Chivalry 2 Review: Is It Worth Playing?

What is Chivalry 2?

Chivalry 2 is a large-scale multiplayer first-person slasher developed by Torn Banner Studios. It is the direct sequel to 2012's cult hit Chivalry: Medieval Warfare.

The premise is deliberately simple and steeped in cinematic medieval fantasy. Players are thrust into sprawling, chaotic battles where the objective is to siege castles, defend villages, and slaughter the opposing team with a vast array of period-accurate weaponry.

There is no intricate narrative campaign; the story is the one you create on the battlefield. Grandiose introductions for each map set the stage for the Agathian Knights to clash with the Mason Order. It is a game entirely built around the spectacle and visceral thrill of medieval combat, supporting up to 64 players in a single match.

Gameplay

To play Chivalry 2 is to embrace beautiful, controlled chaos. The core mechanics revolve around a deceptively deep melee combat system. At its simplest, you have standard swings, overheads, and stabs, each mapped to different mouse buttons or controller inputs.

The genius lies in the ability to feint, drag, and accelerate these attacks. Dragging your swing to delay the hit or accelerating it by turning into the blow adds a crucial layer of mind games beyond simple button mashing. A successful counter or riposte can turn the tide of a duel, rewarding timing and reading your opponent's movements.

Learning curve

The learning curve is significant but accessible. New players can jump in, pick up a greatsword, and find immediate fun in the crowd combat, landing satisfying hits on distracted foes.

However, mastery demands dozens of hours to understand the nuances of spacing, footwork, and the specific timings of every weapon class, from swift daggers to ponderous mauls. The game smartly avoids being a pure duelling simulator by emphasising large-scale objectives. You might be duelling a skilled opponent one moment, only to be trampled by a cavalry charge or crushed by a rolling firepot the next.

This ensures that even less skilled players contribute to the team's effort by pushing objectives, using siege engines, or simply acting as a distracting mob.

Weapons and classes

Beyond melee, the game offers a full suite of ranged options like longbows and crossbows, throwable weapons, and interactive environmental objects. The class system - split into Vanguard, Footman, Knight, and Archer - provides distinct roles and loadouts.

In our view, the combat achieves an excellent balance between approachable fun and genuine technical depth. It feels weighty and impactful; cleaving through multiple enemies with a heavy axe or landing a perfectly timed javelin throw from distance is consistently gratifying.

Who is Chivalry 2 for?

Chivalry 2 is primarily for players seeking a multiplayer experience that is equal parts intense and absurd. It will resonate most with those who enjoy games like the original Chivalry or Mordhau, but with a slightly more forgiving and theatrically inclined tone. It also shares DNA with the large-scale objective play of the Battlefield series, albeit with swords instead of guns.

It is a game that caters brilliantly to both casual and more dedicated players:

• Casual participants can enjoy the spectacle, complete team objectives, and experience the hilarious social role-playing that often emerges in voice chat (with battle cries being a dedicated button).
• Hardcore players can seek out the ranked duelling servers or strive to top the leaderboards in public matches through sheer combat prowess.

While there are offline practice modes, Chivalry 2 is fundamentally a social, multiplayer-only experience. Playing solo means matchmaking into public servers; there is no narrative-driven single-player campaign. If you do not enjoy the unpredictability and occasional frustration of large-scale player-versus-player battles, this is not the game for you.

Graphics and performance

Chivalry 2 employs a stylised realism that serves its tone perfectly. The visuals are sharp, with impressive armour detailing, gory dismemberment effects, and stunningly realised environments. Maps like the siege of Rudhelm or the battle among the fallen stones of Askandir are not just functional battlegrounds but are filled with visual storytelling and dynamic elements like burning buildings and crumbling walls.

The art direction leans into the cinematic, with dramatic lighting and weather effects enhancing the atmosphere.

PC performance

On PC, performance is generally solid if you have hardware that meets or exceeds the recommended specifications. The game is well-optimised for the scale of its battles, and we experienced consistent frame rates even during the most hectic 64-player clashes on high settings.

Some players have reported occasional server-related hitches or bugs, such as weapon animations failing to sync, but these were not pervasive in our experience.

Console performance

On console, the game targets 60 frames per second and largely holds it, providing a smooth experience crucial for reactive combat. The visual style ensures it remains impressive without demanding the absolute highest-end hardware.

Value for money

Chivalry 2 is a live-service game with a one-time purchase. Its value is intrinsically tied to how much you enjoy its core multiplayer loop. There is no traditional 'campaign length' to measure.

The progression system offers a long tail of unlockables, including new weapons, armour cosmetics, and heraldry items, which provide tangible goals for extended play. The map roster at launch was respectable and has been expanded substantially through free post-launch updates, including new modes like Team Objective and Last Team Standing.

The monetisation is focused on cosmetic items, with a premium currency used for specific armour sets.

In our view, the initial purchase price is justified by the sheer density and quality of the moment-to-moment gameplay. If the concept appeals to you, you can easily extract hundreds of hours of entertainment. However, if you prefer structured, solitary experiences or are unsure about competitive multiplayer, the lack of a substantive single-player component makes it a harder sell. The game frequently goes on sale, which is an ideal point for the curious to jump in.

Bottom line: The one-time purchase is justified by dense, high-quality multiplayer gameplay that can easily provide hundreds of hours of entertainment.

Verdict

Chivalry 2 is a standout multiplayer experience that delivers on its promise of epic, chaotic medieval warfare with remarkable style and substance. Its combat system is deep enough to reward dedication but accessible enough to provide instant, bloody fun. The presentation is superb, fostering an atmosphere that is both immersive and knowingly over-the-top.

Our recommendation: We recommend Chivalry 2 wholeheartedly to players looking for a unique and social multiplayer battleground.

You will love it if you relish the idea of charging into a breach alongside dozens of comrades, laughing as the battle descends into madness, and appreciate a combat system with real mechanical depth to master.

You might not enjoy it if you require a strong narrative, prefer slower, more tactical team play, or are frustrated by the inherent chaos and occasional jank of large-scale melee combat.

It is not a perfect simulation, but it is an exceptional piece of interactive spectacle and one of the most purely entertaining multiplayer games of recent years.