Mount and Blade 2 Release Date, and Top 10 Gameplay Features
Mount and Blade fans continue to sit on the edge of our seats, eagerly awaiting the release of Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord. The game was announced way back in 2012 with hopes of a release in 2016, but that window has since passed and Taleworlds has done a great job at keeping things under wraps.
There is no set release date, but the game seems to get closer and closer to completion every day with them releasing gameplay and trailers.
We can only cross our fingers in anticipation and hope for a 2019 release. Until then, here are 10 of the top gameplay features for us to be excited about:
10. Epic Medieval Sandbox
Travel calradia freely in your pursuit of greatness
Unsurprisingly, Bannerlord will return to the sandbox format as in previous games. This means that there will be no set path for your character to take, and that you are free to roam the map, forging your own story, taking your own quests, and fighting your own enemies. This means you create your own story, even if you choose to make your coin by capturing and selling slaves. This time around, it will be even more fleshed out with interactions holding even more weight.
The quests you take and the choices you make will have all have an effect on the complex system of the sandbox and the outcome of the world. For example, killing certain bandits would open up trade routes, and in turn the economy of a town would prosper.
There have also been some changes to how you go about questing. Bannerlord will have a revamped quest screen that improves the one we saw in Warband, and finding quests is now easier with NPCs having exclamation points hovering above them if they offer a quest.
9. Kingdom Management
Build your legendary empire to your vision
Talewords is also expanding possibilities when it comes to dealing with the factions you are involved with. In Warband we had the option to create our own faction entirely separate from the others, but in Bannerlord you will actually be able to overthrow leaders and take over already existing factions!
They also are improving on interaction with other clans that belong to the same faction as you, as it was a bit messy in Warband. Now you can even vote to have a clan leader take leadership over or be expelled from your faction.
Another new feature that will be introduced is the ‘policies’ feature. This allows laws and rules to be created in your faction that can either work for or against you. Assert your dominance over your people as a ruthless dictator, or lead as a benevolent ruler.
Additionally, Taleworlds will also be implementing all of this in a new screen dedicated completely to kingdom management.
8. New and Improved A.I.
Fight clever, challenging enemies
Bannerlord will also boast a much-improved AI system. Battles were fun in Warband, but a more intelligent enemy will make them even more strategic and difficult. No more just throwing waves of soldiers at each other.
They are breaking their AI system into three categories: individual, formation, and tactical. This allows the enemy to make decisions from individual soldiers to the entire battle plan.
This AI overhaul will help make the enemies you face more believable and less of a computer.
7. Town Features
Immerse yourself in the vibrant, fleshed out world of Calradia
Taleworlds recognizes the potential that towns have to play in creating a vibrant and fulfilling world. In that, they are expanding exactly what you can do in towns as you travel Calradia, adding smaller details to make them more immersive and adding new features.
Towns will be able to be interacted with in multiple ways. You have the option to actually have your character enter and roam the streets, being entirely immersed, or if you don’t want to take that time, you can do all your business through a menu before going on your way.
In towns, you can visit the marketplace to buy goods, weapons, and other supplies, visit the important figures residing in the keep, or go to the tavern -- just as in Warband. You can also check out the military district where you can train soldiers, or if you’re looking for trouble you can take a stroll in the slums and backstreets.
6. Children
Create unique children
Yes, you can now have children. But I wouldn’t count on any interactive gameplay on how exactly this happens, they’re just here, OK? In your travels you may steal the hearts of the lucky men or women you encounter, and if the stars align you can be married, just as in Warband. Now, however, you can have children that take after you.
Their appearance will be a mix of the two parents, with a little bit of random. What exactly will they do as they grow up? Not much is confirmed yet, but can you imagine conquering Calradia with your son or daughter?
5. Settlements and Projects
Customize and upgrade each one of your fiefs to create the strongest kingdom
Taleworlds is adding some new approaches to both how you gain and manage your fiefs. You can obtain settlements by having them awarded to you by your liege, or you can take them on your own.
And, just as in Warband, you can upgrade your settlements by building projects in your towns. Projects can be military projects that improve wartime performance or civic projects that improve the economy, in turn benefiting neighboring villages.
However, if you don’t want the headache of dealing with every town you rule, you can now appoint a governor that you trust to run the errands in your town.
4. Persuasion
Cunningly manipulate others to get what you desire
In Bannerlord, Taleworlds is elaborating on their persuasion system seen in previous installments. While combat is the main focus of the game, you will have the option to negotiate and possibly talk your way into things going in your favor.
For success in this, you will have to consider a few factors such as personality and reputation, as well as skill set. Your personality and reputation, such as honor and generosity, help NPCs judge you and your propositions, so perhaps slaughtering innocent caravans is not the wisest thing to do. However, but you also must rely on the three persuasion skills: charm, charisma, and roguery.
Persuasion is initiated by cleverly maneuvering through dialogue. When an issue is presented and you begin persuading, you must fill up the progress bar to win them over.
3. Crime and Punishment
Become a villian if you wish and outrun the law
As you go about your deeds in Calradia, you should be aware that there is law. Bannerlord’s new crime feature has kingdoms track your illegal deeds and, if it comes to it, punish you.
Crimes fall into one of three categories: mild, moderate, and severe. Some will only mean a fine, others may have leaders wanting your head. But you can get around this.
If you are powerful enough, you can exert your influence to get off. There are also other ways to slip free. By tapping into your inner con-man, you can bribe, such as bribing authorities to turn a blind eye.
2. Sieges
Defend your town from viscious attackers or invade others
In Warband, sieges were a bit dull. There was only one siege device -- a tower -- and all the soldiers ran up one ramp and bottlenecked until a victor emerged. Bannerlord is turning that all around by introducing new siege variety.
There will be 5 siege devices that can be constructed to carry out sieges: siege towers, battering rams, ballistas, mangonels, and trebuchets.
Castles and towns are also more diverse, allowing for a variety of strategies and approaches to taking them over.
1. Custom Battles
Live out your heart's desire to battle how you please
Not all the epic-ness has to happen in the sandbox campaign. As in previous games, you will be able to dive into the custom battle mode to play out some epic battles on their own, now with even more possibilities.
You can pick every aspect over the battle, from factions, to playing ground, or to even what season it is. You choose the difficulty of your enemy and you can either attack or defend while playing as the commander of the entire army or a captain leading an individual regiment.
Custom battles are great for quick fun separate from your campaign, but they also can serve as great practice for battles before you hop back into your campaign to conquer some more castles.
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