I imagine that those of us who were born in the 80s were greatly marked by the premiere of Braveheart in 1995 because of how it recreated the battles with their greatest rawness. And that’s why it was inevitable to mention the award-winning film by actor Mel Gibson when talking about my first sensations of the Chivalry 2 beta in May.
Despite knowing the origins of the saga, through the Age of Chivalry mod from Half-Life 2 in 2007, until its commercial version under Chivalry: Medieval Warfare in 2012, this sequel has been my debut in a big way with the work of Torn Banner Studios, believing for a moment William Wallace with so much screaming, blood and dismemberment. Quite a feast that raises the figures of the previous Chivalry .
No one said epic battles were a ride
Already with the final version and many games throughout these days it has fulfilled my suspicions: Chivalry II is the typical online game that hooks me easily . Because I adore its chaos and debauchery in battles, where the figure of 64 people fighting at the same time is reached here, so it doubles the amount seen in the original.
It is not a game for everyone, as it happened with its predecessor, as it is not accessible from the outset. That this is not simply pressing the attack button, but it requires a series of movements and strategies against the enemy, having to know how to anticipate the rival, measure very well the times and also our energy.
To make a simile with a well-known commercial game, we have the great Techland Dying Light, which delved into the Dead Island formula. Each attack required a movement on our part, tracing its direction and power. It was not a manual button pounding, as is lavish in other games. Here you had to sweat against the zombies. And in Chivalry II something slightly similar happens: you have to sweat to kill someone who knows how to play . And that stings his.
It is essential, therefore, to know the basics of combat by heart , for which we have the same tutorial seen in the beta. There we are put on the table concepts such as initiative, footwork or the importance of drag when turning the hips to hit first. It is almost like a fighting game.
Because it is not simply the choice of attack that we opt for, with three basic types between slash, lunge and high blow, but the weight of the “dance” that we practice in combat, where feints or the cadence of the lunges come into play. in search of combos or to defuse the energy of the rival to be able to finish it later. The tutorial is just a brushstroke of what we will find in games against more people, because nobody is prepared for this type of battle. As they say, practice makes perfect.
It is logical, on the other hand, to run into both veterans and newcomers to the saga, which leads to a particular chaos due to friendly fire . I am one of those who choose to be prudent, without going en masse and watching the side cuts, but in games you run into everything and it is impossible to contain these types of variables. Now, this “euphoria” is penalized, to the point of being able to vote for an undesirable to expel him from the game. But in general, these extremes are not usually reached.
Chivalry II bets on the most epic feats
That Chivalry II has hooked me so much, apart from how complex it is to begin to be moderately competent (in games of 64 people my best position has been 13), it is also due to the fact that its main mode is based on very objectives. in the vein of video games like Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory.
Here, in any case, these objectives do not depend on the classes, but on a series of elements that must be used or taken. From escorting a caravan to freeing prisoners, to destroying or burning fortifications. Each scenario is very varied and with quite a few objectives to meet until reaching the final climax: this translates into games that average 30 minutes.
In all cases there is always a previous introduction to put us in position before the epic feat that is about to take place, especially liking a battle in which we start as simple villagers with their pitchforks, until there is no choice but to give way later. to any of the four available classes, including archer, vanguard, lackey and knight .
Here, unlike Mordhau, its greatest rival, we do not have cavalry, but we do have endless weapons of the time , both sharp and blunt. Among various types of swords, apart from axes, maces, clubs and even bows or crossbows, it is easy to find the one that best suits our needs, although for this we will also depend on the chosen class. And it always has to be level.
Yes, as in games like Overwatch, there has to be a balance between the classes, which translates into a more or less equal percentage between each of the four. Or put another way: of the 32 players on each team, it cannot be the 32 archers, for example. The only problem I see here is that some rhythm is lost when we want to change classes , adding almost 10 extra seconds of waiting even if we were within the margin when we died.
Of course, there are differences beyond the default weapons of each class , having its own associated and limited-use object, with reload. Thus, the archer can place a brazier to launch fire arrows, while the knight carries a war horn to boost the health regeneration of allies. There are also passive differences in relation to certain parameters, hence certain weapons are prioritized over other classes as those with greater power. On this fact, without going any further, the Vanguard class is the only one that is not penalized for movement speed when wielding the largest weapons … but is more vulnerable to ranged attacks. Everyone has their pros and cons.
Torn Banner offers a good medieval sangria
If the idea of fighting battles with 64 people, 32 per side, is already attractive enough, it should be noted that it comes with cross-play between PC and consoles , which in the long run is a very welcome aspect when it happens the inevitable glare of the first days with the highest number of people. In addition, each game is immediate, with just 10 seconds of transition from the last.
That it is so direct is due in turn to the scarcity of game modes, by betting squarely on only two and of which we have a mixed one that mixes them directly. On the one hand, there is the mixed mode (between 40 or 64 players), where there is a high percentage of battles with objectives seasoned from time to time by team battles in closed areas, with or without traps; and on the other, the classic all against all , clearly illustrative by name.
On a personal level, I definitely prefer the battles with objectives, since sometimes they ask us to be on the side that has to attack and at other times just the opposite, to defend. And the matter changes a lot if we are on the side of Mason (red) or Ágata (blue), so we will always want another game more .
It also motivates you to try each class , in addition to unlocking variants for each one, as with the weapons available and with the desire to unlock all kinds of designs. Although here I miss a menu from which to calmly consult the parameters of each class without having to do it only from the battles, because valuable time is wasted. It is one of several typical problems that online games suffer at launch, such as seeing spikes in latency from time to time to causing specific errors on the server.
Graphically it is spectacular, but it does not mean that there are aspects to improve due to glitches or certain inconsistencies with the delimitations of the environment. It is appreciated, yes, that there are so many objects to interact with, being able to throw a fish in the face of the enemy, or burn a hen and use it as a Molotov. But this in turn is a double-edged sword , because so much element on the screen makes us sometimes inadvertently pick up a weapon from the ground when we wanted to revive an ally or simply shout or drop any of the multiple phrases with different states.
They are minor problems seeing everything positive with what it has from the start, especially because of the variety offered by its maps and the whole string of objectives to be met. I don’t know how long I’ll be hooked but I’m grateful for getting started (finally) on a Chivalry . That not everything has to be FPS to play online.
In short, Chivalry II is a giant leap compared to Chivalry: Medieval Warfare , both when it comes to transmitting the greatness of the battles and for all the improvements implemented, with a more polished and complex control, or how lively the scenarios as there are many interactive elements. If you were freaked out by Braveheart or any movie of that style, give it a try. Do not take as many years as me to introduce you to this saga. Now is the time.
Chivalry II
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox Series (reviewed version), PS4, Xbox One and PC (Epic Store) |
|---|---|
| Multiplayer | Yes, online (up to 64 people) |
| Developer | Torn Banner Studios |
| Company | Tripwire Interactive |
| Launch | June 8, 2021 |
The best
- His battles are tremendously epic
- Huge variety of attacks to master
- Likewise, an endless number of weapons available
- How vivid are the scenarios
Worst
- Impurities to polish typical of online games
- People who go crazy who don’t give a damn about friendly fire, even if it’s penalized
