Mordhau Xbox Series X 8/10 “Fun and frustration” ⚔️🛡️ @mordhaugame #IndieGame #GameDev

I'm going to start my review by admitting that although I thoroughly enjoyed Mordhau, god I suck at it. The expression ‘as useful as a chocolate teapot’ really does sum me up when it comes to this genre! The first thing I did when I loaded up the game was to laugh at the idea of playing through the tutorial, and instead jumped straight into a large battle. Within the first thirty seconds, I had pressed the button to un-equip your weapon, and had swapped my sword for my fists - I was in trouble, but luckily I only had that problem for about forty seconds before a kind person stabbed me in the gut and put me out of my misery. Instead of re-spawning, I decided that it was probably best to quit out and actually play the tutorial.

Mordhau is a medieval multiplayer hack-and-slash fighting game featuring up to 64 players, You participate in small or large-scale battles and there are various modes such as ‘Frontline’, where 48 players are divided into two teams and have to accrue the most points by capturing territory or killing enemies, there is also the ‘Invasion’ mode, whereby one team are the attackers and the other act as defenders who are tasked are with protecting key objectives. 

The key to these types of games is the combat, with weak, unsatisfying combat mechanics- it’s game over. Luckily, the combat is varied and brutal - but it does take time to master, Stupidly running head-first is just going to get you stabbed in the gut, it really takes patience and a willingness to learn. 

You have your choices of many tools of destruction; great swords; axes; maces; bows; and the deadliest weapon of all... a flute. Combat is about the balance of attack and defence, with options to slash and stab, or parry and block, The game really emphasises the need for smart tactics, and players have to make calculated decisions, it’s overwhelming at first but deeply satisfying when mastered.

Another thing you will need to master is the horse, riding a horse while using a lance is a lot like everything else in this game and is very difficult but if you can find a horse and are competent, it’s a good way to really get some kills.

You will have the option to pick from a number of predetermined classes with loadouts that have set armour and weapons, They are a good starting point and you can usually find a class to suit you, although you can choose a custom loadout if nothing takes your fancy. One thing I really appreciated was the variety of levels which had many different environments, Playing other games of this ilk, I have found the lack of varying maps to be a big problem, so was glad to see a nice diversity of locations.

On the technical front, I had no bugs or glitches, my experience was very smooth and though I have seen others mention problems  I didn’t run into any technical issues. The graphics were decent - not the best - but were good enough. The control scheme is solid and is very customisable, I was happy with the default layout, but being able to make changes is always much appreciated.

SUMMARY

I may never be very good at Mordhau - but I had a lot of fun. Combat takes some time to get used to, so it isn't just mindless hack and slash, and with a variety of maps and modes, the game has a lot to offer. Now tune your flute, saddle up your horse and remember - always play the tutorial!