Everyone agrees that (Singleplayer) Warband had a certain charm to it that (Singleplayer) Bannerlord just doesn't, ...and it's not (just) nostalgia. The 2 biggest reasons in my opinion are things that I don't see people talking about: The music and the Npc voice lines (also the incessant yelling during battle).
I think that the music in Bannerlord is good, although it lacks variety. What made Warband so much thematic in my opinion however is its music being so unapolegetic: The music is loud, the pieces are very distinguisable, uses many instruments and projects a wide range of emotions. Whereas in Bannerlord, the music is just a background piece that repeats itself, has no emotional range (is there sad sounding music like for example town neutral in Warband?). The music in Bannerlord is so faint and meek; it's just "there", it doesn't make you feel anything, it barely adds any personality to the factions. Even the most distinguishable piece in Bannerlord, the title screen music feels so weak compared to Warband's title music, where a full assortment of brass instruments assaults you within seconds.
Npc voice lines will be added to Bannerlord soon™, but if the added voice lines will be a robotic "Hello, I am a lord of the Empire. Nice to meet you." sort of thing, it's better to not add them. What made Warband as such iconic and memeable game in the first place was the game not taking itself so seriously. "Away with you vile beggar" spoken with a very nasal voice is much more memorable than a lord greeting you like you greet your english teacher in the 2nd grade of primary school. Things like "My men would like a word with you about your purssse-onal belongings" which contains a pun within itself is much more memorable compared to something like "Give me your money".
I can stand to live without the men constantly yelling in Bannerlord tbh, although the death sounds in Warband were 10/10, the devs should bring the death sounds back. The things listed above were certainly not the only reasons that Warband has more 'soul'. Things like companions reacting to your actions and talking about a nearby place that relates to them as a person for example are also things that gave Warband its soul. Some of Warband's glaring issues also gave it soul, like Harlaus feasting with the lords 24/7 while his kingdom is being torn apart, so I'm not going to suggest such things to be added (also Derthert is Harlaus's spiritual predecessor by taking every fief for himself). I hope that the devs read this post and at least decides to hire people to add new pieces to the soundtrack.
I think that the music in Bannerlord is good, although it lacks variety. What made Warband so much thematic in my opinion however is its music being so unapolegetic: The music is loud, the pieces are very distinguisable, uses many instruments and projects a wide range of emotions. Whereas in Bannerlord, the music is just a background piece that repeats itself, has no emotional range (is there sad sounding music like for example town neutral in Warband?). The music in Bannerlord is so faint and meek; it's just "there", it doesn't make you feel anything, it barely adds any personality to the factions. Even the most distinguishable piece in Bannerlord, the title screen music feels so weak compared to Warband's title music, where a full assortment of brass instruments assaults you within seconds.
Npc voice lines will be added to Bannerlord soon™, but if the added voice lines will be a robotic "Hello, I am a lord of the Empire. Nice to meet you." sort of thing, it's better to not add them. What made Warband as such iconic and memeable game in the first place was the game not taking itself so seriously. "Away with you vile beggar" spoken with a very nasal voice is much more memorable than a lord greeting you like you greet your english teacher in the 2nd grade of primary school. Things like "My men would like a word with you about your purssse-onal belongings" which contains a pun within itself is much more memorable compared to something like "Give me your money".
I can stand to live without the men constantly yelling in Bannerlord tbh, although the death sounds in Warband were 10/10, the devs should bring the death sounds back. The things listed above were certainly not the only reasons that Warband has more 'soul'. Things like companions reacting to your actions and talking about a nearby place that relates to them as a person for example are also things that gave Warband its soul. Some of Warband's glaring issues also gave it soul, like Harlaus feasting with the lords 24/7 while his kingdom is being torn apart, so I'm not going to suggest such things to be added (also Derthert is Harlaus's spiritual predecessor by taking every fief for himself). I hope that the devs read this post and at least decides to hire people to add new pieces to the soundtrack.
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