Chivalry: Medieval Warfare Review!

In a gaming age of modern-era first person shooters, it’s difficult to differentiate one from another. Sure, they have different storylines and feature different weapons, but at their core they are basically carbon copies of one another. Chivalry straps on the gauntlets and seeks to change this, offering visceral close-quarters combat set in medieval times. In 2007, Age of Chivalry was released as a complete conversion modification for Valve’s Source engine. This overhaul focused primarily on melee combat and team-oriented gameplay. In 2012, a sequel to the aforementioned game has emerged as Chivalry: Medieval Warfare. Now using the Unreal engine, the game has been improved many times over but still offers the vicious face-to-face combat that fans have grown to crave.

Story:

The overall storyline is as simple as can be. The Agatha Knights and Mason Order are in a brutal civil war for dominion over the nation of Agatha. The Knights are seen as “good” and the Order portrayed as “evil”, giving a good guy / bad guy scenario and allowing the player the choice of which side to fight for. Each map has its own back-story and game modes, but being that there is no single player campaign there is no evolving storyline to follow. This method of providing an overall situation and providing details within each map is a great way to provide some story in a round-based multiplayer game whose primary focus is on gameplay. The scenarios for each level range from team oriented objectives to an all-out free for all bloodbath with multiple game modes for most maps. Defend or attack a village, fortify or assault a stronghold, be the last team standing in an arena; every situation you’d expect from this time period is there for the playing. An on-going storyline based on multiplayer progression would have been a nice touch, but the plot that does exist is satisfying and sets the mood for each match.

Gameplay:

While most current games focus on firearms and modern warfare, Chivalry is the shining exception offering pin-point accuracy in the melee combat and an all-around addicting and competitive match-based gameplay. The game by default is in first person, but is easily changed to third person based on preference. Either option allows for a surprising amount of accuracy in each swing or block and does a great job of immersing the player through gameplay alone. While shooters encourage taking cover and shooting at whatever moves, this game places an emphasis on planning out a tactic and rushing head-first into the fray. There are four classes available at the start of each match, each with their own unlockable weapons and equipment. The Archer uses either a bow or crossbow for ranged attacks and is weak in melee combat. The Man-At-Arms relies on high speed and dodging to avoid blows while delivering them himself. The Vanguard has high reach and damage making them very versatile fighters. Finally, the Knight is incredibly powerful and heavily armored while suffering reduced speed. The well-balanced classes provide multiple ways to play and offer different strategies for any situation.

The game is played in rounds, with each match played on a pre-determined map and game mode. While there are many game types to be explored, I personally found the free-for-all mode to be the most pleasing. There’s nothing like sprinting into combat as a vanguard cutting down opponents as you rush by. The combat itself may be frustrating at first, especially to new players not quite used to the accuracy required to block and land blows, but once one becomes accustomed to the controls it becomes second nature to parry a vicious overhead blow and follow up with a swift riposte. It gets chaotic at times on the battlefield with 32 players in close-range combat, but this is part of the game’s brilliant immersion. Rather than stalking through a map not knowing where your opponent is lying in wait to ambush, you can see all of your opponents in front of you clashing with your teammates and working their way toward you. Strategy is key if one is to avoid being pushed aside by a battle axe, and getting to know the battlefield first-hand is the only way to survive.

Graphics:

It’s clear much work went into perfecting the environments and models to achieve the well-rounded medieval aesthetic that Chivalry boasts. The game looks fantastic in the Unreal game engine, with each environment a unique experience in itself. Dark forests, sandy beaches, medieval castles, and ancient ruins are just a few of the various maps in which players will fight, each lush and full of detail. Character animations are incredibly accurate as they must be for players to be able to block and strike with absolute certainty. Some textures such as armor and ground clutter are a bit dull upon close inspection, but when you’re more concerned about being backstabbed or beheaded on the battlefield that’s a moot point. Lighting and shadows are brilliantly implemented to help archers blend into the shadows and further drive the overall medieval look. And let’s be honest, there is nothing more satisfying when cutting down an o pponent than watching his head roll away, or his arm drop to the ground still holding its sword. These gruesome details are yet another point that makes combat so enjoyable. Even your own death animation is quite entertaining to watch. And you will see lots of those.

Sound:

The clash of steel and loosed arrows fill the battlefield amidst the vigorous battle cries and death moans that would make even a hardened veteran cringe. The superb sound effects are one of the biggest factors in the game’s excellent immersion. To close your eyes and listen to the sound effects around your character gives the perfect mental image of a medieval battlefield, completed by an arena with cheering crowds and a village with screaming peasants running for their lives. The sound of each brutal attack colliding with armor makes you feel the blow yourself, and the arrows zipping by gives a sense of urgency to find some cover. While no music plays during matches, this actually adds to the feel of the environment. At any moment the soundscape can change from a serene field to a chaotic flurry of metal on metal and back to a peaceful tranquility signifying the calm before the next storm.

Verdict:

Chivalry is an amazing multiplayer experience. Not only is it a nice break from the every-day shooter, it offers up a unique first person hack and slash that succeeds on just about every front. There is no single player campaign, but players can play in a match with AI bots; that is if you don’t mind winning without a struggle. In my experiences bots had trouble navigating terrain, often getting stuck in walls. They also seemed more interested in killing their own teammates rather than winning the battle. While the AI has some flaws, it’s still a great way to get practice for the relentless online gameplay. The rank-up system as well as the various maps, multiple scenarios, well-balance classes, and highly accurate gameplay all give Chivalry a very high replay value. Those new to first person games may find a bit of a steep learning curve in the exactness required to block and strike effectively, but it is a simple form of gameplay that one should become accustomed to very quickly.