt has its share of bugs and glitches and with your help and feedback we hope to fix those.

    I want to thank our community and our board of moderators and administrators for their continuous help and support and making the forums such a great place and the central attraction of this game project. And let me use this opportunity to say welcome and thank you to our new administrators and moderators, Merentha, Volkier, Okin, Instag0. You guys are so wonderful. I am so very happy and honored by having you on board.

    All members of our team worked very hard for this version. Our art team painstakingly modeled and furnished many new and great looking environments, Cem has implemented many new features and also added some AI code at the last minute, making the AI so much more effective and fun to fight against. Tassilo keeps perfecting and polishing the sounds. And Steve not only helped this version but he will have an exciting surprise for you very soon.

    Finally, many thanks to mtarini for developing the method for creating good looking mountain ranges. He has developed many great improvements as part of TLD map beautification project and has a special surprise of his own as well. Wink

    Now, if you are currently playing version 0.894, you can download and run the following patch (18.98MB) to upgrade to the new version:
    from Filefront.
    (Filefront will save the file as mountandblade_upgrade_0890.exe, but nevermind the name, it's the correct file.)

    from Filecloud

    from the Repository

    Torrent by Jlgx50


    otherwise, you can download the full installer below (118.47 MB):
    from Filefront:

    Please note that this version is not backward compatible with any previous version and you'll need to start a new game if you install it.

    I wish everyone a great time playing version 0.900.

    Source: RPG Codex

    Wednesday - October 17, 2007

    Mount & Blade - v0.894 Released

    by Dhruin, 00:45

    On to v0.894 for Mount&Blade with a new bug-fix release out.  Hooray for changelogs!

    • Fixed bug where zendar and player would get a checkered banner instead of the chosen one.
    • Fixed bug where player would get very high amount of experience and gold from a battle if he was alone and had low health.
    • AI arhers hold formation now.
    • Other fixes to horse archer AI
    • Enemy AI will wait for you to come to them only if they have 50% archers.
    • Two new splendid pictures by Ganbat for camp and payment day menus.
    • Launch menu reports incompatible modules correctly now.
    • Some other small fixes...

    Friday - October 12, 2007

    Mount & Blade - v0.893 Released

    by Dhruin, 13:06

    A new version of Mount&Blade has been released with additional fixes for the .890 platform.  This time, there's an additional novelty - a changelog:

    Please note that this version is not backward compatible with any version before 0.891.

    And here is the change-log for version 0.893:

    Transition between animations is smoother now.
    "Reduce damage to player" option now affects player's horse.
    Archery accuracy has been increased.
    Gold gained from looting a village has been reduced.
    Number of trees in forests has been reduced.
    Terrain not near mountain areas is now less rugged.
    Heroes at castles under siege can no longer hire new troops.
    Hero parties can no longer be respawned at centers under siege.
    Heroes respawn less frequently.
    Fixed bug where a besieged commander accepted to abandon the castle to you, all subsequent castles would yield without fighting.
    Horse hitbox is now slightly smaller.
    Horses can have varying hitpoints.
    Item modifiers and prices have been re-balanced.
    After conquering a castle, you are now presented a menu and can ask for ownership explicitly.
    Added "show on map" button to Location Notes.
    Fixed bug where couched lance damage was delivered when it should not.
    Bug fixed where you could bump into an invisible dead horse.
    Some problems with archer and horse archer AI fixed.
    AI battle tactics have been re-enabled.
    Miscellaneous other small fixes.

    Thanks, Sandy (and apologies for putting the wrong name here in the original newsbit)! 

    Thursday - September 27, 2007

    Mount & Blade - v0.892 Released

    by Dhruin, 22:41

    And again...v0.892 of Mount&Blade has been released, addressing more bugs in the latest major release.

    Wednesday - September 26, 2007

    Mount & Blade - v0.891 Released

    Tuesday - September 18, 2007

    Mount & Blade - v0.890 Released

    by Dhruin, 11:55

    It's been...well, an awful long time since the last version. Taleworlds has released Mount&Blade v0.890 and, as usual, you'll have to work out yourself what it includes because Armagan doesn't keep patch notes:

    Hi Folks,

    After a very long wait, version 0.890 is finally ready. Actually, it would be nice if we could work on the new version a little bit more, but we didn't want to postpone the release any longer. We hope to release new versions more rapidly from now on.

    You will realize that version 0.890 is radically different from older versions and that has a lot to do with the influence of Steve's Battle for Sicily Mod and his involvement with the game. Steve has brought in lots of fresh ideas to Mount&Blade and I am really excited that he will be working on the future development of the game. We haven't been able to fully implement Steve's ideas yet and the game's Strategical battle system does not yet match that of Battle for Sicily, but those those aspects will hopefully be improved in future versions.

    Apart from Steve, all members of our team here, namely Cem, Ozgur, Mustafa and Ipek have worked with a great enthusiasm and creativity on the new version, and I want to thank them all for their hard work and passion.

    And of course, the new version owes greatly to the Mount&Blade community, our dear administrators and moderators, and everyone who have contributed their suggestions, ideas and feedback. The community has been a great source of inspiration, motivation and support for us and Mount&Blade would be nowhere near what it is today without your help and contribution.

    As usual, I didn't maintain a proper changelog for the new version. I apologize for that, but I am looking forward to you guys discovering the new features, since that's so much more fun for me than giving you the list. Wink

    Now without further ado:


    The download link for the installer is as follows (103MB)

    If you use a torrent downloader, you can also use the following torrent.

     

    Many thanks to Janus who suggested using torrents for distribution and did the basic research)

    The usual note: Savegames are not compatible between this version and any previous version. If you want to keep your character, load your character with the old version, and from character window->statistics, export your character. You can then create a character with the same name and use the import function to import him to the new game.

    I wish everyone a great time with the new version! Very Happy

    Edit:
    You can now download the new version from Filecloud.com. It could be faster than downloading from our server:

    http://www.filecloud.com/files/file.php?user_file_id=592604

    You can check a handful of screens here and forumites are trying to collect the changes here.

    Thursday - March 22, 2007

    Mount & Blade - Spotlight @ GameAlmighty

    by Dhruin, 20:42

    A site called GameAlmighty has an Indie Spotlight featuring Taleworld's Mount&Blade:

    Some would argue that Oblivion is the best RPG to emerge on any platform over the past few years. Some would site its sheer scope and hundreds of hours of gameplay as the paramount reason while another group may single out its impressive graphical prowess. While I found Oblivion enjoyable, I ultimately didn’t come away feeling as if I had played anything new. It was the same old RPG I’ve seen before, just more of it. No real innovation. So now you’re sitting there with that incredulous look on your face, wondering just what in the hell could be better than Oblivion? It’s called Mount&Blade.

    Two people are responsible for Mount&Blade and they just happen to be married and citizens of Turkey. Not quite the situation we’ve come to expect in the world of game making, though the result speaks for itself. Programmed and designed Armagan Yavuz, with his wife Ipek handling the artwork, these two have single-handedly created one of the most innovative RPGs I’ve seen in a very long time. Do the graphics match Oblivion? Not even close. Does it have 500-billion quests? Nope, maybe half that. What it does have is gameplay, the likes of which you’ve never seen before.

    Wednesday - December 20, 2006

    Mount & Blade - v.808 Released

    Tuesday - December 19, 2006

    Mount & Blade - On to v0.807

    by Dhruin, 22:22

    Moving faster than I can enter the newsbits, Mount & Blade has moved on to v0.807, hopefully finishing the bug-fixing for this major revision.

    Sunday - December 17, 2006

    Mount & Blade - Moves to 0.806

    by Dhruin, 20:58

    Continuing the bug-hunting, Mount & Blade has moved to v0.806 - head to this thread for links and details of the fixes included.

    Sunday - December 10, 2006

    Mount & Blade - Hits v0.805

    by Dhruin, 21:00

    Mount & Blade has moved through 0.804 and hit 0.805 over the last week, hopefully finally tidying up a few remaining issues.  Save games prior to 0.803 are incompatible.  Head to this thread for the details and links.

    Monday - December 04, 2006

    Mount & Blade - Moves to v0.803

    by Dhruin, 22:34

    We missed v0.802 but Mount & Blade has quickly moved to v0.803, hopefully tidying up the loose ends since the major v0.800 update.

    Hit the link above for the forum thread with details of this release and links to both the full install and the 0.802 to 0.803 step up.  As usual, savegames aren't compatible with this new version.

     

    Wednesday - November 29, 2006

    Mount & Blade - v.801 Released

    by Dhruin, 22:30

    As has been the trend so far, Taleworlds has released v.801 of Mount & Blade to tidy up bugs and issues with the recent major 0.800 release.  Head to this thread for links and patch notes.

    Friday - November 24, 2006

    Mount & Blade - v0.800 Released

    by Dhruin, 22:19

    A new major version of Mount & Blade has been released.  Here's Armagan's post with all the details and links:

    Hi everyone,

    The long awaited version 0.800 is finally ready for download. But before going on with introducing it, I'd like to express my thanks to the people who have helped us with it. Firstly, let me thank our dear forum admins and moderators who are doing a great job keeping the forums in shape, allowing us to focus on the development with the knowledge that the discussion forums are in good hands. Also, many players and forum members have contributed to this version with their suggestions, ideas, bug reports, and generally with their support and enthusiasm. I am ashamed for not mentioning everyone individually here, but please know that I am really thankful to you nonethless. Last but not least, I want to thank our team members who have worked really very hard for this version.

    I was maintaining a proper changelog for the new version and even maintained it for a few weeks, but then being the lazy old me, I gave up on it. But I am sure you'll do an even better job and discover the changes and list them in a new thread. Whatever, let me list some of the more important new features:

    Graphics:
    1) New DirectX9 rendering pipeline and better graphics and effects in general.
    2) Most of the equipment being carried is now shown on the characters.
    3) New Loading and start-up screen, improved character, inventory and face generator screens.
    Gameplay:
    4) Battles on the map can now involve more than two NPC parties. In other words, NPC parties can join an existing battle just like the player.
    5) Party skill level calculation is changed. Now the highest skill level in the party is selected but a penalty is applied if leader's skill is much less than the highest skill level.
    The penalty is 1 if the difference is between 3 - 5, 2 if the difference is between 6-8, and 3 if the difference is 9 or higher.
    Changes for modders:
    6) There are loads of changes for modders, most importantly, the entire party encounter logic is now implemented in the module system. In short the game can be modified in many new and different ways.
    (Edit: I don't believe I forgot to mention this one:)
    7) Support for multiple languages and localization.

    Unfortunately, we haven't been able to thoroughly test the new version and I am sure there are many bugs, problems and glitches. As usual, we are counting on you guys discover the bugs. We'll try to release a bug-fix patch as soon as the major bugs are found and fixed.

    One important problem you may run into is that, the new version requires the most recent version of DirectX9c, released in 2006 august. You can download it from the link below:

    Directx

    You may need to download the latest drivers for your graphics card as well.

    That's it for now. I hope you enjoy the new version.

    Main Download Link:
    http://www.taleworlds.com/download/mountandblade_0800_setup.exe

    Mirrors:
    (many thanks to Janus for providing these.)
    http://www.fenrisoft.com/storage/MnB/mountandblade_0800_setup.exe
    http://www.mbrepository.com/temp/mountandblade_0800_setup.exe
    Thanks to TitanX for this one:
    http://titanx3online.com/public/mountandblade_0800_setup.exe

    Please report new bugs encountered with this release here:
    http://forums.taleworlds.net/index.php/topic,18289.0.html

    This first impressions thread also reveals new/improved items and might be worth checking out.

    Saturday - November 11, 2006

    Mount & Blade - New Release Update

    by Dhruin, 23:18

    A new release of Mount & Blade is due soon - here's the latest from the official forums:

    Most of you are expecting the new version to be released on this Friday. As Armagan said before, we tried to finish up all the work and release the new version within this week. But we needed to add a few more things, fix a few more bugs etc. and we didn't have time to roll the module system back within this week. Most probably everything will be completed until Friday evening (tomorrow), and the rollback will be done next week (we still don't have an exact date). Thank you for your patience.

    Thursday - October 19, 2006

    Mount & Blade - Next Version Screens

    by Dhruin, 23:41

    The Taleworlds' forums has a thread showing off the next version of Mount & Blade, which is apparently due in a month or so.

    Information about

    Mount&Blade

    Developer: Taleworlds

    SP/MP: Single-player
    Setting: Fantasy
    Genre: Action-RPG
    Combat: Real-time
    Play-time: Unknown
    Voice-acting: None

    Regions & platforms
    Internet
    · Homepage
    · Platform: PC
    · Released: 2008-09-16
    · Publisher: Taleworlds