Warband Mods: Prophecy of Pendor

This is my favorite mod pack for Mount & Blade. Prophecy of Pendor is notoriously known as the most challenging overhaul for Warband. I doubt I'll ever meet anyone with the patience to complete it on hard, it's just too difficult and frustrating. Pendor has a new map, equipment, units, and lore. It's essentially another game using the same engine. Even on the lowest setting, it's a really hard to get a good campaign started.

Cavalry. Lots of Cavalry.

Pendor is mostly trial and error for the first dozen hours. There are new factions and units to deal with and most of them will annihilate you, even if you outnumber them 10 to 1. I've had an army of 100 men get massacred by 10 knights before. This may sound frustrating, but when you can barely kill anything on the map it gives you something to aim for. When you finally get a bunch of companions and higher level equipment it's incredibly satisfying to beat them.

Prophecy of Pendor has such a huge experience curve, that you can put in a solid 50 hours into your campaign and some of the hardest enemies will still be untouchable. Unique armies spawn on the map with up to 1000 troops, roaming and destroying anything stupid enough to get in their way. It's common to see an army of 800 Seers or Jatu with hundreds of prisoners. Which is cool because if you defeat them you can pick and recruit any soldier you want.

This rampaging Jatu army wasn't easy to take out.

When you get to the stage of fighting factions and conquering castles, you will quickly find a few new surprises. Most prominent of which is being able to recruit Pendor troops and create Knighthood chapters. Once you are rolling with some highly trained knights and as much cavalry as you can get your hands on, get Warband Battle Sizer. Battles with over a thousand soldiers are unbelievably epic.

The army commands in Pendor are essentially the same as native Warband. However, it's far more important to maneuver your ranks strategically. Enemy forces can have some dangerous units that you have to counter effectively. For example, if you come up against the rare Noldor bowmen, you have to wipe them out immediately or their arrows will drop a soldier every second. It's still possible to abuse the mechanics to win, taking a large hill or massing cavalry is still overpowered. However, not all opponents will fall to superior mechanics.

I don't quite know why I have the Punisher logo, but I'm okay with it.

Pretty much everything from the original Warband campaign is gone. I honestly would of preferred Pendor to be the original game, I believe it's far more rewarding and addictive. There are a few aesthetic changes to make the game less frustrating to navigate, and each area of the map is scary and unique in its own way. It's not as big as Floris or story based like Light and Darkness; but Pendor has bigger and more diverse battles with a challenging learning curve.

Prophecy of Pendor is a great alternative for those of you looking for something new in Warband. It's difficult, even on the easiest settings. Beginning a new campaign is a struggle. You'll have to save a lot and use trial and error to break past the first few levels. Some of you might not find it worth the time, but it's a very rewarding experience. 

Single Player RPG recommendations- Action

This list was quite difficult to come up with. I've played many action RPG franchises over the years, but barely any of them were noteworthy enough to place on this list. If you're looking for an RPG that focuses on action filled combat instead of the slow-paced affair that defines the role-playing genre, take a look at these recommendations. Bear in mind that these games are in the order that I prefer them, but not necessarily the best.

Single Player Action RPGs

1. The Elder Scrolls

When this guy jumped me I gave him a stern telling off. Then I sheathed my sword. In his head.

Between Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim; It would be a travesty to not put the Elder Scrolls franchise in this list. With a vast open world and first person combat, these games are a perfect blend of RPG and action. Use a sword, bow, or magic to take down your enemies in spectacular fashion. If you haven't played any of these games yet, be sure to get Skyrim or Oblivion at your earliest convenience. The RPG elements are extremely involving and the action is entertaining and addictive. If you get a copy on the PC there are countless mods to expand the games too.

2. The Witcher 

The Witcher 2 is much better than the first game, but if you want to know the entire plot you'll have to start at the beginning.

I've always been a fan of the Witcher games. They are far from perfect, but one of the most rewarding series to play if you can get into it. I haven't found an RPG with more satisfying combat yet. Geralt is an awesome main character, and he wields a sword like a champion. You have several magical spells at your disposal, all with different uses. The story starts off slow but fills with tension the further you go. It's not all good, you have to deal with some inventory management issues and other problems. However, if you're looking for a game with brutal third-person action and a rich world with lots of lore to dive into, look no further.

3. Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Deus Ex is widely known for giving you lots of choices.

Deus Ex focuses more on shooting and stealth than RPG aspects, but it's a great blend of genre nonetheless. This title has a great story with some epic moments, and almost every problem has more than one solution. You can approach each goal in many different ways, and you can upgrade the main character to open up different routes and techniques. It even has multiple endings. I really like the customization on Human Revolution, it's possible to build yourself like a terminator or a sneaky ninja. The hacking mini-games are also pretty awesome. It's also worth giving the first two Deus Ex titles a try if you can handle the old graphics.

4. Fallout 3 and New Vegas

The landscape really brings a convincing post apocalypse story to Fallout.

Although I haven't completed either of these two titles yet I've played enough of them to know they are iconic games that probably deserve a place higher on the list. Although Fallout is an FPS you don't have to aim your gun once if you don't want to. Using the VATs system the game allows you to target specific body points and shoot at them automatically. The game has a solid RPG base to it, with dozens of perks and plot choices to make. Whether you're blasting at the giant scorpions or that guy in a bar who gave you a dirty look, Fallout is a post-apocalyptic wasteland that will bring you many hours of fun.

5. Borderlands 2

I thought Borderlands 2 would be more of the same, and I was right. But it's got flair and a good story this time.

I'm adding this game in the final place with a fair amount of skepticism. Borderlands 2 is meant to be enjoyed on co-op with a friend or two. However, unlike the first game it's actually reasonably fun if you play it alone. The plot is a key part of the game, it's intriguing and the villain is quite good. Aside from that, Borderlands 2 is essentially a first-person shooter with some simple RPG mechanics. There's no way you will have as much fun playing it alone when compared with playing it with your mates, but it's still a pretty good game with loads of content to sift through.

Why don't more people know about Mount and Blade?

Mount and Blade: Warband is the kingdom building sandbox experience of a lifetime. I can put this franchise in the 'god-tier' category with confidence. Which is why it's genuinely surprising that it doesn't have more of an audience. In Mount&Blade you can grow from a peasant to a commander, and eventually even a king. What's more, it's got fantastic combat that pits you on the battlefield alongside your troops, allowing you to command your ranks while in the center of the fray. You can tell you're playing something truly amazing when a game has irritating bugs, a distinct lack of polish, and awfully optimized graphics; but you can't bring yourself to stop playing it.

You start out alone in the world. Eventually you can wield an army of hundreds.

There are currently 3 Mount & Blade titles on the market, with the 4th in development. Each game runs on the same engine, with the only changes being various adjustments to improve the quality of play. If you haven't heard of this franchise yet, either do a little digging or just buy Warband. The original Mount and Blade is a little outdated, and the newest edition Fire and Sword has a few unsightly design changes that make it less fun. Warband is the one to buy.

Although the original campaign can easily soak up a good 30+ hours of your time and still leave you with stuff to conquer and finish, what makes Mount and Blade a timeless game of outstanding quality is the gigantic modding community. The base game is a mod enthusiasts paradise. There are so many complete overhaul packs that you're essentially buying a dozen games in one. I've racked up over 200 hours on Warband so far, and I only spent a couple of hours playing it without mods.

The world map is gigantic, and you can conquer all of it.

If you're looking for one of those games that you will never regret buying, look into Mount and Blade: Warband. More specifically, do some research into the mods you can get for it. It's essentially free DLC. Take a look at Prophecy of Pendor and Floris, both are gameplay overhauls that introduce around a gigabyte of awesome changes. If you're interested in multiplayer, you can also try out CRPG. My point is, if you want it; there's a mod for it on Warband. The goal of this article is to raise awareness of an under appreciated franchise. If you haven't heard of Mount & Blade, then take a look and try it out. It's cheap!

Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes

Fallen Enchantress brings the city expansion mechanics from Civilization and influences it in another direction with hefty RPG elements. When a tried and tested game is taken and built upon in the correct way, it can either be worse or better than the original. In the case of Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes, it's arguably a definitive improvement on Civ.

If you don't want to create your own hero, there's a pool to select from.

This is a title that makes you want to clear you schedule for several days; just so you can play campaign after campaign. In my opinion it's a strategy masterpiece, once again proving that the smaller and more driven gaming companies are more reliable at producing top tier video games. I must admit I have an affinity for strategy games with a strong RPG components. Being able to build your own kingdom or empire from scratch is a feature that everyone enjoys.

Early on it's good to try and field a couple of armies to search the map.

Turn based strategy games are uniquely qualified to perform admirably in tandem with roleplaying games. Fallen Enchantress allows you to create your own faction by selecting perks, colors, and banners for your armies and cities. After that, you can customize your main character with weapons, stat bonuses, magical talents among other choices. With a comprehensive and satisfying list of options when beginning your campaign, your army feels like it actually belongs to you. It's what makes this game special. Instead of starting as a predetermined country or race like most strategy games, it feels pretty damn glorious to see your handmade empire conquering cities and wiping out enemies.

Autobattle is really unreliable.

After restarting several campaigns I got to grips with the general rules of play. You begin the game with your commander and a small army. From turn one it's important to explore the map to grab valuable resources and upgrades. You can also take out some of the weaker neutral armies on the map, or complete quests to gather experience and a reward. Early on the map is a very inhospitable place. There are countless dangerous enemies that will get you wiped out. At the same time it's also important to establish your city and choose a strategic approach to how you want to build it. I found that on the higher difficulties it was vital to create pioneers and create several well placed cities early on.  Although your biggest problem at the start is the gigantic lands filled with dangerous monsters, other factions will quickly get in your way and try to cut off your expansion.

There aren't that many important nodes to tap into on the map, but they are useful.

Legendary Heroes is an addictive game. Once you get rolling and attract a few heroes to your cause, it becomes a debate on whether you should play defensive and rush your research, or pump out armies to take control of the best resources to get ahead. Leveling up your basic soldiers is difficult when they die so quickly but very rewarding. It's a shame that the auto-battle feature is pretty awful, it doesn't try to keep your units alive. So even when you have a superior force, you usually have to resolve the conflicts personally to prevent losses. They don't take too long but they can get pretty boring.

Out of the many strategy games I've tried, I find Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes one of the forerunners. Up there with titles like Shogun 2 and Warband. From the frantic early game to the empowering endgame it's addictive and enjoyable. It's a shame that it lags pretty harshly between turns and lacks much needed polish. Here's hoping that the sequel steps it up a notch and brings us something for the hall of fame.

Bleach: Versus Crusade

Bleach is an anime that has made several forays into the video game arena, with a reasonable amount of success. However, some of the best Bleach titles never even make it out of Japan. After playing the disappointing Shattered Blade on the Wii, I wasn't very eager to play another game that might ruin the reputation of my favorite anime. However, after a bottle of vodka and some wine, I made the happy mistake of attempting to emulate Bleach: Versus Crusade. Surprisingly, it's actually a fun and entertaining game. With Dolphin emulator and a reasonable internet connection, it's a very quick and easy process to obtain and get it running too.

Byakuya is hard to play but rewarding.

The first thing you need to know about Versus Crusade is that it's all in Japanese. There's no English patch, so it takes a little research on Google or knowledge of the language to get started. If anything, I'm happy that I don't have to listen to Ichigo and Rukia's voice actors speaking in English. Don't let this barrier deter you; you can find menu translations all over the internet, created by avid fans.

Ichigo is pretty overpowered, but he can be beaten.

The second thing you need to know, is that instead of the 2D Tekken style battles are gone. Instead, Bleach: Versus Crusade adopts a combat style that can only be compared to the Dragonball Z: Budokai franchise. This is a very welcome change, bringing a more free-roaming approach to the action, which befits a franchise of Bleach's caliber. Being able to Shunpo around the battlefield dodging blasts of Reiatsu is deeper and more fitting than the 2D arcade style of beating eachother senseless on a single plane.

Melee attacks are the bread and butter, to build up your Bankai.

Although the story is very short, it takes place during the Hueco Mundo arc. Which means Ichigo can go Visored mode and put on his mask in battle. The plot follows canon and in between battles the dialogue is unveiled upon a simple backdrop. The lines are all voiced by the actors from the show. It's pretty basic really, and is in no way special. The only real redeeming quality of this game as a whole is that it's basically Dragonball Z Budokai's battle system with beloved Bleach characters. Albeit with a lot less content.

The dialogue is essentially quoting the Bleach manga.

As I have mentioned already, the combat is drastically better than the other Bleach titles on the market. Each arena you fight in is large enough for you to move around freely. You can chain together several flashsteps to cover distances quickly. Each character can strike in melee, landing a hit allows you to chain together several blows. There are also four special attacks that are unique to each character. For example, Ichigo can fire off small or big Getsuga Tenshou projectiles, and Ishida can use dangerous long range Quincy arrows. All characters can Bankai, which increases their damage considerably. It's not too badly balanced, no matter who you pick you have varying strengths and weaknesses.

Not unlike most of the games on the Wii, the graphics aren't spectacular. The maps are pretty awful too, but they do depict all the scenes from the anime and manga accurately. What I do like, is the fairly comprehensive roster of characters you can choose from. You can play survival or arcade mode when you've finished the campaign, which utilize tag team battles. Overall, I'm disappointed in the lack of content, but it's definitely a step in the right direction for future Bleach games.

Bleach: Versus Crusade isn't really a great game. It's fun, and will kill a few hours of your time. But it lacks depth and there's not much for you to do. If you do like Bleach, then it's worth playing. If not, you can probably find something better to do.

Final Fantasy XV may put Square Enix back at the top.

This years E3 has been interesting. Aside from Microsoft being outclassed in presentation in every possible way by Sony and Nintendo, new footage for the exciting new Final Fantasy XV. In the past couple of years we've seen a couple of trailers, ones that lack any kind of substantial information about gameplay. That's all about to change. This video shows how Square Enix have finally accelerated themselves into the new era of action RPG.

I am not ashamed to admit that watching this video sent my body into goosebump overdrive. I am trembling with anticipation for this game. I have played every Final Fantasy title to date, and haven't thoroughly enjoyed or respected one after X. Every release after FF10 made at least one gamebreaking mistake, one that defined the entire title in a bad way. Final Fantasy X-2 had the abysmal dress sphere system and the distinct lack of any story aside from concluding the previous game. FF13 was terrible in the sense that the only break from the first 20 hours of following one linear path was to press auto-battle repeatedly until you won. It's no secret nor something people can argue about: they were all distinctly lacking that Final Fantasy feel that made you lock yourself in a room and quit your job until you had finished it.

Final Fantasy XV looks like it is going to bring us all back from the brink. Dare I say it for fear of jinxing the whole production? We're actually going to get a good Final Fantasy game again. One that us fanboys can actually defend on an intellectual level. We've got a main lead that seems to be cool for once, unbelievable graphics, intense third-person action, and some colossal enemies that look truly terrifying. Final Fantasy XV looks promising indeed.

This video just looks awesome. Square Enix could still fuck it up, but from what we've seen they are definitely on the right track to making a titanic game. Here's hoping I don't end up posting a review next year about how disappointing it is. My biggest fear is that the protagonist Noctis will turn out to be a douche. Ever since Tidus I've never liked the main character.