In this review we will tell you in detail about the PS5 version of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, the huge RPG from TaleWorlds Entertainment
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a Hybrid RPG between strategy and action developed and published by TaleWorlds Entertainment. The title was available in early access been a long time now, but after a long wait it was finally version 1.0 released. Also, on the occasion of the official release of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, the title has also landed on PS5 and in this review we will tell you in detail about this version.
From Army to Empire – Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord PS5 Review
At the beginning of a Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord campaign you will start with only your main character and some resources with which to hire some troops. Once you have built a small army initial, you will finally be ready to explore the continent of Calradia any way you like. If you are playing in campaign mode you will have the option to follow a little storybut in any case your main goal will always be to grow your faction.
Depending on your play style you will have different ways to expand on the continent. For example, you can try to accumulate money by traveling between settlements for to tradeyou can try to gain the favor of the local nobles by completing some mission for them, or you can just go the bandit way and get rich attacking caravans or settlements. As you become richer and more influential you will have the opportunity to hire new generals, create more armies and even gain control of castles and cities.
Expanding your faction and gaining control of the entire continent is certainly a fun goal, but sadly it comes up against the time required to achieve it. In fact, a Mount & Blade II campaign really lasts many hours and in all this time you will find yourself a repeat the same activities over and over again. Initially you will enjoy facing armies, escorting caravans and conquering castles, but after a while you will end up feeling the weight of repetition. Plus options related to territory management they are not very deep and that makes managing a large empire even less satisfying.
Personal Growth – Mount & Blade II Review: Bannerlord PS5
In addition to the faction, your protagonist will also improve during a campaign. Every PC owns six main features with which they are associated three masteries, a sort of talents that offer specific bonuses. These bonuses not only affect your general’s stats in battle, but also give you rewards advantages in areas such as diplomacy or trade.
Both characteristics and masteries have their own level which will initially be determined on the basis of the house they belong to and the traits chosen during character creation. Later you can to level up as you like using experience points earned by completing certain tasks.
To make your PG stronger, however, it will not only be enough for you to level up but you will also have to find the equipment righteous. At the end of a battle you will be able to collect weapons and armor from defeated armies but they will generally be of poor quality. The best equipment indeed you will have to forge them yourself, buy them expensively from the best blacksmiths or get them like reward. They are actually available in the game so many different weapons and armor and depending on your style of play you will have the possibility to choose from a large number of options.
The Art of War – Mount & Blade II Review: Bannerlord PS5
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord has a combat system quite cumbersome. To use bows, crossbows and javelins will be enough aim and attack, but the story changes when it comes to close-quarters weapons. If you use a melee weapon you can press R2 for attack and L2 for to blockbut in addition you will also have to move the right analog of the controller to direct both shots and parries. For example, if an enemy attacks from the left you will have to block in the same direction, while if instead you are parrying upwards you will have to strike down. Using this combat system in the middle of a chaotic battle may sound really complex, but really it’s easier than expected. In fact, after just a few battles you will certainly be able to stand up to even the most formidable enemies.
In Mount & Blade II, however, you will have to take part in real conflicts on a large scale and accordingly you will not be alone on the battlefield. In fact, during the fighting you will be joined by many other troops who will help you face the enemies. The effectiveness of your soldiers depends on many factors, such as their own class it’s theirs rangebut even the best fighters are useless without a good one strategy. For this reason even while you are on the front lines of the battlefield it will be essential give the right orders to the troops. Luckily with the push of a button you will have access to control wheela small menu that will give you access to several orders. For example, you can order your allies to charge, reach a specific point, defend a position, take up a formation, and so on.
Managing a large number of troops makes battles a lot of fun, but sadly the fun fades as you begin to discover the flaws in the enemy AI. In fact, the opposing soldiers are quite stupid and this makes them extremely vulnerable to cheap tactics. Fortunately, however, it is still possible to take part in satisfying battles by playing the game onlinesince the commands of a real player are able to put a patch on the AI.
Quality and Controls – Mount & Blade II Review: Bannerlord PS5
From the point of view technician Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord performs quite well on PS5. Once you start the game you will have the choice between two different modes, one offers 60 FPS with dynamic resolution, while the other aims at 4K and a greater number of units visible on the screen, however, offering only 30 FPS. Regardless of the mode selected, the game will always be quite nice to see, while unfortunately the FPS will not always be very stable. In fact, in the most agitated sections it is possible to notice drops, but fortunately it is not a matter of nothing particularly serious.
Now let’s move on to a problem exclusive to the PS5 version: the controls. The controller lends itself quite well to being used during fights, but sadly it turns out really uncomfortable during the management parts. Navigating within the complex game menus will really be a nightmare, especially in the early hours of the game when you still don’t know how to instinctively move. Unfortunately, this problem is common to many titles of this type that land on consoles and in this case it is further accentuated due to the bad UI at Bannerlord.
Conclusions
Now the point of our review has finally arrived in which we sum up the PS5 version of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. This particular medieval life simulator stands out for its great freedom which leaves to the players. From the very beginning of the campaign you will have the possibility to live your adventure the way you want, whether it’s by growing your faction through trade and diplomacy or through numerous bloodsheds. The battles also, however rough, are a lot funny and they will be able to give you many satisfactions.
Unfortunately however Bannerlord suffers a lot because of her repetitiveness. In fact, during your long games you will find yourself a always perform the same actions. The missions that you will be assigned will start to look all the same, the management of the territories offers very few options to the players and around the map there will be few interesting places to visit. Also, due to poor AI quality, over time even the fights could start to bore you. Despite these flaws, however, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord remains a pretty good title and if you can immerse yourself enough in his world you will certainly be able to appreciate it.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord è available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X | St. If you are interested in staying updated on all the news on the world of video games and much more, then continue to follow us here on TechGameWorld.com. Furthermore, in case you want to buy some games at an advantageous price, we suggest you take a look at the many offers on Instant Gaming.
Plus points
- It offers so much freedom
- Good customization of the PG
- Battles are fun…
Points against
- …but the poor AI ends up making them boring
- Too repetitive
- A little awkward controls