Mount & Blade is a single-player, third- or first-person action/role-playing game with a focus on medieval combat. Developed by the Turkish development house TaleWorlds Entertainment, the BETA version of the game has received acclaim worldwide by gamers impressed by everything from the realistic horseback combat to the sandbox gameplay. The latter enables players to roam the map freely in a medieval world that offers options ranging from hunting down bandits, trading for profit in the game's deep economical system and becoming a commander and taking part in the wars ultimately becoming a great lord of the realm.

Tthe game will feature a unique combat system that accounts for players’ defensive reactions in battle, as well as their physical positioning when making attacks.

“What separates Mount & Blade from other action RPG’s is that that most RPG’s have more statistics-based combat, while we use skill-based combat,” explained Armagan Yavuz, Lead Programmer of TaleWorlds Entertainment. “Even though the damage you do is influenced by the statistics of your character and his weapon, it is also based on physics formulas: the energy, speed and impact angle of the weapon. For example, if you are rapidly approaching your enemy while you’re mounted on a fast-moving horse, the damage will be much greater since the momentum of your horse is added to the speed of your weapon's swing.”

In addition to its highly advanced combat dynamics, Mount & Blade features an open environment in which players can go anywhere to interact with characters and forge alliances—or conquer foes—throughout hundreds of villages, castles and towns.

Of late the dreams of battle have abandoned your slumbering mind. They fade like shadows into the dark endless night, leaving you to tremble in despair. For it has been too long since your last mortal combat.

You cannot escape the destiny of a warrior's heart. It lies beyond the distant hill, within the halls of the next castle, among the bloodied reeds of surrounding lands. Be it on foot with axe or with Mount and Blade, you are fated to fight in the lands of Calradia once more.

Mount & Blade, developed by TaleWorlds Entertainment, will be released in North America on Sept. 16 and in Europe on Sept. 19, 2008.