Mount & Blade: Warband

     Mount & Blade:Warband is the first sequel to the action role playing game Mount & Blade. It was developed by the turkish game developers at TaleWorlds and was published by Paradox Interactive on March 30, 2010.
     The sequel is very much like it's predecesor with only a few(but quite important) changes and tweaks as well as a higher focus on MULTYPLAYER. Warband expands on the original game by introducing a sixth faction, increasing the political options, allowing players to start their own faction, and incorporating multiplayer modes. The introduction of political options allows players to influence lords and marry ladies, and it is possible for an unaligned player to capture a town or castle and start their own faction.
     The original was praised for its innovative combat mechanics, complex character skill system, and large modding community, but also criticized it for its repetitive quests, dialogues, and locations, as well as low graphics quality.

The free demo and more below!



     Singleplayer 
During the singleplayer the player takes the role of an adventurer into the medieval land named Calradia. The game features a sandbox gameplay style, in which there is no storyline present.
The player has the option to customize both the appeareance and personal background of his character, the later influencing the weapons skills he will start off with.
Traveling to other locations, or interacting with other parties is done by point-and-clicking the desired destination. When roaming the land you can visit small towns to recruit men and trade for denaries. Upon encountering enemy parties, the player can try to avoid a conflict, or can engage in a battle with them.
The player then gains the renown if he wins the battle. With increased renown, the player achieves higher standing in the game and may be offered vassalage by the leaders of one of the five factions. By becoming a vassal, the player is given control over a certain fief, which he or she can manage and collect taxes from. By solving quests or defeating opponents the player is awarded experience points, which can be used to improve attributes, skills, and weapon proficiencies to further develop the character



     Multyplayer
Multiplayer matches cater for up to 64 players, split into two teams based on the kingdoms selected. There are 3 classes: : Archer, Cavalry, and Infantry. Eight multiplayer modes were included in the original release of Warband. Most were similar to modes found in first-person shooter games (such as team battles and capture the flag), although other modes, like the castle sieges from the main game, are also included.




     Combat
There are four main areas where battles take place: on the open map when two or more hostile parties meet, in tournaments organized in town arenas, in siege combat where the player is either defending or attacking a fortification, or in settlements after a triggering event (village is infested by bandits, guards catch the player sneaking in, or the player is ambushed). 



     My thoughts 
This game is more like the Battlefield Bad Company 2 of RPG's. It has no fantasy elements in it and takes realism very seriously. It has a hard to master combat system but when you do learn it and go online to pwn some n00bs it really brings some satisfaction.
There is not much to say more, just that if you like sims, have a bit of spare time and/or like the realistic medieval setting where during the night bandits and the sorts are roaming the land and during the day you are free to explore a land of damsels in distress(which you can by the way marry to get their families' fortune) I sugget you give it a try.