Chivalry II

"It's just a flesh wound!" Play a few rounds of Chivalry II, and it's hard not to think of the classic Black Knight scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Running through the battlefield, you'll see knights on both sides still duking it out, despite missing arms, legs, or even combinations of both. The level of violence is so over the top, you can't help but laugh. Watching players beat each other up with severed limbs, or taunt enemies with a chicken, all while spouting out silly one-liners and otherwise leaning into the absurdity of everything, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that there's actually a serious medieval combat game here. In fact, if there's one glaring fault, it's that the game seems to have an identity crisis. One minute, players are watching a grim cutscene on the history of the conflict between the two factions or taking part in a pre-battle motivational speech with enough bravado and inspiration to put Braveheart to shame. The next minute, players are dancing around, trying to ride catapults and otherwise playing everything to comedic effect.

Setting aside the identity issues and looking strictly at the gameplay reveals a surprisingly deep melee fighter. The basic controls are easy to pick up and play. But this is where the nuance comes in. Button mashing can work for a little bit, but to genuinely succeed, players must master a complex combat mechanic that relies heavily on things like precise timing, positioning, and wicked-fast reflexes. The game looks and sounds fantastic too. From the shimmering glean of a knight's polished armor to the lush crops of the peasants' farms, there's a lot of detail packed in. Some animations are a little stiff, but it doesn't take long to adjust to and forget about. Matches are relatively easy to set up and dive into, encouraging players to stick around for "just one more match." Just don't expect that match to ever take itself too seriously.