Last play session, I gathered the pieces we needed to build the trebuchet and just manages to save the Master Engineer from a would be assassin. Now we were ready to test the machine, but nothing is that easy. Spoilers head.
Protecting Our Camp from Toth’s Reinforcements
After a lackluster test of the new trebuchet, a rider rushed into camp with bad news. Toth’s reinforcements were coming to help defend the captured castle. If we didn’t take them out before they surround us, the siege would fail.
I was ordered to lead a group men to flank the army near the river. We rode off to the spot and patiently waited for the marching troops to pass us before attacking. They realized they had stumbled into a trap and the fight commenced.
I employed my usual tactic of flanking the enemy while my soldiers were fighting them head on. We cut through the group within a few minutes and helped out with another group that crossed the bridge.
Protect the Trebuchet
Some of the attacking troops made their way to the trebuchet camp and we raced to protect it. I only ran into about half a dozen men, but they managed to keep flanking me. It was the most difficult part of the mission leading to a few injuries for me, but we were still able to defeat them quickly.
After the battle, our soldiers managed to capture Erik (who I first met infiltrating Vranik) and we planned to interrogate him. During that conversation, we found out that Erik is more than friendly with Toth and they are actually lovers. He would make the perfect bargaining chip to secure hostages.
Preparing for Battle
Sir Robard gave me the honor of firing the newly tuned trebuchet to officially begin the siege. It was fun watching the soldiers slowly pull the arm down and then load it. After firing the trebuchet, I was given a few days to wrap up loose ends while the bombardment continued to weaken the walls.
I used the extra time to visit Henry’s girlfriend Theresa one last time (mostly so she could repair my clothes). The other parts of the days I used to repair my equipment and prep for battle.
There was one last task Robard gave me to find some of the scattered enemy solders in camps in the woods. He only needed me to locate the camps, but I took them all out on my own. This resulted in me having to repair my equipment again, but it was worth cutting through the stragglers.
Final Battle
The trebuchet did the trick and busted the gate open. My assigned group of Skalitz men were ready to climb ladders to attack our part of the wall. We scaled up and fought the men at he wall. It was tough as they were good at constantly flanking. I ended up with injuries and almost bled out a few times.
By the time we took out everyone at the walls, it was just me and Captain Bernard left alive from my original group. We fought our way into the courtyard and I thought he was going to die on me, so I risked injury to constantly protect him. It was close, but we both managed to survive and were rewarded with a victory cutscene.
Rescuing Lady Stephanie and Sir Radzig
We used Erik as a bargaining chip to get Toth to come out with Lady Stephanie and Sir Radzig. Hanush made a deal with Toth to hand over the Lady and Radzig in exchange for safe passage with Erik. He agreed under the condition that we not follow and he release Radzig near the boarder of Skalitz. Henry protested a bit, but he could not argue with the peaceful resolution Hanush proposed.
I rode off with Hans Capon to go collect Sir Radzig. The banter between them was fun, as always. Once we collected Sir Radzig, it queued a cutscene where he explains he loved Henry’s mother, but could not marry a commoner. The blacksmith that Henry thought was his father stepped in and took care of them both.
That sword Henry was chasing from the beginning was meant for him. Unfortunately, Toth escaped with the sword and the man that killed Henry’s parents are was also out of reach. It was a perfect setup for a possible sequel and this is where the credits roll, but the game was not over.
Epilogue
This was the longest game I’ve ever played, so of course that was not the end. Henry got a much deserved cutscene with some parting words from the blacksmith who had been his adopted father for so long and he caught a glimpse of his mother.
After his dream, he wakes up in his new room in the castle and enjoys a bit of banter with a guard on the subject of how to address him now. His new mission was to meet in the upper castle with the lords to meet with Margrave Jobst, the true king’s cousin who betrayed the king and is now trying to save him.
Once Henry reached the castle, a cutscene played to go over the new politics of the Kingdom. The game had started with news that king Wenceslas was held captive by his half brother Sigismund and the lords began discussing the fact that many who betrayed the king realized the alternative was worst. They came up with a plan to deliver a letter to the League of Lords to gain their support to reinstall the rightful king.
There was A LOT of deep political discussion throughout this part of the mission that I won’t get into, because I was too burnt out at this point to pay too much attention to details. The important part for me was I had to take the letter and join Hans Capon on his mission to delivery it, as his bodyguard.
We rode off with the letter and the game gave me a message letting me know the main story has now been completed and I can either complete side missions/explore or choose to ride off with Hans to truly finish. I completed all the side mission I wanted to and chose to finally ride off into the sunset.
Although it was the longest game I’ve ever played, I would have been willing to play more to see how the lord’s plan would play out and what trouble I would get into on my journey with Hans Capone. The game could have done with some more polish for pop in and other bugs, but I highly recommend it to anyone who remotely thought about playing it. It truly was an epic game.
Now to decide what I play next.