At a glance...

Previewer	Platform	Publisher	Developer	Players	Release Date
Matt Bailey	PC/Mac	Paradox Interactive	TaleWorlds	1	September 19th

Mount & Blade preview

It's about time mounted combat featured in a video game. It was an important component of battles in the medieval period, and yet few RPGs or RTS titles set in the period actually feature you in control of a horse. Independent developer, TaleWorlds, have noticed this and are providing an RPG containing a simulation of such actions in the form of Mount & Blade. For a few years now, the husband-and-wife team who've been running the Turkish development house have been working on the title, though after much beta testing (some of it public), the game is finally nearing competition.

The code we're working from is actually the public beta which you can download from the official site right now. It is, in fact, shareware, so you're limited to either a level 6 character or 30 in-game days of action before you'll need to cough up money to continue. It's like being back in the good ol' days, where 5-minute demos would be laughed at, as before you reach that limit you get to explore the full and unique gameplay that Mount & Blade has on offer. It features an open-ended world complete with RPG features, that sees you riding from town to town getting involved in battles. There are a range of things to do in each town, with missions that can be picked up from the elders, as well as the ability to build up your own army. The soldiers will also gain experience, so getting involved in plenty of combat early on could be key to success later in the game.

In fact the combat is a vital part of this game, and thankfully it's already working rather well. The training mode will set you up for the sword fighting and archery that you will be required to do. The former in particular makes use of motion on your mouse to defend yourself from attacks, and mastering this skill not only makes you more likely to succeed, but feels rather satisfying. Archery is quite good, though is possibly a bit too difficulty – and with too little reward – when you take to horseback. Swinging your sword on your mount will make you feel like a king, especially as you trample over enemy soldiers, though you'll need to watch out for those ready to take down your horse.

The graphics are an element that, frankly, could do with some love in Mount & Blade. There are some nice effects in place, but overall the game has a rather dated look, which we doubt will be changing ahead of the final release. It can be forgiven when you remember that it is an indie game made on a limited budget, and appreciate that while improvements would be nice, what is there is certainly functional, and hopefully will improve as the developers get to know their own engine better.

Though Mount & Blade is an open-ended game, there's still a campaign here. Calradia is the name of the land upon which you roam, and it covers many terrains featuring fractured groups who you will either fight or recruit. There are stories which play out as the backdrop to the varied combat scenarios, and altogether it's delivering an experience which is both different and enjoyable. We're certainly looking forward to seeing the final release, which thanks to Paradox is coming to stores as well as the online distribution that has served it well for quite some time now. It's a game that's constant moving forward thanks to the efforts of the developers, and we hope the full experience remains just as enjoyable in the long-run.

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