Don't miss this one.
I'm sitting here looking at the 6.0 that this game got from Gamespot, and it's that same 6.0 that kept me away from it for so long. I can kind of understand where they were coming from, though I think they tried to apply a completely different set of ideals to this game, and when it didn't match up, they figured it just deserved a fair rating.
I completely disagree.
This game has, in my opinion, the best large-scale medieval combat I have ever seen in my life.
From the 5-10 man battles that you encounter early on, to the 200-900 man battles you see when the game is in full swing, this game is simply breathtaking. That mere fact alone puts this game far beyond a 'fair, good try but not quite' category in my mind.
The graphics are now a bit dated, but so is the game, and bear in mind that it wasn't a huge studio working on this, so what you get is pretty good. That being said, they're really not horrible at all. I'd say Oblivion minus 10-15%, and that's nothing to shudder at by any means.
The GS.com review talks a lot about the substandard quality of quests, and while they're not great, it just isn't what this game is about. That's like complaining about the lack of crafting, or ability to play musical instruments in the game, when that was never the intent or purpose in the first place. The quests are really just an "on the side, for a few extra bucks/faction points" sort of thing. Merely an additive to the massive combat that you thrive on.
For those of you that have never played it before, I'll give you an overview of what you'll run in to:
The game gives you very little direction as to where you're supposed to go, or what you're supposed to do. It's pretty clear that it's all combat based (You can do a little bit of the trading game, though raiding a city or caravan is much more quick and profitable than trying to ride around and play the market), and to that end you start out in a training field with some perfunctory "here's how to swing your sword" sort of instruction. The 1 on 1 combat is good, but not wholly representative of what you'll be running into later, but it's a good start. You basically have a choice between polearms, 1 handed weapons, 2 handed weapons and crossbows/long bows. With the exception of the ranged weapons, swings and blocking are very intuitive and very integral to gameplay, and mastering them will take a little bit.
Once you've got your feet wet a bit you're turned loose in the world, free to explore. You'll quickly discover the need for some fellow soldiers the first time that pack of bandits beats you up and steals all your stuff, so you immediately turn to the nearest town to recruit some soldiers.
I won't spoil all the fun for you, but suffice to say your soldiers grow with you, using their experience gained in battles to become stronger versions of themselves, and with a little bit of time and success, you can have a very formidable force at your beck and call, and the means to wage war for whatever kingdom you choose to ally with, or perhaps as a rogue army.
Battle locations, with the exception of cities (which differ greatly anyway) are randomly generated terrain, and VERY big. I wasn't even sure there was an edge to the map in the first few battles. Your army starts at point A, and the enemy at point B, and the fun commences. You'll quickly discover why cavalry ruled the medieval world, as just a few high leveled horse riders can take down an incredibly large force of infantry. For this reason I ended up enjoying pole arms the most, as a spear is by far the most effective weapon on horseback.
The one drawback I'd attach to the game is also one of its strengths, and that is lack of direction. It's great to have an open-ended feeling, but after a while you do start to wonder "what do I do next" even after you've already been around the block a few times.
But if you enjoy sword combat at all, or military sims, you NEED to play this game. Don't believe substandard reviews of this, it is WORTH a playthrough, and you can get a great taste of it for free on Steam. Go get it.