I feel like a lot of people here forget what Warband was like or how different Warband was compared to the original Mount & Blade. Warband offered some added functionality, multiplayer, and something of a narrative but was effectively the same game as the original. Even with the Diplomacy mod, the marshal AI was atrocious, marshalling fickle AI lords was even worse, and the limited amount of quests were far more than frustrating. You can't pay me enough to herd zig-zagging cattle to armies, to deliver inconsequential messages across the map, or to fight up and down 80 degree inclines ever again.

Even in early-access, Bannerlord is arguably the best medieval simulator on the market, making it more than worth its value at its current price point. The influence system alone is a godsend. No more dedicated marshals and no more soliciting every peer in the realm for votes. Influence controls votes, policies, marshalling, and maintaining army cohesion. I love it.

The tactical game is unreal. Gone are the days of Swadian knight charges; the game is now about holding the high ground, giving your archers a line of sight, using your cavalry to harry and flank, and maintaining infantry line discipline, especially in battles with 800+ men. The maps make combat even better. Bridges, cresting hills, narrow valleys, river crossings, rolling sand dunes, and more. Each of these terrain types demand different tactics.

Fighting is a lot more fun than in Warband. Two-handed weapons are an art. The animations are satisfying to watch as well. Spear a guy from the front and he flies backwards. Shoot an arrow into a guy's neck and he grasps at it before falling to his knees, dead. Ring a guy with your glaive and he spins around in the direction you struck him. Fantastic.

I don't know what all this talk about wasted hours is about. Crashes maybe? I haven't suffered a crash for about 20 hours now. It last happened when I succeeded on the first of two persuasion attempts to marry the Khergit heir. The crash occurred because I opened the dialogue box through the army panel. No big deal. I disbanded the army after I finished a siege, approached the Khergit heir afterwards, and proceeded as planned. We have a kid now and his name is Junjad, but I affectionately refer to him as Junchad. I've only encountered one or two bugs that I couldn't work around, which makes this early-access release more than playable in my eyes.

The only thing I truly dislike about Bannerlord is the defensive siege game. It needs a lot more work. Offensive sieges can be fun though, but they too need some work (e.g. laddered siege towers are useless). I suggest cracking walls with four trebuchets (after racking them up in reserve) for the best experience.

Lastly, I find the emergent gameplay qualities to be superb. I've rolled two characters: first with the Battanians and now with the Khuzaits. I've adopted my own roleplay rules (over recruitment, executions, and lofty ambitions) each time and the game enables that. I once got shot off my horse and was about to be swarmed, only to command my cavalry to sweep in and save my life as if I were Jon Snow. Too much fun. I've noticed some women die from childbirth, making lords bachelors again. Feels like a real, breathing world. It'd be nice though if lords and ladies killed each other every once in a while, seeing as they breed like rabbits, but I'm sure that's to come.

I've waited a long time for this game and I am beyond happy with it so far. It reminds of me of CK2 back when it was first released — a great game with the potential to become a masterpiece. Thankfully, TaleWords doesn't make any other games. This is it. With 100+ employees, the potential is there. I wouldn't hesitate to buy as a former Warband player. As a newcomer with different expectations, maybe it's worth waiting for the full release. Up to you if you want to have fun now or later.