Stronghold: Crusader II

 PC
Stronghold: Crusader II Image
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65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews What's this?

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6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 250 Ratings

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  • Summary: When it was first released in 2002 Stronghold Crusader put a unique twist on the gameplay of the original Stronghold by focusing on skirmish gameplay and replayability above all else. Recently Stronghold Crusader HD gave the game a new lease of life, offered as a free update for existingWhen it was first released in 2002 Stronghold Crusader put a unique twist on the gameplay of the original Stronghold by focusing on skirmish gameplay and replayability above all else. Recently Stronghold Crusader HD gave the game a new lease of life, offered as a free update for existing owners of the game and made available for purchase on GOG and Steam. Crusader 2 has been on the mind of Lead Designer Simon Bradbury since the release of Stronghold Crusader in 2002. It is only now, having become a fully independent studio, that Firefly feel comfortable delivering a worthy sequel to their fans’ favourite game. As a developer their mission is to recapture the addictive, intense gameplay that made the original Crusader a classic. Players can also expect new visuals, a reworked battle interface, new AI characters, environmental threats, new units and real-time physics. … Expand
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Stronghold Crusader 2 - Community Q&A Bonus Round

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 30
  3. Negative: 3 out of 30
  1. DarkStation
    Sep 26, 2014
    90
    Stronghold Crusader 2 was a rare game that I got lost in. I started playing and before I knew it, it was six hours later. Who can resist a game about castle building, economy raising, and taking on large castles full of troops and hazards?. Especially when you can soften up the numbers by launching diseased animals over castle walls.
  2. Game Revolution
    Sep 23, 2014
    80
    Firefly Studios hasn't quite made a new classic RTS game here, but they were extremely close.
  3. Hooked Gamers
    Oct 9, 2014
    80
    I would not recommend it as a single-player game. It simply doesn’t have enough flesh on the bones to be played that way for more than a few days. Fortunately, Crusader was never meant to be played alone.
  4. PC Gamer
    Sep 24, 2014
    64
    The Stronghold series isn't like Total War, doing a hundred different things; it just needs to get the castles and combat right. On the evidence of Stronghold Crusader 2, Firefly is moving in the right direction, but it still has a way to go.
  5. Games.cz
    Dec 3, 2014
    60
    Blast from the past when real-time strategies used to dominate the world. The creators took the concept of the first part almost completely and besides the updated visuals there is no extra value added to differentiate the sequel from the original.
  6. Gamer.nl
    Oct 10, 2014
    60
    Stronghold Crusader 2 is not what we’ve hoped: right now the game doesn’t come close to its great predecessor. Still, there are some original ideas to be found here, but thanks to all the bugs it feels like this game has been released too soon.
  7. NZGamer
    Oct 8, 2014
    40
    The game is an anachronism, proving that transposing ideas from the past (without thinking critically about how they should be represented in the present) doesn’t always work.

See all 30 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 65
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 65
  3. Negative: 27 out of 65
  1. 15Moopy96
    Sep 23, 2014
    10
    Exactly what I wanted out of the game. If you enjoy the original stronghold crusader this should be equally as addictive. I have put about 6Exactly what I wanted out of the game. If you enjoy the original stronghold crusader this should be equally as addictive. I have put about 6 hours into the game so far. At first I was hesitant but after I progressed through the campaigns I found that this game possesses everything that made the original fun and more.… Expand
  2. scavenger1
    Sep 29, 2014
    10
    Great! Better than crusader 1. It has some bugs, but gameplay is still brilliant and worth money spent for it!

    Graphics aren't as good as    Great! Better than crusader 1. It has some bugs, but gameplay is still brilliant and worth money spent for it!

    Graphics aren't as good as in other 2014's productions, but It's stronghold series, graphics is not important!    … Expand
  4. Sjalka
    Sep 26, 2014
    8
    8/10

    why? - cause i love stronghold crusader. - it is fast, simple RTS. crusader 2 feels pretty much like the original - with better    8/10

    why? - cause i love stronghold crusader. - it is fast, simple RTS. crusader 2 feels pretty much like the original - with better visuals. the changes are few or very subtle, or so it feels. it is still the good feeling of building sandcastles and stomping on your enemies castles.

    but not all is better. - the whacky enemies are less so, the tone is a bit more serious, the AI seems not to have made even small leaps since the original much.

    This game is MUCH better than the other stronghold games, - but i do have to admit, it is not exactly more "fun" than the original ( or for that reason the HD version of that ) - it looks better, but feels too similar.

    it could have been more, but it is worth the asking price - for those who liked the original or HD version (... and do not expect more than practically an expansion pack with new visuals ) - so in the end, it is not "more" than the old crusader. ... but still fun    … Expand
  5. Merti
    Mar 21, 2022
    6
    They scored on the game ... Developed, return the stronghold to us, or, well, work with the 2-part
  6. Sawt00th
    Sep 30, 2014
    4
    A real opportunity to atone for Stronghold 3 and build upon the better name of Crusader. Going from TW:R2 to this is like going from Lego toA real opportunity to atone for Stronghold 3 and build upon the better name of Crusader. Going from TW:R2 to this is like going from Lego to Duplo. The actual building of the fortifications is still as lacklustre as previous. Un-engaging, hardly siege warfare. Just a re-hash of an old game. Re-skinned. Mechanics improved (wouldn't be hard). meh.… Expand
  7. DarthVenom
    Feb 11, 2020
    3
    Still playing Stronghold Crusader 1 since it was relesed and love every sec. spent not 10000h, years on it. But this one doesnt deliver as theStill playing Stronghold Crusader 1 since it was relesed and love every sec. spent not 10000h, years on it. But this one doesnt deliver as the old one.. I believe they need to go back of making game to be simple. I dont care about graphics, I care about better AI, more units, upgrading, more freedom of building. I feel that Firefly is realy focusing more on graphics how it will look. Just bring back how it was, you have game that sell it self. There is still more players on SC1 than SC2, and that tells something, it is not only nostalgia, it is great simple gameplay.… Expand
  8. Ashkanniazi
    Jan 21, 2021
    0
    big disappointment so bad its not a stronghold game
    Dont buy this game so many bug, crash and low fps in any case
    bad story, gameplay is    big disappointment so bad its not a stronghold game
    Dont buy this game so many bug, crash and low fps in any case
    bad story, gameplay is ruined for bugs    … Expand

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#73 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014
30
#30 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

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