Chivalry: Medieval Warfare Review

Chivalry is the kind of game that just sounds like a great time, and on that count, it delivers. Over the last few weeks playing Chivalry I have had some of the most fun I have ever had in gaming. Ever. That's going back through nearly 30 years of playing video games. As a kid gaming on my NES, this is exactly the type of melee combat I dreamed of having one day, and that day is here. If crushing your enemy's skull with a giant two-handed warhammer sounds good to you, then you will be right at home in Chivalry. If you are not the up close and personal type, you can stand at distance and strike down foes with your crossbow. One thing you definitely don't want is to be alone against several enemies. The first time I played this with a friend we teamed up and just rolled our way through so many enemies that came at us one at a time. We also wondered how in the hell we ended up staying up playing a game until 7 AM the next morning.

For those not familiar with Chivalry, this is first-person medieval combat. Civil war has erupted in Agatha and the Agatha Knights and the Mason Order are battling for control. It is class-based, with 4 different classes to choose, those being Archer, Man-At-Arms, Knight, and Vanguard.

Archers are the only ranged class and can use bows, crossbows, or javelins. Crossbows are slightly more damaging than bows but also must be reloaded after each shot. While drawing back your bow you can focus in order to zoom in. Archers are weak in melee combat but this can also be used to your advantage. With patience and skill you can easily dispatch overzealous enemies that are looking for an easy kill. Archers receive a fifty percent damage bonus to backstabs.

The Man-At-Arms is a light melee class with exceptional speed and the ability to dodge. This ability can be used offensively as well as defensively. A great technique is to dodge your enemy's attack and then quickly dodge forward to land a blow before he can recover. The Man-At-Arms can equip a shield to block incoming blows or can be outfitted with throwing knives or an oilpot. The oilpot is a small incendiary device that can be used to light your enemies on fire and is a great tool against stubborn knights that are hiding behind their tower shields. As is the case in real life people tend to get a bit flustered when they are on fire.

Aggressive players will have a great time playing as the Vanguard. Their two-handed weapons are unmatched in reach and damage making them a force of reckoning on the battlefield. The Vanguard has a charge attack that allows them to leap forward and perform a stronger attack than usual. This can be used by simply sprinting into battle and using the primary attack.

Last but not least, Knights excel at absorbing damage. As the class with the most armor as well as the largest shield they are able to tank. It also costs less stamina for knights to block. Patience and timing are key when playing as a Knight as they are also the slowest class. Knights are also able to use two-handed weapons.

I have found each role to be satisfying and well varied from one another.

As you play with each class, you unlock new weapons to use, based on kills with your current weapons. Not everything is necessarily an upgrade and may be more of just a different tactical choice. For instance you may get a new sword that is faster but doesn't do quite as much damage. Each weapon is rated in three main categories: Damage, Rate, and Range. Swords, axes, maces, and many other weapons are available. A complete listing of the arsenal is available here. On the whole, slower weapons tend to do more damage and have more reach.

Combat in Chivalry is accessible, deceptively simple, and suits a variety of play styles. Horizontal attacks are the primary attack (Keybind: Left Mouse) and the easiest to land as they are broad, sweeping strokes. Overhead attacks (Keybind: Mousewheel Down) are the most damaging and Stabs (Keybind: Mousewheel Up) generally have the most reach. Damage is location based, with shots to the head doing the most damage. Attacks can be queued into lethal combos but these carry as much risk as reward. Landing a combo can easily dispatch an enemy, however you are extremely vulnerable against a smart enemy that counters your attack. Defensively you can parry, block, or kick. Parried or blocked attacks temporarily knock your opponent off balance and must be aimed in order to be successful. Kicks are used to push back an aggressive foe or to break your enemy's guard and open him up to attack. Feints (Keybind: Q) are cancelled attacks that can also be used to bait your enemy into exposing himself to attack. You can interrupt enemies' attacks by hitting them while they are winding up. Lastly, be sure to keep an eye on your stamina, as running out will seriously hinder your fighting ability. Missed attacks, feints, kicks, dodges, and blocks all consume stamina.

There are several different game modes which include Free for All, Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill, Last Team Standing, and Team Objective (TO). The TO mode should be right up your alley as a teamplayer and TPGer and is how I have spent most of my playtime. On TO maps one team will defend, while the other team attacks and has to complete objectives to advance to the next stage of the map. There are a variety of different objectives such as burning down a farm to destroy the enemy army’s food supply, pushing a cart full of corpses into the enemy’s water supply, and killing the enemy king.

The atmosphere of the game is fantastic and really contributes to the epic feeling of being on a medieval battlefield. The sound design is terrific, and in particular, the voices are great and often hilarious. On most maps you will find siege weapons that can be used to great effect. A catapult in the right hands can be devastating, and the resulting carnage lives up to that.

The first major content update is right around the corner and will add new weapons, maps, and game modes. There will be a new map for the TO game mode. The update is due out sometime this month.

Any of this tickle your fancy? Are you itching to go medieval on someone’s ass? Well, what are you waiting for? TPG operates a Chivalry server (184.173.90.89:7777). If you enjoy good old-fashioned fun video games and doling out beatdowns you’ll fit right in. Grab the game today, and join us on the field of battle.