This article was originally published in PC Gamer issue For more quality articles about all things PC gaming, you can subscribe now in the UK and the US. It mixes tactical combat, RPG progression and strategic simulation, all in a sandbox world full of possibilities.

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Now, after years of waiting, a full sequel is on the way. Bannerlord ever since its announcement back in A new character, Yasmin, is created. Despite the fictional nations, this is no fantasy land. Weapons, armour and architecture are all designed to resemble historical equivalents from between and AD. Needless to say, there should be plenty of options, including new builds that are part of an improved progression system.

We have traits, skills and perks that work together in an interesting and unique way. Each skill has its own kind of XP category and is exercised individually. For example, you improve the Tracking skill by finding older and more difficult to find tracks.

Entering the nearby city of Syronaea, Yasmin goes looking for a job.

As in Warband, settlements can be traversed on foot, or via a menu. New for Bannerlord, important NPCs can be directly accessed through the menu too, teleporting you to their location to instantly pick up a quest. Settlements are also where you expand your army. In Warband, you could visit villages and attempt to rally volunteers to your cause.

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In Bannerlord, troops are provided by important NPCs. Of course, each major NPC has different desires and allegiances, and working with one may put you at odds with another. As a new character with no notoriety, Yasmin is only able to acquire a single soldier per each gold she pays.

She nevertheless hires a few troops, and accepts a quest from Suterios the Sutler, a local merchant.

He has a problem with a local gang of smugglers, who have taken over an alley that could otherwise be used for legitimate market stalls. Yasmin is tasked with clearing them out. Instead, Yasmin heads to the nearby tavern to find mercenaries for hire. These, as in Warband, are named companions with a backstory and special traits.

Yasmin chooses Garitops the Golden, a heavy-set cavalryman, and Urios the Bull, a heavy-set swordsman. Less than ten minutes in, and she already has a type.

Companions are more expensive to hire than regular soldiers, but worth it call option commodities used effectively.

Here, Yasmin mount and blade warband best way to make money them follow her to the alley as backup. As she mount and blade warband best way to make money, the smugglers stand up for their turf.

They give Yasmin the option to switch sides—betraying Suterios and the merchants. They can have a great effect on the overall story of your campaign, but no individual quest ever felt like a compelling story by itself.

Everything is tied more fully into the sandbox. The narrative emerges based around your actions. Yasmin stays loyal and attacks the bandits. With the smugglers dead, Yasmin hands over control of the alley to Suterios.

Pretty soon, Yasmin is leading a small army. Later in the game, your friends will offer extra services.

They open up opportunities for mischief. Before leaving the town, Yasmin joins a local tournament. In the first round, Yasmin, Urios and two other fighters are up against a team that includes Garitrops the Golden. Yasmin walks out the victor, and earns some expensive-looking armour for her efforts. Tournaments, as in Warband, are just a small part of the bigger kursy walut forex, but feel important for the fantasy.

The former is reflected by your stock market heading for black monday crash of 1987, and the ability to choose any role, from noble lord to fiendish bandit.

It feels grand in scope, but still lets you focus in on personal achievements and actions. Victory achieved, Yasmin and her army leave the town.

On the map, you can see traders, knights and bandits, all scurrying around to complete their task. One such group—a band of forest bandits—intercepts Yasmin as she journeys to a nearby castle. This triggers a dialogue scene in which the player can choose to fight, surrender or negotiate. The bandits are tough, and the two sides are evenly matched.

Not one to back down from a fight, Yasmin charges into battle. You directly control your character at all times, whether fighting a handful of smugglers, or leading an army against a gang of price action in day trading by dadas. The difference when fighting out in the world is the ability to command your troops. In Bannerlord, armies can be asked to attack or defend a location.

This has a major effect on the behaviour of the enemy AI.

The bandits are taken out with ease. The battlefield is looted, and prisoners are captured. Both loot and prisoners can be traded for money to buy new equipment and food to sustain the army. Here, too, there are advantages to having friends among the right locals. Certain NPCs can recruit more experienced volunteers of different specialities. Carrying out missions for the right people can lead to a more varied and effective army. Eventually, Yasmin meets with Sanion, a lord of the house Mestricaros.

Such missions can be more lucrative than those undertaken for a merchant, but have a greater impact on the sandbox. The danger is in drawing the ire of a rival lord, potentially leading to a deadly confrontation. With a bolstered retinue, Yasmin tracks down more bandits to test her borrowed recruits. The outcome of the quest depends on how many troops survive.

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Just a few casualties, and the lord should be pretty pleased. But too many deaths could sour your relationship. Lords are always on the move, leading their own armies on campaigns across their territory. When you start a Bannerlord campaign, one of the other world powers will be openly hostile to you. The battle is quick, and Yasmin is captured. The simulation is always moving, and indifferent to your actions. It can be frustrating to run into such a powerful opponent so early, but gives the world a sense of unpredictability and danger.

No two sessions are the same, and Bannerlord aims to heighten that variety. This is a major progression of the series, focused primarily on tweaks and improvements. It explains why Bannerlord has been so long in the making. PC Gamer is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. One Lombard Street, SuiteSan Francisco California News Reviews Hardware Pro Best Of More Magazine Meet the team Newsletter Signup Community Guidelines Affiliate Links About PC Gamer.

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