Chivalry 2 review
The hack and slash world of medieval war simulators has maintained a strong presence over the past few years, especially on PC. While Mordhau was the last game in the genre to hold the conversation, Chivalry 2 has arrived to challenge for the throne. Developed by Torn Banner Studios and published by Deep Silver, the elevator pitch for Chivalry 2 is as simple as they come. Two factions – the noble Agathans and the more evil Masons – battle across maps with swords, axes, hammers, and whatever else they can find. There are 64 and 40-player modes, each with slightly different objectives but with the same basic philosophy: kill people on the other team. While it may sound simple, that single focus is all Chivalry 2 needs to succeed. Siege warfare and fighting pit set dressing enhance the experience, but Chivalry 2’s frenetic engagements will still be compelling in a padded room. It doesn’t instruct players to learn each of its concepts if they want to be competitive, it just tells them to charge at each other and cause a bit of chaos, shouting battle cries as they meet their terrible doom.
Of course, that’s not to say that Chivalry 2’s combat is super simple – far from it, in fact. Chivalry 2 has a steep learning curve that allows those who master it to become unstoppable forces on the battlefield, while less skilled players become humanoid targets for they hacked. The same skill gap can be found in any multiplayer game, however, and Chivalry 2 gives players everything they need to get even. It just comes down to whether or not the players can refine those concepts. What separates Chivalry 2 from other multiplayer games is how it handles dying. While it’s still frustrating to chop someone’s head off, Chivalry 2 adds a few extra elements to spice things up whenever the player is outmatched. For example, sometimes a player’s arm will be cut off, giving them a short time to swing whatever one-handed weapon they may be carrying at their attacker, their screen telling them it’s “just a wound in the flesh” throughout time. The game also makes a point to just knock players out every now and then instead of just killing them. While this is usually a death sentence, players can either revive from this collapsed state or spend their final moments throwing punches in the groin of other players. It’s these moments of silliness wrapped in intense combat that make Chivalry 2 such a refreshing experience, especially when played with friends.
Not to mention, Chivalry 2 is gorgeous. The way the sun reflects on the armor, the details on some of the weapons, and the mud that covers the battlefield combine for a game that’s visually appealing, despite clearly being a more low budget effort. Again, the core experience found within Chivalry 2 is engaging enough to make its visuals secondary, but the good looks are the icing on the cake. Those visuals don’t extend everywhere, though. While players will spend most of their time in a full suit of armor, Chivalry 2 allows for some light character customization. The issue is that those customization options always seem to combine with something that resembles a death mask instead of a valiant knight. Considering Chivalry 2’s simultaneously grandiose and light-hearted tone, that may have been intentional. Another, less annoying area that Chivalry 2 struggled with was weapon selection. While the arsenal opens up a bit later, the classes are pretty much the same to begin with. Progression is mostly class-based for things like weapon unlocks, with a separate global rank that has some more uses, so focusing on one class will provide more diverse options to work with. This repeats the process for the other classes which is a bit tedious, as most of the early primary weapons feel the same. Their difference is mostly in swing speed and reach, which is important from a tactical perspective, but some additional adjustments to the effect for different weapon types make a world of difference.
Since its launch, the game has also struggled with server issues. There are many factors that can affect that, but even with a consistent Internet connection, it’s common to see ping spikes and characters freeze on the screen. The problems usually don’t last long, and Chivalry 2 makes it easy to spot low ping servers in the browser, but the issues are frustrating considering how important timing is in combat. There are a few other smaller bugs that also look weird on the screen, but not bugs that drag the experience down too much. For example, players will occasionally run across the map without their feet moving, making their bodies sway awkwardly as they move. It’s a problem that will likely be patched, but it’s still weird to see on screen. However, for the most part, we didn’t experience any issues that you’d think would mar the long-term experience. Those who enjoy games that are gory, bombastic, and with a bit of humor will find a great experience in Chivalry 2. It’s approachable, smooth, and a good time with friends. Plus, there’s the promise of free content on the horizon, which should make the current offering even more attractive to those who partake in it. While there are a few minor technical issues to be ironed out here and there, it’s still one of the most enjoyable experiences to come out of 2021 so far. Chivalry 2 is now available for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Today Technology reviewed Chivalry 2 on a Neuron 4000D from Origin PC. Origin offers a variety of customizable PCs that can meet any gamers’ needs. Read more about Neuron here. MORE: Chivalry 2: The Best Footman Weapons, Ranked