Chivalry 2 PS5 & PS4 Hands-On Impressions – When you think of Chivalry you probably think of it as a PC game which came to consoles but never really made a bang. But, Chivalry 2 is aiming to change that with a full cross-play launch on all consoles in June and the same great slashing multiplayer gameplay.
We got the chance to play the game ahead of its closed beta this week and walked away enthused and laughing at just how ridiculous the game can be at times, while also appreciating how it retains the idea of fun and enjoyment in those silly, hectic moments.
Chivalry 2 PS5 & PS4 Hands-On Impressions
Fight, Fight, And Fight Again
If you haven’t checked out Chivalry in the past, the basic premise is there are two teams fighting on a large map and the first to kill the most players or complete a certain objective wins the match.
But, Chivalry 2 heightens the action by offering 64 player matches, instead of the 32 offered with the first game. This effectively doubles the action and doubles the danger on the battlefield, but also the possibilities for action and sword swinging.
The core tenets of combat are that you can perform a slash, overhead, or stab attack with each taking place in real-time and having a windup. So, your hit won’t land straight away and if you swing from right to left you should turn to the left so that your sword hits your opponent early in the attack. It’s a satisfying physics-based combat system, to say the least.
Alongside, the core combat mechanics, you can block, parry, and use some equipment to throw your enemies off-balance and stun them. Oh, and of course you can throw your sword. Yep, if you spy an enemy five meters away, you are able to just throw your sword at them and save yourself the trouble of duelling with them.
All of this happens while player characters scream as they charge towards enemies and limbs fly off of bodies as they are sliced apart in the chaos unfolding all around you. The action and spectacle of Chivalry 2 is really something to admire. One map starts off by having you fight alongside giant Trebuchets as they attack the castle gates ahead and the sense of scale Torn Banner Studios have created is amazing.
Chivalry 2 is pretty much devoid of a lot of the story and narrative you would see from games, but the combat and multiplayer is so fun and exciting that it never got old while I was playing earlier this month. The price also reflects this, which is nice.
Teaching You The Basics
By far the most impressive thing I saw in my time with Chivalry 2 was the tutorial, which is incredibly detailed and thorough, highlighting every key combat mechanic, including taking on multiple enemies at once.
The tutorial is a must for existing fans and newcomers as it teaches you all you need to know. At first, it might seem overwhelming, but once you try it, you realise how simple it is and anyone can pick up and play, with the ability to master the more in-depth mechanics, like stamina management becoming second nature as soon as you have got a handle on the core controls and systems.
The one issue I have with the tutorial is that the narrator sounds so unbelievably obnoxious that I can only describe them as having “a thick regional English accent, whilst also being so drunk they are barely able to string a sentence together”. In the long run, it doesn’t have too much of an effect, but in the moment it was possibly the worst thing I have heard in months.
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Variety Is The Spice Of Life
As with all multiplayer games, variety and new content is what keeps it alive. I got the chance to check out three maps and two game modes, regular team deathmatch and the objective mode, which has you defending or fighting through a map to complete a set of objectives. All three maps and both game modes were enjoyable and I loved switching between them and consistently having a fresh experience every 30 minutes or so.
Initially, in every match, you are given a traditional sword or mace, but you can pick up pretty much anything in a map and use it as a weapon. A piece of wood, even a chicken, can be used to batter your foes to a pulp and it is as hilarious as you’d expect. Therefore, you can always find something new to wield to put a twist on the traditional combat experience.
I didn’t get to see the progression systems within Chivalry 2, however. You will be able to unlock new skins and cosmetics, along with weapons by levelling up, but I have yet to see if that will be the carrot on the stick to keep me playing long-term. There will be microtransactions for cosmetic items in the game, but any gameplay items are only earned within the progression system. Which is obviously a good thing indeed.
An Absolute Blast That You Can Definitely Dip Into
Whilst I haven’t been able to see if Chivalry 2 will keep me invested for the long term, the core sword-swinging gameplay is so damn fun and chaotic that I had an absolute blast playing earlier this month and am excited to get stuck in again this weekend during the cross-play beta.
I haven’t played a multiplayer game that is so detached from lore, narrative, and weight dragging it down in a while and Chivalry 2 is all about the fun you have in matches and offers deep enough gameplay to keep that fun interesting. We still have a while until its full release, but right now Chivalry 2 is worth keeping an eye on and could make a big impact in June.
Chivalry 2 releases for PS5 & PS4 on June 8, 2021. The Chivalry 2 cross-play open beta runs from April 23, 2021, to April 26, 2021, on PS5 & PS4.
Closed beta build of the game for PC provided by publisher.