Stronghold: Crusader II

 PC
Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 30
  3. Negative: 3 out of 30
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  1. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Oct 25, 2014
    46
    When it comes to the fight the game remains as clueless as before. An attack resembles a mob hit on the madhouse watchman's post: confused fighters run toward the target and drop dead on the way. All three formations are designed to provide a semblance of order, but after right click on the enemy such order immediately thrown into chaos. And, just as before, two dozen archers on the wall solve most of the issues of defense. The visual part of the game just aggravates the impression that ... Oops, there is no impression actually. Nobody creates games in this way anymore. [Nov 2014, p.99]
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  2. CD-Action
    Dec 13, 2014
    40
    When I read that Crusader is slowly becoming the game the developers wanted it to be, I can’t hold back laughter. What are they going to do in Crusader III? Strip the visuals of distinctiveness even more? Simplify the economy further? Remove some more units? [Dec 2014, p.81]
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  3. 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.

Awards & Rankings

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

User Reviews

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User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 250 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 102 out of 250
  2. Mixed: 71 out of 250
  3. Negative: 77 out of 250
  1. dkurjery
    Sep 24, 2014
    4
    A big disappointment. In my first review, I stated that AI has been improved a lot. Several hours passed, I realize that I was wrong. In termsA big disappointment. In my first review, I stated that AI has been improved a lot. Several hours passed, I realize that I was wrong. In terms of unit management, AI does an excellent job, you won't have a chance if AI has a similar army size of your army. However, the reason why AI can rush so quickly is just because AI cheat for resources and units. Just try to destroy more and more AI's buildings, you will finally find out that opponent AI can still spawn any units they want even they don't have the necessary buildings and resource.

    The game has cut out a lot of content from the Stronghold Crusader I, you have less buildings in this game. Also, the details, animation, actions, voice and description of units are either absent or greatly reduced. Graphics becomes 3D now but it looks even worse than the 2.5D HD graphic in SC I.

    Single player campaign just look like a in-game tutorial, so your main game modes are the skirmish and sandbox mode. However, due to the reduction of details, there is no fun in sandbox mode compared to SC I. There are still various glitches or bugs leftover (e.g. units getting stuck, missing voice or sound, unresponsive mouse pointer, etc.), just take a look in the steam forum.

    Overall, the game doesn't worth $50 as there are not much innovation. Choosing the SC I instead may be a better purchase option.    … Full Review »
  2. 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.… Full Review »
  3. Doc_Hopwood
    Sep 23, 2014
    5
    For the reviews that say Crusaders II "possesses everything that made you love the first game" they are 100% correct. It's 2002 again and ifFor the reviews that say Crusaders II "possesses everything that made you love the first game" they are 100% correct. It's 2002 again and if you bought this game you are the proud owner of a $50 copy of Crusaders 1. Break out your Sony Walkman, crank the Limp Bizkit, and grab yourself a can of Surge (which they're also re-releasing this year).

    Your walls are made out of chalk and disintegrate into powder at the first sign of trouble. The big battles you see in previews? Those don't happen... instead your mob of cheap units crashes into their mob of cheap units. Formations and all that stuff are meaningless. You can build a big city in the sandbox game and play around a little and that's alright but then you're just putzing around collecting resources and decorating a screen.

    I don't typically care about graphics but the only thing I can point to that is different from the 2002 release from this series is a barely perceptible bump in graphics quality. Everything else is pretty much the same dated game with bland mechanics. I really wanted this to be a good castle sim but it isn't.. small maps, ho hum AI, dated everything... and I fell for it again.

    And for $50?!?!?!. I'd give it a 6 or 7 for a price tag of $15 but this game is priced in the same neighborhood along with really good new releases.. save the $50 and get Age of Empires II HD or buy the HD version of one of the old Stronghold games (because that's essentially what this is). Unless you just love Stronghold Crusaders and want to play it with a couple new NPC lords (which changes almost nothing really). In which case, go for it.    … Full Review »
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