MarcVenice,
The combat is excelent. You control your own guy, you can wander the planes, visit towns and cities, get more people to join you. Then you can attack bandits that are roaming around. Sometimes you see big big armies and if you are in good relations with one of the lords you can join in.
You fight mounted or on foot, with swords, axes, polearms, spears, bows, crossbows, throwing knives/axes and rocks... and more.
Its a single player game.
The more you fight the more xp you get and then you can level up. Increase your skills so you can control more people, take more prisoners (which you can sell into slavery)
In cities you can take part in tournaments, you can ask people and take quests to win money and favor.
You can also storm castles to try and capture them (never done that myself)
... there is probably plenty more to do
Also there are user created addons around, middle earth, ninjas, pirates, more skins, and lots more.