We are the brave knights of Agatha, our symbol in the form of blue was not chosen by chance: honor, pride and dignity are important to us. We will never put our order in jeopardy, because we support and love our king. Love, understanding and compassion are alien to these ruthless creatures of the Mason Order. They wear red robes as if symbolizing blood and rage, they are simply barbarians, and we are honest warriors. ”
These were the last words of the Knight Agatha before the Mason Order broke through the defenses, captured the outpost and left no living place on this earth. You know, but that glorious fighter was right, Agatha always fought with honor and dignity, while for the Mason Order victory was above all, and they achieved it in every possible way.
Everything that happens in the Chivalry franchise revolves around the conflict between the two factions. The style of the knights of Agatha can be reduced to naive nobility, while the members of the Mason Order are used to achieving everything by force and blood – they are like good and evil in the series, even if the game does not openly divide the sides into black and white. If you delve a little into the history of the conflicting parties, it turns out that the Order of Mason was founded by the knight Malrick, who broke away from Agatha. Then Malrick had followers who, like him, had passed from the Blue Knights. So the civil war began, only some remained gallant, while others turned into conditional robbers.
Very little time is devoted to the plot, but it is still there. Chivalry 2 continues the events of the first part, the developers decided to show the story in the form of a couple of small texts and one video, and this is a strange decision. In the vastness of Chivalry, one could come up with a cool and deep story with iconic elements of the era: epic sieges, betrayal and the war for the throne. However, in the case of the second part, the developers decided not to delve into lore and focus on online battles.
The first part came out nine years ago, and during the long hiatus, little has changed. Reds are still fighting hard against the blue, there are still four classes to choose from, multiplayer battles have remained a typical carnage without noble duels. The gameplay is an evolutionary development of the original, with the changes being relatively modest by today’s standards. Massive PvP battles for 24 or more people are deepening into the niche occupied by developers nine years ago. Against the backdrop of gigantic battle royals with hundreds of players, engine development, cross-platform gameplay, experiments with mechanics, Chivalry 2 looks like a “poor relative”. On the one hand, it has originality and characteristics, on the other, it lacks depth and relevance.
Changes in the gameplay affected classes and customization. Now soldiers can choose not only the type and color of armor, but also change their voice, appearance, eye color and other details. This makes the soldier more alive. I spent about 40 minutes to make each of the fighters unique. He made a knight with a scar on his face, gave him a rude voice and a stylish hairstyle, and gave the vanguard a war coloration and cut his hair to almost zero. That made it less pleasant to die in battle, because I created almost personalities, and not cannon fodder for archers!
In the first part of the franchise, there were four classes: archer, knight, infantryman, and vanguard. Chivalry 2 didn’t offer more choice, but now each class has three subclasses and this adds an extra layer of variety. For example, a knight can be given a shield and sent into the midst of a mess, and an archer can be equipped with a crossbow and throwing knives. Subclasses open as you play, everything is simple: you kill a lot and lead the team to victory – you get a subclass earlier.
Of course, you can turn around in the game: there is a classic wall-to-wall fight, team battle, capturing points, protecting your lord and holding a position. The whole thing happens on small maps, mostly castles and fields. There is also a tournament area adapted for head-to-head fights. You can feel like a real knight. This is all cool, but I would like something really big. Why not make a full-fledged mode with an attack on the castle and siege weapons, where some defend themselves within the walls of the citadel, while others break through with fury without knowing mercy? Probably, after some time, the developers will update the title and add even more modes, it’s just a matter of time.
The most noticeable and important difference is the graphics. Chivalry 2 is made on Unreal Engine 4, the capabilities of the engine are great for the needs of the title. The game does not have much scope for the size of the maps, all events take place in small areas, but there is a beautiful rain and mud under your feet. The second part is much more beautiful than the original in everything. The picture, particles, effects, animations, feeling from the battle – head and shoulders above the first part. Add to this liters of blood, flying heads and a stable 60 FPS – beauties. Speaking of the latter, the PS5 has support for two modes: “graphics” and “performance”. In the first mode, the title works at a stable 60 frames per second in 4K resolution, while the second provides 120 FPS, but with some drawdowns. In general, the game works technically without any complaints, but don’t count on the AAA level either.
If someone was worried about the combat system and the dismemberment, then I hasten to please – with this, complete order. Fighting is still difficult and interesting. You can’t just press two buttons and rejoice at the victory, because for such a game will punish and punish cruelly.
Chivalry 2 has different types of attacks: fast, piercing, empowered, and special. On the battlefield, everyone is equal, and therefore the outcome of a collision with the enemy will completely depend on you, only if you are not playing with a team whose members can cover your back. A reflected blow at the wrong time can cost your life, so you need to approach the battle seriously. Also, do not forget about the need to block and parry blows. For the time played, I managed to make one cool feint. I ran out on four opponents and immediately blew off the head of one, the rest continued to attack, I defended myself, my health was low. I was saved only by a deceptive maneuver, which interrupts the attack that has begun and changes it to another. Thanks to this, I chopped down two more, and the last one was finished off by an allied archer with a bow shot. I felt great, but at the same time worked with a team member.
At the very beginning, the game offers training, and even if you are a gaming veteran, I recommend refreshing your memory, it will not be superfluous for sure. You will have to practice with live NPCs, not dummies, so even during training, the severed legs and arms will fly in all directions, I guarantee.
Chivalry 2 is a good multiplayer PvP action game. If you want the screen to be flooded with blood – you are here, love the atmosphere of the Middle Ages and bloody massacres – you are welcome. If you played the first part, then this game will hardly surprise you with something other than a beautiful picture, but if you want to spend several tens of hours and shred your heads, then this is definitely a good option. Gather your friends and fight for honor! Well, or for glory, then decide for yourself.
