Chivalry 2 is now here, bringing large-scale medieval warfare to consoles and PCs. Of course, that comes with some obvious questions about what kind of game it is, especially for the uninitiated. Those that are new to the franchise, or that didn't follow it closely up until launch, are likely wondering if Chivalry 2 has single-player modes, or if it's a multiplayer-only experience.
Unfortunately, Chivalry 2 doesn't have a single-player mode, at least not in the sense that most are hoping that it will. Instead, Chivalry 2 is a multiplayer-only game, so anyone looking to step into the shoes of a medieval knight will spend most of their time competing with other players. There is, however, one small asterisk there, for those that are adamantly opposed to playing with others.
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While it won't be as deep as a full-blown campaign, Chivalry 2 does feature bot matches. These matches are intended to help players learn the ropes, but anyone that just wants to go smack enemies around might find it to be a good use of their time, or at the very least a good distraction. It can be frustrating to face off against high-skill players while learning the game's early mechanics, so bot matches are a good respite.
While some may feel burned by the lack of a single-player campaign, it's not uncommon for this sort of game to not include single-player components. For instance, the first game in the series didn't include a single-player campaign, and its contemporaries – like Mordhau – haven't included single-player components either. The positive is that it allows developer Torn Banner to focus its efforts on providing tight combat mechanics and smooth gameplay.
It's possible that Chivalry 2 could add a single-player component at some point in the future, either as an update or as a full-blown DLC package, but that doesn't seem likely, and the developer hasn't made any indication that it wants to do so. With that in mind, it seems likely that Chivalry 2 will remain a multiplayer experience for its lifetime.
For some, Chivalry 2 being multiplayer-only might be a bit intimidating, but the bot matches will provide a decent way to learn the ropes. Chivalry 2 single-player is a cool concept, but it's something that just doesn't seem to be in the cards right now. There's still a decent bit of content in Chivalry 2 for players to enjoy, though, so fans shouldn't let the lack of single-player get them down toom much.
Chivalry 2 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.