Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Critic Reviews (2024)

76 69%

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is ranked in the 67th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.

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Jon Bolding

IGN

Top Critic

6 / 10.0

Oct 31, 2022

A shallow grind of an overworld strategy game threatens to ruin enjoyment of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord's unique and sublimely gritty tactical action.

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Fraser Brown

PC Gamer

Top Critic

80 / 100

Oct 28, 2022

Despite some shallow ancillary systems, Bannerlord is the master of medieval warfare

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Jim Hargreaves

TheSixthAxis

Top Critic

7 / 10

Nov 22, 2022

My return to Calradia wasn't entirely jubilant, though Mount & Blade 2 Bannerlord is a game I'll likely stick with, simply due to my love of the original. A wealth of new systems and activities help this sandbox strategy sim feel more alive than ever, though the busywork required to get anywhere can feel like a grind. Overall, existing fans will rejoice while newcomers may look on unimpressed, unsure what all the fuss is about.

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Sin Vega

Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Top Critic

Unscored

Nov 1, 2022

The exact same old battles sewn onto a perfunctory, shallow RPG and an elaborate but undramatic and robotic feudalism sim

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8 / 10

Nov 17, 2022

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord combines RPG mechanics with grand strategy and features battles so epic they can be overwhelming at times. It has some rough edges, and the interface can be unwieldy, but at its core lies a roleplaying experience that is virtually unrivalled in scope - especially on console.

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Terrence Johnson

ZTGD

Top Critic

5.5 / 10.0

Nov 15, 2022

Like Total War, when the players massive armies clash in battle it is a sight to behold, luckily the game offers the option to simulate battles and watch the AI troops clash. This, to me was massively more enjoyable than trying to struggle through the games clunky combat. While I loved the depth offered in the RPG elements of the world, I came away disappointed enough by the combat that is just made the whole experience feel like a chore to play; combine that with the lack of a real story and I Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord just didn’t turn out to be the total medieval simulator game I was hoping for.

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Martynas Klimas

PC Invasion

Top Critic

8 / 10

Oct 28, 2022

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord comes back with improvements to everything we liked about the previous games and some new systems as well. However, it's not a perfectly polished game, so you'll have to navigate a few edges on your path to restore/destroy the Empire.

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John-Paul Jones

PlayStation Universe

Top Critic

9 / 10.0

Oct 24, 2022

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord roundly excels because it lets players be whatever they want to be and rather than penalise those choices, instead makes players own those decisions and provide a peerless theatre for them to thrive. Though technically not perfect, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord invites players to weave their own tapestry of ambition and be whomever they like in their own Game of Thrones, letting them wage war, engage in diplomacy, fight in the arenas, trade illicit goods, be a town alderman and absolutely everything in between in one of the most ambitious PS5 games to date. If you'll let it, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord II will become your new obsession. And you should.

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Gameblog

Top Critic

7 / 10

Nov 3, 2022

Mount and Blade 2 : Bannerlord is an ambitious game ready to make players lose sleep for months, although not everything is perfect. To give it a chance is to enjoy a deep and intelligent RPG.

Review in French | Read full review

Robert Webb

DualShockers

Top Critic

8.5 / 10.0

Oct 27, 2022

Grind and jank aside, there is nothing else like a Mount and Blade game, and Bannerlord is undisputably the best one yet. Its uniqueness alone makes it worth playing. To talk about it that way is to do it a disservice though; the true marvel of Bannerlord is that it actually delivers on what is an astonishingly ambitious concept. The two halves of the game complement each other perfectly. It may be on a slow boil, but once it gets up a head of steam, you won't be able to put it down.

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Hubert Śledziewski

GRYOnline.pl

Top Critic

8 / 10.0

Oct 25, 2022

Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord is a game that can swallow you whole and make you forget about everything else – including its own flaws. That’s the beauty of this series – the gameplay, and particularly the large-scale, real-time combat, makes us shrug off ugly face models, underdeveloped diplomacy, or dumb AI.

Review in Polish | Read full review

Derek Johnson

Jump Dash Roll

Top Critic

9 / 10

Dec 1, 2022

Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord is, in spite of some missing features, a must-play experience for anyone who's remotely interested in kingdoms, claymores and combat.

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Neil Bolt

GameWatcher

Top Critic

8.5 / 10.0

Nov 23, 2022

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is very much a superior sequel in so many ways. It's still a bit of a brick wall to get past in terms of understanding its finer points, but keep hammering away and you will find them.

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Marino Puntorieri

Spaziogames

Top Critic

7.6 / 10.0

Nov 9, 2022

Bannerlord is a layered experience, even played on console, despite some flaws with its controls.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Pezh J.

GameGrin

Top Critic

5.5 / 10.0

Nov 14, 2022

Though Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord provides a fun outlet with its battles and the strategies you can employ within them, everything else is lacking in comparison. You might get a solid 5-10 hours of enjoyment out of the campaign before you it dawns on you that there's not much else to discover but a disappointing realisation.

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Branislav Kohút

SECTOR.sk

Top Critic

8 / 10.0

Nov 11, 2022

Ten long years have passed since the announcement of the latest installment of Mount & Blade. Then the game was in early access, and now it's finally finished and fully battle-ready. Not all fans are thrilled with the result, as not everything is as it could have been, but it's still a trip worth taking part in.

Review in Slovak | Read full review

Matt Sainsbury

Digitally Downloaded

Top Critic

Nov 11, 2022

For everyone else, there is nothing quite like Mount & Blade. This expansive, massive, deeply immersive blend of open world, open-ended RPG and medieval strategy might be the biggest time sink on the PlayStation 5, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. The stories of heroics and failures that you can write for yourself while playing this game are positively Shakesperean, and this is one of those rare times where failure is as entertaining as success, because there’s an excellent, emergent story in that.

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Chris McMullen

GameSpew

Top Critic

7 / 10.0

Nov 8, 2022

Should you buy Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord? If you’ve got the slightest taste for big battles or an interest in medieval conquest, absolutely. Don’t expect the depth of, say, Crusader Kings III, but for fans of medieval warfare this is a real winner.

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Alex Varankou

New Game Network

Top Critic

67 / 100

Nov 2, 2022

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord continues to offer a unique mix of grand strategy and large scale 3D battles. The strategy aspect could have used more depth and variety, as well as a better designed campaign and a lot more tutorials. But it's the battles that steal the spotlight, with thrilling large scale encounters. While the developers couldn't deliver on all their ambitions, the distinctiveness of the gameplay still helps the sequel stand out.

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Blaine Smith

Gamers Heroes

Top Critic

85 / 100

Oct 31, 2022

There is no other game like Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. It's a fantastic experience, one unique in the gaming space. The constant grind to manage and progress with your kingdom is hard work - really hard work - but the payoff is spectacular. This is not a game for everyone but if this is your kind of thing, you're going to love every blood-stained minute of it.

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Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Critic Reviews (2024)

FAQs

Is Mount & Blade II Bannerlord any good? ›

This game is an epic journey into the heart of medieval warfare and political intrigue. It has vast sandbox world, immersive battles, and intricate diplomacy system, every decision feels impactful. Bannerlord is must-play if you're a fan of medieval strategy and action RPGs.

Is Mount and Blade Bannerlord worth getting? ›

If you want an open sandbox RPG where you can command an empire and armies while still controlling your character on the battlefield, then Bannerlords is worth the cost of a night at a cheap bar. If you want stunning art, then you might better enjoy an art museum.

How long does the Bannerlord campaign last? ›

Powered by IGN Wiki Guides
Single-PlayerPolledAverage
Main Story2351h 27m
Main + Extras1566h 29m
Completionist8133h 41m
All PlayStyles4670h 40m

Is Bannerlord 2 fun? ›

Is it fun? Yes, definitely. But you're missing out a ton by not modding it. And if you are modding, then M&B Warband is much, much, much more fun.

Is Warband better then Bannerlord? ›

I consider warband broadly superior on every front, in some cases narrowly, and in many important ones (combat, progression, unit stats, warfare) far superior. The expanded management system of bannerlord is so sidelined as to basically not be there and it's equivalent to what mods like diplomacy give you anyway.

Does the game Bannerlord end? ›

The game's campaign is open world and open ended, but that doesn't mean there aren't quests and story missions to go on and complete. Here's how the story, and quests, work in Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord.

What is the best weapon to buy in Bannerlord? ›

Thankfully, these weapons are tried and tested steel for those looking for the stabbiest sticks and the sharpest shivs.
  • 1 Two-Handed Sword - Thamaskene Steel Two Hander. ...
  • 2 One-Handed Sword - Engraved Backsword. ...
  • 3 Axe - Heavy Executioner Axe. ...
  • 4 Polearm - Warrazor. ...
  • 5 Bow - Noble Bow. ...
  • 6 Crossbow - Bound Crossbow.
Jan 30, 2023

Is marriage worth it Bannerlord? ›

Getting married and having kids in Mount And Blade Banner Lord is crucial for character progression and clan expansion. Choosing a young spouse and focusing on the virile skill increases the likelihood of having children.

Why is Bannerlord so good? ›

The main thing that sets Bannerlord apart from Warband is the emphasis on clans, which allow you to take ownership of multiple separate parties and the game is built around this. You see in Warband, you just had individual lords with their own band of warriors to command who follow their marshall into battle.

Do you age in Bannerlord campaign? ›

If you play the game, I can ensure you that you'll probably want your character to age faster and have lot of childs to use them as governor or party leader. Your character will age and die. However, it makes having children a real blessing.

Is it worth executing Bannerlord reddit? ›

There are major reasons to do so. It weakens the clans the person you are executing belongs to, and at some point you can eliminate the clan entirely making it way less difficult to take over lands they once owned.

Why does a second party cost so much Bannerlord? ›

A lot of that is probably expenses related to starting the party. Recruitment, buying food and horses, upgrades. But at this point in your clan strength you are better off not having a second party until you have multiple fiefs to provide passive income to pay for your party and any additional parties.

Is it worth having parties in Bannerlord? ›

Parties don't make money unless you're in a war and can consistently win large battles and sell the loot and ransom the prisoners. The main draw is saving on influence and training the companions. The thing that sucks is that the AI can call your parties to their armies and get your men captured.

Can you build in Bannerlord 2? ›

Building structures offers benefits for your settlement and ultimately you so is something well worth your time and money. All projects and buildings can be queued up so you don't have to check back constantly to issue orders and all projects can be upgraded to a maximum of level three.

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