New Game: Warband, cRPG

I downloaded a game on Tuesday called "Mount & Blade: Warband." I've played the game before, back when the original came out, but I thought I'd give it another spin. The game has a really interesting and exciting approach to medieval combat, on a 3rd/1st person level. To be honest, I bought the game not even to play the vanilla or "native" version, but to play a mod called cRPG. cRPG allows you to play Warband in a sort of persistent universe--think MMO style, with character statistics, equipment, etc.

One of the coolest features is that, while persistent, the game is played like any other FPS. You end up playing what averages out to about four minute round games, single spawn. You get gold and experience, spend said things, rinse and repeat. Now, recall that I said I bought the game on Tuesday. Between Tuesday, and yesterday (5 days), I've played...

45 hours. That's at least five hours a day, and bear in mind that Sundays are pretty busy for me. But this game is pretty incredible. It's not even that it's mind-blowlingly awesome. I think it is that simple quality of all MMOs that, with a level based improvement system, you just "want to get to that next level," and end up playing into the early hours of the morning to do so.

Anyway, great game. Below are some pictures of the epic matches. Some of the servers have upwards of 150 player capacity--that's right, 75 vs. 75 medieval battles with horses, archers, knights, and all sorts of other peasant related warriors. Definitely recommend this game, even if it's going to slowly drag down my GPA.