Beats most 50 euro rpg/action/stragegy games out there in terms of how fun it is to play, aswell as how addictive. Great combat system, alotta new thinking in general and that air of "we know we cant satisfy everyone, or make the perfect game" wich shows in the incredible possibilities for modding. this game is mostly like a platform: it has a new combat system, it reintruduces and reforms some old ideas, and it welcomes the chance to "upgrade and unfold". In short terms: This game is a most try! 9/10

I loved it! Finally a RPG game comes along, without the unrealistic dragon and elf theme! I mean, who wants to slay a dragon when you can slay some barbaric mongol who's bent on killing the beautiful princess? I am very critical of games, but I must say that Mount & Blade is one of those games that wsill keep you busy over the Christmas holidays. Looking forward to M & B 2 !

4/5 Stars. Its a great game. Good combination of Strategy and Role playing. Its also open world, you can travel around the entire map. The game is not the most replayable but you can either work for a faction or make your own faction which is a nice change. The game never crashed for me and never had a single glitch/bug.

This really is a great rpg. The lack of a storyline may bother some people, but the joy of it is you really can be whatever you want. You want to be a travelling mercenary? Done. A powerful lord? Done. A bandit? Done. A king? Sadly, no, but there may be potential in future mods. Speaking of the mods, those are one of the best things about this game. From the TaleWorlds forums, you can get to the Mount and Blade respository of modules, where there are tons of modules to try. I personally recommend Expanded Gameplay III for it's general awesomeness, but there are plenty of others. The combat in Mount and Blade is very fluid and tactical, although rather difficult, but hey, you probably already knew that. Fief management is very cool and addictive as you take over more stuff, although it can only happen if you become a lord. There are plenty of other oppurtunities for do-gooding as well as maliciousness. Burning out villages or saving them from bandits: the choice is yours.

A amazing RPG! It has it all. It's really cool that each fief, castle and city has it's own economy. Through I agree, there should be a storyline. Other than that, I enjoy every faction, weapon (Even through I'd rather bash a bandit with a quarterstaff, stab than with a lance) and quest. I even captured the Rhodoks for myself. Another thing that I feel is missing is Alliances. I'd like to have the enemy of my enemy, my friend. I highly reccomend this game, because of the gameplay, opportunities and the thrill of slaughtering hostile villages' peasants. Beginners should start with Swadian as they have both good infantry, crossbowmen and cavalry. It's alot harder with Rhodoks and Nords as they don't have any cavalry and therefore, easily killed. And Vaegirs and Khergit has some annoying bandits that can be really big problems in the start. (Mountain Bandits and Steppe Bandits) Through almost every Khergit soldier is mounted and is also very skilled unmounted, they are also a good choice. 4,5 / 5 stars! :)

The main plot in this game is there is no plot. There is however a scenario going on around your character, how your character fits in is entirely up to you. The game is set in a realistic medieval setting which I found quite attractive as it offered a more realistic edge to the game play as there is no nonsense like magic or zombies etc. The graphics are about average for what a first person game. Characters, horses, castles and terrain all look good. The sound is quite good, however there is no real voice acting in the game. The combat system is one the best I have seen in a first person game, it’s straight forward to learn and effective to use as it gives all the necessary control. The representation of horse riding is the best I have seen in any game, the horse combat is amazing. Sure the graphics might not do it justice. Sure the fact the game is open ended can become a double edged sword, as it could lead some gamers to become bored but the fact that the game forces us to use our own imagination is not necessarily a bad thing. For me the thing that stands out is the game play, open ended nature and the fact this game is completely moddable. Simply this is one the best games I have played. The only criticism I do have is the fact I stumbled on it by chance as it was not very well marketed. This is a game that every self respecting gamer should have on their shelf.

Mount & Blade is a game that focuses on horse combat, but still has an in-depth melee and ranged combat systems. M&B has a free-form world with no story-driven gameplay. You may do whatever you want, whenever you want it, whether it's doing errands for kings, fighting in the arena, or carving out a kingdom for yourself. This game stands out among the hordes of games out there, I highly recommend it. 88/100

Mount and Blade is a game for players who love endless strategic battles. In this game you'll experience a lot of fun working your way up from a adventurer to a owner of fiefs, castles, and towns. There's always been other games that I've played and loved more than this game; especially with graphics. This game lacks in graphics but makes up for it in its endless gameplay. There is literally no end to the game that I have discovered. EVEN WHEN CHEATING! So prepare yourself for a lot of killing, owning, and looting villages. This game will keep you hooked.

I found this game to be very very enjoyable. At $30 or a sale price of $15 it gives alot more play time than a $60 First Person Shooter. (those I finish in typically one weekend). As with PC games there are corrective patches and a wide selection of community made mods. These mods allow you to play entirely new realms. There are fantasy settings like "The Horde Lands" and a massive updating of the basic game world in "Native Expansion". Combat, like a FPS, is an ongoing theme. This can be repetitive but only after weeks of play. After a short break I returned and played for months more. A very enjoyable game with a huge play value.

This is a great game. I often do not get into first person combat based games but the degree of realism has got me hooked. What I like best about this game is that once you put some time into your character and your party you can do some great things and really affect the story line of the game. At the moment I am leading a rebellion and dashing from one hot spot to another trying to carve out a niche of the kingdom as a base of operation. But this degree of power and impact only came after slogging through a lot of dirty jobs with a rag-tag bunch of followers. And there is a wonderful feeling of accomplishment as you lead your cavalry into battle and order your infantry and archers to hold a hill top. It really is a wonderful game. I am looking forward to experimenting with some modding.

You play as the leader of a small party in a medieval fantasy kingdom, as you progress both you and your troops get experience which leads to a stronger party, you can upgrade everything from the size of your inventory to the size of your party to the distance at which you can see the tracks left by other traveling parties. The game gets fairly detailed, with several ranks of quality within each type of item, so just for your horse there are (I'm estimating here) around 50ish possibilities with around 5-7 of them being "optimal" for you depending on both what your play style is, and what you're using the mount for each horse/armor/weapon has a unique skin which is applied to your character if that kinda thing is important to you, however the different qualities of each item used the same skin. The only thing that i felt detracted from the game was the complete lack of a story line, however some may also see that as a plus since the game is completely open ended, I've heard the game has an extremely active modding community, but haven't tried out any of the mods as of yet If you're looking for more information before buying you can go to the forums for M&B here : http://forums.taleworlds.net/

Great game. The combat will have you hooked for months. Each battle plays slightly differently as troop levels vary, units vary (most earn experience and you can upgarde them along various paths) and the AI can be scaled from easy, to hard. There are also many ways to play. You can play a powerful heavy knight with strong armor and a powerful lance. You can be a fast raiding horse archer, you can even remain on foot. Or you can focus your skills on leadership and training and play a "hands off" approach and let your minions do all the dirty work. The possibilities are even greater when you visit the official forums and browse all the wonderful player-created mods and graphic packs. This is a must-buy for any action/rpg fan.

This game is really awesome and everyone who has not play it really misses something unique. I cannot compare it to anything i ve played so far it is so unique. Mountain combat is really great and also the whole medieval fighting feeling. Modding community is really great and provides many variations of the original game. I definetely recommend it!

This game has the best mounted combat system I've seen, despite how basic it is. While you can be a trader, or a mission runner, the real draw is of course the combat; and not just personal combat. The troop management is simple, yet effective. Sometimes while on the field you'll wish for more complex orders to give, but usually you can attain what you want with what is given. Some of the castles you have to siege really need work, but as others said there is a great mod community for this game and some have done just that. If you do get this game the first thing you should look for is the battle sizer mod which allows you to increase the number of troops on the field in each wave. Having 200 vs 200 battles in first person view is a blast, especially when your cavalry charge into the enemy lines.

Now here is a game that was a true pleasant surprise. I bought it hoping to find a game i would like and instead i got a game that i love!! Its a game full of free movement, go as you please , be what you like. Only thing i didnt like was the fact that i couldnt become king and take over the entire world! :) The battles are great , the enemies do behave with intelligence and are not mere sheep to the slaughter, well they are if you only make an army of Swadian Knights but ... My son aged 8 was allowed to try this game once, i had a really hard time dislodging from the computer and we had to buy him his own PC now. All due to this game. My warmest recommendations if you like a 1st person 'shooter' in the middle ages combined with the art af trading and the art of conquering

One of the better sandbox games out there. It really sucks you in. The modding community makes it only so much better.

a very exciting and fascinating game. the first-hand combat is excellent,the battles,sieges and the variety of troops create an fun atmosphere.it is a free-moving game where anything is possible.when you win the game (however unlikely) you can download mods and continue your epic adventure

I love this game and with the heavy mod support there is endless variety, I wish I had brought this game a long time ago.

Best middle age- themed game. Fighting on horse is made perfectly, and thanks to ods things to do never ends. I tried demo at first, and played it for 2 months. No boredom noted, can imagine playing this over 100 hours. Best indie game (shares with World of Goo) And it's very cheap.

The medieval age has been a fascination of mine, so when I first saw Mount and blade I knew I had to get it. The great thing about this game is that it is open ended leaving the player to make the choice as to what they do with there life in this fictional medieval world. You start off by crafting your characters looks and traits and then are just set free upon the world. although there is a tutorial if you want to take it which shows you the finer art of combat , but once you pick up on it, the skills you learn become second nature , blocking with the right click of mouse while left click swings your weapon . The Great thing about this game is the scope at which the world allows the player to craft there own lives , you can be simple trader , mercenary , a lord and Assembled large armies of heroes and trained solders to siege castles and towns. Even cause a military coup and oust a king of his throne, and proclaimed you’re self as ruler. So if you’re a person whom likes open ended worlds , commanding armies in first person view and have a knack to play with sharp swords. This game I personally highly recommend.

A solid game that wonderfully blends elements of Role-playing, action, and strategy in a completely original way. The world is attractive (though not stunning) and I've rarely had issues running the game smoothly on moderate-high settings with an aging PC. It's not a perfect game. The quests, and the gameplay in general, can get a little repetitive, and there could certainly be a lot more depth with respect of faction and character relations, but these are, by no means, game-breakers. Moreover, the developers are extreme keen on listening to player suggestions and concerns and there is a vibrant mod community, which will only grow with time. I encourage everyone to pick this title up and take part in, what I believe, is the start of an amazing franchise.

I have been playing that game for ages now. I have tried almost every possible versions and demos, when it used to be some kind of amateurish game, and I can't believe I waited that long to buy the full game. The graphics are really nice in my opinion, a lot nicer than in the previous versions, and actually starting to look very good an professional (shadows, hdr, normal mapping, etc). However, the game focuses on gameplay and originality, and does it very well. How many games can you find, that allow you to control a knight, mercenary, or whatever, with a role playing touch, in a medieval world, and fight in massive battles in realtime? Mount & blade is the only one I have found that does that properly. The game also features tons of smaller features, like character customization, with an RPG feel to it (improve skills and buy equipment). I would describe M&B as being very similar to Sid Meier's Pirates in terms of quests and fun factor, but with the added medieval effect. Finally, the game has got a great community, tons of Mods already, and is in constant evolution. Taleworlds has made an excellent job here, and I can just imagine what M&B will be like in two years or so... A must have!!

Great game from the inside out.. First time I looked at it the graphics kinda turned me off but after I got addicted to the gameplay, mechanics, and community graphic mods this game is one of the best of its genre that's on the market now. Can not wait till the multiplayer expansion is released!

I downloaded the beta from an alternate game site, and was so impressed with the mechanics, the fluidity of the human and horse movements, and combat system that I went looking for the actual game. Found it hear on Gamersgate. That was 4 months ago, and I'm still playing, trying new mods. Considering the independent nature of it's deelopment, it has a leg up on many other RPG style games in it's playability and realism, and as a person who grows tired of the 'fantasy' elements of RPG, this has a very nice pseudo-realism to it that's simple and elegant. Kudos the developer, and I've recommended this game to to friends... who are as picky as I am. :-)

Really an awesome game. Don't be turned off by the big critics' reviews which may miss the point, you can easily get addicted to playing. Yes, there's basically no storyline, other than what you add to it, but the combat is great fun and advancing your rank and leading armies to battle just doesn't get old after hours and hours of gameplay. Definitely recommended.

I bought this in Beta and was wowed straight off. Firstly was the mounted combat - especially the Lance - which made it totally different from any other fantasy/historical game I'd ever played. Secondly by the fact that it was actually pretty hard to master. Too many games come out of the box on a Friday night for the first time and they've been played and beaten by the time you return to work on Monday. So the other day a couple of years after playing the Beta I downloaded the final and as impressed. The game play is a lot easier with a lot of the irritating features of the beta removed. I die a lot - or at least keep losing battles and being captured - but the way the game mechanics work this is actually quite enjoyable and not a save and reload opportunity that it would be in other games. Not that you are allowed to mind you . . . Verdict - definitely worth buying

This game is the best action RPG i have played. The combat system is the best i have seen in any game.

Great game. It does get a tad repetitive, but its repetitively fun! Riding down some poor peasant with your lance just has to be experienced. Plus, there's a whole mess of mods out there that vary it up a bit when you're ready for something new. I'm so glad gamersgate carries this game, because I just downloaded on a lark, and its one of the best games I've played recently.

From AA0, "Although there is no story, the combat is extremely well-rounded, very detailed and something that must be experienced. Mount & Blade was designed to be modded, from mods that improve the combat, add new weapons and features, and add in new tactics and troops, all the way to completely overhauling the game into something different. Maybe, in time, there might be a couple out there that adds in a good story. Each time I’ve tried to describe what a battle is like, it just feels wrong. There are too many aspects to write about, so just go and try it! If you like first-person combat, medieval combat or even RPG-style leveling systems, you’ll go crazy for the detailed, fast-paced action in Mount & Blade. But what I’ve been trying to write this whole time without being too blunt is that horse-mounted combat is absolutely incredible and must be tried. This is by far the most fun I’ve had in combat in any game to date, and I really can’t stop playing it. Plus, why not support an independent developer?"

One of the best games out there, IMO. Very, very satisfying combat, and a whole world to explore and conquer. Yes, the game out of the box is lacking in story, but that's what the mod community is for. This is a sandbox game, that despite every rational reason why it should get boring, doesn't! And the mod community is HUGE. There are tons of mods for all sorts of different games, so that you essentially get 4, 5, or more A- quality games for the price of one. And they're always evolving, with new story-lines, new features, and so, literally every week. Best purchase I made last year, along with Sword of the Stars!

Hands down, this is the best implementation of medieval combat ever. Swords, shields, horses, longbows, lances --- it's all there, and it's insanely addictive. For about a week. Then you start to wish there was actually something to do. A pity they couldn't have wrapped the combat system in something more structured. Even so, it's absolutely, without doubt, worth spending your money on. Despite the one big problem, it's brilliantly entertaining, didn't crash once while I was playing it, and the combat graphics are very pretty.

This games reminds me a lot of Sid Meier's Pirates. It has all the same elements, minus the romantic portion, which is a shame. It's a very good game, but it is repetitive. Of course you can mix it up with the mods.

This game is epic considering it's been developed by a couple! I strongly urge anyone who even has a passing interest in RPGs to get it! It has quite a few innovative ideas and can give you hours of hours of fun despite the fact hat it's only about 500mb. I'm so looking forward to its multiplayer expansion pack!

This is a very good game. Gameplay is great, mounted combat particularly is excellent. Visually the game is not designed for graphics but they are good too. The mods too are brilliant for this game. Definately one I'd recomend getting! Only minor problem is it can get a bit samey after a while. The mods definately help with this though.

This is the best action game ever. The system for combat is easy to learn and makes this a really good game. I've been playing this for about a week no bugs. Nothing bad to say here.

I have played this game since .7xxx. This free form RPG has the same attention span of a good non-sandbox RPG. Even though it it is free form it starts getting old after about 70 or 80 hours (I have played 200+ hours over the years). You think it is the greatest game ever at first. However, you just go around doing the same type of missions, all battles are almost the same, sieges even all look the same after a while. This being on the highest difficulty level, (other than not turning off auto-block) So my real grip is it is a lot of fun but it does not last. All the mods I have seen so far are much of the same granted some a step up from native. This is a good game, not a great game, great games have lasting appeal. Some promising mods and , the multilayer expansion might change my mind about this though. The underlying ideas of this game are great, it just needs a lot more variety.

This is a great game. The point of all of this is to recreate the life of a warlord, with all pro and cons. Simple. Once on the battlefield you will feel how an horseman can vanquish a group of footman not equipped (spear) to beat him. I'd like to add to the other reviews that the mod community has created some excellent mods, that not only will enhance the game, but will add tons of equipments, random events, graphical overhaul and much more. Definitely recommended. Mods: http://www.mbrepository.com/ or http://forums.taleworlds.net/index.php/board,9.0.html

Incredible game---my choice for 2008's Game of the Year, in fact. Plenty of games promise open-world but few truly deliver on the promise. Mount & Blade doesn't feel it necessary to hold your hand at any point. It drops you into Calradia and says "make your own fun" while providing every possible tool to do exactly that. Infinitely friendly to mods, a quick look at the TaleWorlds website will expand this game in ways that a dozen retail expansion packs couldn't dream of. I can't recommend it enough---GAME OF THE YEAR 2008.

This is a great game, in fact, i would recommend it just for the mods! I can't get enough of the combat, there's nothing more satisfying than riding your horse up some poor infantryman and slashing him with your axe! Or using a longbow to snipe off an attack single handedly. I've heard alot of people complaining about the open endedness of this game, but thats the beauty of it! You work really hard to become a lord with your own city and army... but you get to keep it! Highly Recommended 5/5!

I've been playing this game since the 0.650 version, its great. Open ended, realistic combat, (actually the first realistic mounted combat), runs smoothly. One of the major advantages is the ease you can mod it with, there have been so many very good mods out and plenty more are still being worked on every day. A really nice community check them at http://forums.taleworlds.net Support some actually innovative small gamedesigners and try it and buy it ! :)

If you enjoy sandbox style games, or if you're interested in medieval warfare, buy Mount and Blade. It's as simple as that. I've never seen anything else do such a good job of portraying mounted combat; the act of setting your lance and using it to run through some poor sucker fighting on his feet is entertaining enough to recommend this game. The graphics are a rather strange combination of beautiful but amatuer, and the interface, though functional, has a few flaws, but in terms of gameplay, this game is almost perfect. It also scores points for being one of the few medieval action games without any fantasy elements, which I found to be a refreshing change. As long as you can handle games without any sort of rails pushing you in one direction or another, you'll get your money's worth from this game.

This is an outstanding game. I can see myself spending many hours playing Mount and Blade. This is the most realistic and compelling simulation of being a Medieval warlord that I have ever played. You get to be a Beowulf like leader of a band of warriors. Combat is engaging and while challenging at first, a welcome advance over the point and click attacks. You really get a sense of why a rider on a horse has a big advantage over a foot soldier. The troop development system is deep and you really have to look after your men...lose all your veterans in a battle and you'll be forced to start over with a bunch of raw recruits. The game is completely open ended so you can run your character however you want. Trade, burn villages out, rob caravans or defend towns, it's your choice. This might be my favorite game that has come out this year.

Honestly, I did not expect much at first, given the game is not very much advertised - but this game is a treasure. I can very much recommend it to everybody that loves the genre. In fact, I never faced medieval combat that close. So I very much felt the pain of blood, sweat and tears when my little army and myself got drawn and quartered by an enemy force (great fun though!). The game, of course, is not perfect. I can imagine for instance a command bar and other improvements for making army-management and other aspects of the game more comfortable. Fighting friends via internet later also would be nice. But all this can be done later if there are many buyers of this fine software ...

great game. nice graphics, fluent action. A marvel in it's own way. Open field battles, sieges, different nations with their own specific troop trees and strategies...some politics and conspiracy...It has it all. really recommended 4.5/5