A bit harsh on the combat mechanics? It's the same system that's in use by Mount & Blade and War of the Roses. Once you get the hang of it, hacking, blocking and parrying is an immensely satisfying experience as you and an enemy go back and forth on eachother. It's easier to block without a direction with the shield, but it will wear down and eventually break. If you're skilled enough, you can just drop using a shield, or carry it on your back, and just do all the blocking manually.