Mount & Blade Review (TheSmileBC)
Honestly, even though I have to admit Warband has more options and features to interact with, the original Mount & Blade still holds a special "Favourite" place in my heart.
It's a game I still return to regularly and spend hours of my night on. There is something about the simplicity of the original and the differences between the Overworld gameplay and the Battle gameplay that strikes the perfect balance between Chivalry: Medieval Warfare and games such as Crusader Kings for me.
I love Warband and Bannerlord as well, and I would still argue they are greater games, but the incrementally added complexity of features (although fantastic!) makes it less easy for me to hop into and mess around. It becomes more serious, and the original Mount & Blade keeps it simple.
Only downside I can mention is that at a certain point when you are fighting off an army of enemies, the battles can become a little repetitive and take up a bit of time, but in that case it's the perfect entertainment while listening to a podcast or watch some YouTube on the side.
I would always recommend Warband over the original, but it has to be mentioned that despite of its age, this game is still fantastic to play.