Mount & Blade Preview

After playing around with the beta release of TaleWorlds’ Mount & Blade, RPGDot gives us their impressions.

Melee combat is rarely done well on the PC, yet Mount & Blade shows a surprising degree of promise. Whether equipped with a two-handed staff or a sword and shield, the mouse and keyboard controls are both intuitive and logical. Nudging the mouse left or right as you hold the left button will begin charging a swing in the corresponding direction, whereas properly timed clicks of the right mouse button employs a block and parry system.

Once you’ve beaten up your first few peasants, it’s time to head out into the big wide world. Or, in this case, the big wide overhead-viewed world map. When you hit your first settlement, echoes of Pirates can again be felt as you visit the town elder for a quest or hire some local scruffs to join you. Quests range from training up the population of villages so they can defend themselves against bandits, to delivery assignments which will likely take you into a town.