14 DAY TRIAL // Mount & Blade, the action/role playing game title that made so many people go crazy several years ago with its realistic horse-riding and fighting sequences, is finally going to end its beta stages (which also lasted several years) and hit the markets. The game, developed by Turkish-based TaleWorlds Entertainment, will be published by Paradox Interactive sometime during the second quarter of 2008. I'm sure this is some great news for all the RPG fans out there!
This game almost feels like a MMORPG - an open world, a sandbox gameplay - where you can do everything you want. You can explore the vast lands, fight against hordes of enemies and take advantage of the highly developed economical system with only one goal in mind: win every war and become the greatest lord in the realm. Oh, and you get to ride horses and engage in some great horse-combat sequences!
"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."
Probably the greatest flaw this game has is the lack of a multiplayer option. Otherwise, Mount & Blade has it all: pure RPG features, a tough medieval world with no fantasy elements and a great gameplay. Also, even though a player can only directly control one character, there are unique NPCs (or heroes) to be hired or generic soldiers, in order to create and direct a party. And everything leads to combat, even though you could play the entire game avoiding fights. But why would you do that? You have your party, you have your skills, a horse to ride and a bunch of enemies ahead! Why wouldn't you fight? Well... you'll soon understand what I'm talking about. Sometime during the Q2 of 2008.