“Mount & Blade is the best game about medieval life ever made.” IGN reported this on their website in 2009. Rating the game with 8/10, IGN praised its medieval combat and sieges.
A decade has passed since Mount & Blade was released. Despite being developed and produced by a small studio, TaleWorlds Entertainment, Mount & Blade has a myriad of fans and has two hit spinoffs.
After the success of Warband, a spin-off standalone expansion of Mount and Blade, the studio decided to develop a sequel.
And thus, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord was conceived. A steam page is already available for the game. In addition to that, two trailers have been released so far.
The beta version will also be made available this year. The release of this gargantuan ARPG is near. If you want to know more about Mount and Blade 2 Banner lord release date trailers and beta, just continue reading.
Latest News from TaleWorld Entertainment
Bannerlord will be the direct sequel to Warband. Warband’s downloadable content, Viking Conquest and Napoleonic Wars, further popularized the franchise.
Mount and Blade II is set 210 years after the events in Warband. The Migration Period or Volkerwanderung inspired the setting of the game. In this period, barbarian invasions plagued Europe and the Middle East.
So far, 2 official trailers and several beta play videos have been released.
The game features RPG elements and tactical gameplays. You can control armies, play in a third-person perspective, and manipulate the tides of battle.
There are factions, barbarians, political dynasties, and knights. The game offers plenty of skirmishes and quests.
The battles are similar to the “capture the base” concept of Battlefield games. But instead of just propelling one character to survive, you also control a horde of burly warriors.
With regard to its graphics, the visuals are better than average. Contrastingly, the animations are fluid and lifelike. All in all, both the graphics and animation have greatly improved when compared to Mount and Blade I. SO, if you have recently purchased a high end gaming laptop, you are in for a treat
In 2016, TaleWorlds started releasing weekly diary entries from their developers. Some entries detailed the game’s elements. The class system is similar to predefined loadouts. There are three classes which are ranged, cavalry, and infantry.
Based on Dev Blog 27/06/19, multiplayer is enabled in the game. According to the developer who wrote the entry, the team is testing the game. They’ve launched a closed beta version. After incorporating the Multiplayer option, they invited their friends to join them.
The closed beta is only available for the dev team and their peers. Nevertheless, they have promised that the open beta will be released this year.
Release Date
So far, they haven’t announced a release date yet. However, one developer hinted that it may be launched next year. In Dev Blog 27/06/19, a developer wrote, “we have taken the first step towards the game’s release. After a long wait, it may be available in the harvest season.” This suggests that Bannerlord may be released by Autumn 2020.
Another dev blogged, “We have created a matchmaking system for deploying servers and for monitoring them.” This implies that Bannerlord will also be an online game.
TaleWorld is definitely taking its time in developing Mount and Blade 2. This is good news to players because it implies that the game will be worth the wait.
Mount and Blade I received mixed reviews. Despite this, the game still became a hit.
Many people did not like its gameplay and graphics, yet its well-grounded story enamored millions of players. The vanilla game, which was released in 2008, have sold 4 million copies.
Because of its popularity, TaleWorld released two expansion packs and decided to develop a sequel. The studio doesn’t want to make the same mistake they did in Mount and Blade with Bannerlord.
This is why they’re taking great care of the game, and the released trailers are proof of that. In addition, unlike other developers, they publish regular updates. With this, fans can monitor their progress.
Gameplay
At its core, Bannerlord is an action role-playing game. The basic game mechanics are similar to the gameplay in Mount and Blade I.
After customizing a character, you’ve to build a party composed of various soldiers. After that, you must choose a quest and complete it.
Next, you need to lead your troops towards the battlefield.
You can change the view by manipulating the overhead campaign map. If you want to engage your enemies using your character or pursue the general of the opposing team, switch to a third-person perspective.
In Bannerlord, significant improvements have been made on their combat system. For example, you will be able to control your troops while you are propelling your character forward.
The sieges in the game are traditionally strategic, but you can also customize the game engine. This feature is unavailable in Blade and Mount.
If you switch to the overhead map, you can opt to bombard castle walls or focus on destroying gatehouses and merlons.
The design of the defending cities and castles is biased. It’s in favor of the side that defends. For instance, you can find murder holes at key chokepoints. This makes attackers vulnerable to the defenders before they breach the main gate.
In Bannerlord, TaleWorld increased the difficulty in some of the game’s battle modes. Nevertheless, you can still lessen the level by customizing the siege engine.
Furthermore, TaleWorld also improved their dialogue system and included more RPG elements into the game. For example, you can persuade NPCs to do some things that you want. If your speech skill isn’t that high, the NPC will refuse you.
While you’re conversing with an NPC, you must fill up the progress bar. To do this, keep the conversation going and push for arguments to occur. If you’re able to fill the bar, the NPC will give in to your request.
This system can also be utilized when bartering with merchants. If you fail to fill the bar and your charm isn’t enough, you need to bribe the character. If you repeatedly fail to persuade a particular NPC, your future transactions will be canceled. Also, your relationship with that NPC will be sullied.
Furthermore, you can also utilize the dialogue system to marry or court characters. In Warband, you are allowed to marry an NPC. In Bannerlord, you can marry and have children. If your character dies, your firstborn will inherit your fiefs and soldiers. He or she can also become a new playable character.
Key Game Mechanics
TaleWorld has included both RPG and tactical game elements to their upcoming video game. There are numerous game mechanics in Bannerlord, not just the dialogue system and combat systems.
In this section, you’re going to be acquainted with the most important game mechanics in Mount and Blade II. When you play the game, you have to complete the tutorial quest before you can actually join any skirmish.
The Tutorial is lengthy. You have to read that and that, and you must fulfill more than a handful of mini-quests. If you read through, you can skip many steps and just proceed to melee combat training.
Siege Gameplay
Siege gameplay will test your skills and wits. In this battle mode, you have to control your character and your army. You’re responsible for their lives.
It’s best to let your foot soldiers charge first before you enter the fray. Watch from behind while the battle unfolds. Play your cards well, and think cleverly.
It will be hard for you to control your army if your character is charging headfirst. Diminish your opponent’s army first, and protect your character from the cavalry of the rival team.
Also, keep your archers at the back. They are as thin as paper. They won’t last long against regular soldiers and spear carriers.
If you’re invading a stronghold, it’s advised to focus on destroying the main gate first. Don’t waste your soldiers in killing archers on top of towers. The defenders will just scorch and pummel your climbing foot soldiers.
Diplomacy
In Bannerlord, you shouldn’t settle everything with brute force. If the odds are in your favor, you can engage in diplomacy. You won’t lose any resources and soldiers, by doing so.
Diplomatic decisions produce positive effects that greatly impact the game world. You should strike historic peace deals that enable you to take control of lands rich in natural resources.
The barter and dialogue system allows you to cement deals, from treason pacts to marriage offers. If your speech skill is high, you will be able to unlock all the options in any conversation.
Lastly, the newly included influence system allows you to either direct your energies or suppress your rival’s aspirations.
Factions
Factions are vital in tactical games like Bannerlord and Civilization IV. At least 8 factions will be included in the upcoming game.
The Calradic Empire
This faction is based on Byzantium, Rome, and Greece. In Warband, the Calradic Empire owns a large part of Calradia.
The Nothern Calradic faction
This bloc supports the emperor’s endeavors, and they promote that his daughter should become the empress.
The Western Calradians
The Western Calradic faction wants the military to control the empire.
The Vlandians
They are feudal people, and their forces specialize in heavy cavalry. The Vlandians are based on the Normans.
The Sturgians
These people are located in the North Forest. Their foot soldiers are hardy, and they wear light armor like fur armor.
The Aserais
Living in the southern desert, the Aserais are adept at both infantry and cavalry tactics. They’re based on the ancient Arabs.
The Khuzaits
Being nomads, the Khuzaits are Mongol-like people. They are located in the eastern steppe. They specialize in archery and cavalry.
The Battanians
The Battanians inhabit the woodlands it the central part of the map. They specialize in guerilla warfare and ambushes.
Sandbox Economy
The price of goods in the game fluctuates since it features a simulated feudal economy. The demand and availability of goods depend on the financial status of a region.
To improve your faction’s economy, invest and build workshops and farms. Also, if you bring grain to an area ravaged by famine, you can open new trading routes and increase the number of your resources.
Crafting
Crafting is also available in Bannerlord. An RPG game won’t be complete without a crafting system.
With this system, you can name your crafted weapons, and its title will pop out in dialogues.
Forge a weapon that complements your prowess and play-style. You may also steal the sword of an enemy general. You can upgrade it, and showcase it as a trophy.
Modding
Like Bethesda Softworks, the creators of the Elder Scrolls games, TaleWorld also enables modding in its upcoming game.
With this feature, you can change the major aspects of the Mount and Blade II. You can rewrite codes for NPCs, and you can modify maps. For example, you can change the size of a general’s sword. Such objects have fixed values, but through modding, you can change these values.
Mount and Blade 2: Banner Lord Release Date Trailers, and Beta
The developers are the first beta testers for the game. Once they reach the final phases in the development stage, they will release an open beta version. They’ll recruit reviewers and gamers from all around the world.
The closed beta test started in June 2019. The open beta test will be available in winter 2019.
Summary
Mount and Blade II is the sequel of Mount and Blade I and Warband.
There is no release date yet, but one developer hinted that the game may be launched in fall 2020.
The beta version will be available this year. You can visit their site to register as a beta tester.
Many people are hyped to play this game. Bannerlord combines RPG and tactical game elements. It's a masterpiece that mixes the unforgettable features of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls, and Battlefield games.
Warcraft enables you to gather resources, build a town, and train an army. Battlefield takes you at the heart of battlefields and lets you experience what it’s like to fight in a war. The Elder Scrolls games expanded the capabilities of RPGs. Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord, on the one hand, includes all of the features you have known and loved in the most popular RPG and tactical games.
Only 2 official trailers have already been released so far, but both shows the capabilities of the game. Its graphics may just be above average, but what it has in store for players just might astonish you.