When I previewed this game a few weeks ago with the preview version I wasn’t impressed with the graphics, however, I thought the game was very addictive in its combat sequences and that it would be a good purchase for anyone who wanted a slightly different take on a RPG. Now the full version has arrived and to be honest, my thoughts pretty much remain the same. Mount and Blade is set in the fictional land of Calradia, a realm devastated and constantly affected by the constant warfare between the five main kingdoms, various bandits and invaders from across the sea. Into this land of constant peril your character is placed and in front of him he has various choices which will make up how the rest of the game is played. Does he build an army and swear allegiance to one of the kingdoms or does he decide to go it alone and offer help to who he chooses on an individual basis, a sort of Robin Hood for Calradia if you wish. Unlike most RPG’s there are no auto-attacks in this title which means there are no random results for you to contend with and in my opinion it is the combat sequences that make the game so addictive. Even when you are beaten it makes you think I could have done better there, and to be honest quite often you will probably save the game before you enter a combat situation and then go back to the save point if you fail. The combat on horseback is probably the most realistic ever featured. Other games have tried to represent this and failed but here you actually feel like it makes a difference. For example charge an opponent at speed and strike with your blade and providing it does not get blocked the added momentum of how you are travelling will cause your blow to have a much greater effect on your opponent. There are times however, when you will find yourself too enclosed to make use of this so you will have to dismount and face your foes face to face in the dirt. Character development is also a major factor to the game. The creation at the beginning of the game is decided not by dividing a certain number of points between various abilities but by answering questions about events that have taken place before the game. The answers to these will determine his basic attributes and character traits and for once it really is for your own good if you don’t just make him a super warrior because there is more to this game than the fighting. The graphics within the game are not the spectacular ones you find in a lot of other titles, however the animation is good and the landscapes, soldiers and various other characters you come across are well defined and reasonably different enough to be interesting. The benefit from this is that it runs like a dream on even an older system so is not just playable by those of us that can afford the most up to date equipment. The sound within the game is a mixed bag. In combat it is excellent with music to spur you on and sound effects and battle cries to match. However the towns are very quiet despite their population which makes it unrealistic and the voice acting is hit and miss at times. The music as well, although excellent at times for some reason seems to stop abruptly instead of fading away and then start again when you least expect it. Overall as I said in the preview of this title this is a different kind of RPG. If you are the kind of gamer where spectacular graphics and effects are all important then this is not going to be the game for you, however if you want a game which will give you something to think about, that has reasonable character AI (albeit somewhat baffling at times) and offers something different from the norm and most of all is actually a lot of fun then pick up a copy of Mount and Blade, I am sure you won’t be disappointed. | 
