Chivalry 2 is a 2021 multiplayer mediaeval combat action game, developed by Torn Banner Studios as the sequel to the somewhat infamous ‘Chivalry: Mediaeval Warfare’ (2012).
Since its release in June 2021 the game has gone through various updates including the addition of multiple new breathtaking maps, which you can appreciate intermittently between dodging arrows, and other players attempting to chop off your head.
Chivalry’s routes can be traced back to the Half-Life 2 mod ‘Age of Chivalry’ (2007), which was developed by some of the great minds that still remain at Torn Banner Studios. The gameplay that can be seen of Chivalry’s origins can still be seen today, with many objectives involving high levels of teamwork and coordination in order to succeed.
Mediaeval combat games have always held a special place in my heart, games like Chivalry and Mordhau offer something to players that no generic first-person shooter can, the ability to have a tactful fight with your opponents. Say goodbye to camping, broken guns and kill streaks, say hello to horse-mounted screaming knights swinging a sword aimed at your neck.
Combat games such as these do require a certain level of skill to play, it is highly recommended that you play the tutorials to grasp the controls. Once you’re feeling confident enough to play against real people I’d recommend joining one of Chivalry 2’s many duel servers, where you will get to see first hand just how steep the learning curve can get.
The combat of this game and style of play can greatly differ between each player. In a sense there is a weapon type and player class that suits everyone. My personal favourite is the raider class, this play style leaves you with a moderate amount of health and armour, but also makes you much faster and agile compared to that of a knight. Combine this class with a big heavy weapon such as the Highlander’s sword (essentially an oversized claymore), and you have effectively a glass cannon that can run around maps at high speed dealing heavy damage.
Chivalry’s most impressive attribute as mentioned above, are its maps. Each map is unique and beautiful in its own right, from the Highlands of Scotland (yes there are even kilts in the game), to the more recent Desert lands of Tenosia. Each map oozes style and quality, with detailed buildings and decorations that a player would easily miss if they didn’t take a moment to look. The developers are avid film and game enthusiasts, so there are plenty of references and easter eggs to be found (especially Monty Python ones).
Much of Chivalry’s player base are veteran players of the genre, they’ve slogged through games to hone their talents, they have suffered through countless “patchies”, and have been distraught at their favourite weapons being debuffed due to balance. Yet the community remains ever strong, many players are more than willing to help spar and train newer players that are keen to learn, all you need to do is ask.
I got the honour to play Chivalry 2 in its infancy stages, and have seen the game grow and develop into something great. Recently the developers graced the community with the biggest update yet, the Tenosian Invasion. This update has added a whole new faction, massive maps, and the much-anticipated horse-mounted combat. Along with this update Torn Banners has expanded its player base by releasing the game onto Steam (previously the game was only available for Epic Games Store, Xbox and PS), allowing for a steady stream of new players to enter a growing community.
The biggest downside to date regarding the development of Chivalry is the lack of crossplay, this was originally pitched to players upon the game’s original release in 2021 and has remained a problem for developers to this date.
Currently, the game is on a 40% off sale on Steam at £21.59 and will be on sale until the 7th of July, and normally retails for £35.99, so there’s really never been a better time to check out this fantastic game.
In short, Chivalry 2 is a game that offers players an experience that is refreshing and exciting, there isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t find myself picking it up again for a couple of hours, and it has quickly become my go-to game.