Do you hear that coming over the hill? It sounds like a hundred galloping hooves and the war cries of bloodthirsty soldiers. That can only mean one thing: you'll be able to dive into the medieval world of Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord soon. On March 31, 2020 to be precise.

TaleWorlds has announced that you'll be able to pick it up for $49.99 / £39.99 over on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and it's own website. What exactly will be available to play in the early access version of Mount & Blade 2 hasn't been revealed yet. Nor is any idea given of how long it will be in early access.

If you've played the first game you'll at least know what to expect from this sequel. There's a ludicrously detailed medieval sandbox to explore in the singleplayer campaign. You can pretty much live the life you want as you develop your character and side with a faction. Get rich by battling bandits , settle down and start a family, or recruit a huge army in order to attack and overtake castles .

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord will be released in Early Access on 31st March 2020. The game will be available for purchase through Steam, Epic Games Store, and TaleWorlds website, for $49.99/€49.99/£39.99. pic.twitter.com/vIGe2Is4tgFebruary 19, 2020

As open and directionless as Mount & Blade 2 is designed to be, it does actually have a story if you want to pursue it. It's a prequel to the first game, set 200 years prior, at a time when the Calradian Empire is collapsing and factions are fighting to take control of the continent.

Mount & Blade 2 also has a multiplayer mode which is more focused on battles. As with the first game, you'll need to physically move your mouse around to swipe your weapon. It'll probably take a little while to get used to the weapons physics, so expect to flail around for a while, dying through clumsiness as I used to when first playing the game.

Hopefully the early access version offers a generous slice of all of this. TaleWorlds will reveal what will be on offer in the early access version in March, before it drops. Not much longer to wait now.