Stronghold: Crusader II

 PC
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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  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 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'sA 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.    … Expand
  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 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.
  3. Violett
    Nov 8, 2014
    3
    Bleh, this is the same game as it was in 2005. Cmon guys, its 2014 already, open your window and look outside. No plot, no lore, and, man, those characters looks like terrible FREAKS! If it was a joke I didn't get it.
  4. Dokkodo
    Jan 17, 2015
    1
    The game does nothing to improve on it's predecessors. It adds nothing new, it still has awful AI and a lack of basic RTS controls, and graphically it looks like garbage.

    It's still fun to build castles and such, but there is no reason for this game to exist as anything it does is already accomplished by the previous Stronghold games. It would be one thing if they improved any aspect of    The game does nothing to improve on it's predecessors. It adds nothing new, it still has awful AI and a lack of basic RTS controls, and graphically it looks like garbage.

    It's still fun to build castles and such, but there is no reason for this game to exist as anything it does is already accomplished by the previous Stronghold games. It would be one thing if they improved any aspect of the game or even expanded on them...but there's nothing. It is nothing but a way to bilk fans of the franchise out of their money.    … Expand
  5. anggadaz
    Oct 27, 2015
    6
    This is strategy game that can build city/castle and army. The previous game is better than this. The game is too heavy (its glitch) for my pc, i dont know why. The game is has not many improve from previous. The graphic is boring.
  6. FizCap
    Dec 27, 2014
    1
    Game is **** garbage I can't even change the AI difficulty I get my ass kicked every match and than I have the announcer asy you are in last place I'm not impressed than you have your ai allies say you have doomed us I don't want to **** hear that **** im new i'm going back to the first crusaders where I don't suck, if I do good in the first one but bad on the second one than the game is garbage
  7. BatmanBuster
    Jan 4, 2015
    6
    The game play comes from an era when programmers had tons of ideas but only few grams of tools. Nowadays things had changed. Unfortunately not for the good of players as programmers now have tons of tools but only grams of new ideas.
  8. TomPD
    Oct 14, 2014
    5
    I loved the first stronghold crusader, but I do not love the second. It is as many people have said, pretty much the same as the last game, yet this one is worse.

    There are some cool new military units and more tiered options based on the weapons you produce (maces are needed for both macemen and templar knights). Some of the things I loved from the old game are missing like engineers    I loved the first stronghold crusader, but I do not love the second. It is as many people have said, pretty much the same as the last game, yet this one is worse.

    There are some cool new military units and more tiered options based on the weapons you produce (maces are needed for both macemen and templar knights). Some of the things I loved from the old game are missing like engineers and the ability to dig moats. You can put up pallisades but nobody has the wood production for that.

    The game is so much tougher now and quite buggy. The old game made it real clear how to start an early and cheap food economy (apples) and transition to late game (bread). Everything is way more expensive. Wood cutters cost 20 wood now instead of 3 and everything else seems to be at least 50. It wouldn't be as much of an issue if the wood income was also higher, but it is no faster than the old game. Bottom line, you spend all your early gold in this game on basic resources. The economy is just not set up right.

    Gold is hard to come by until you start mass producing stone or something. The market has a nice auto buy/sell feature though.

    The game engine is slow and creates a lot of lag especially as the number of players go up. Many of the animations are buggy. The people can easily get stuck or trapped when setting up new walls and creating tight knit castles which are necessary in the little space you are given.

    Ultimately, I would rather plan the first Stronghold Crusader or Stronghold 2. I think both are more fun.    … Expand
  9. Derringer
    Sep 30, 2014
    1
    This is an excelent example of how to ruin a nice game. I'm glad i didnt pay the $50 that it costs.
    Its more like an expansion of the first one, but badly done. its not a sequel, Definetly.Also has more bugs, fewer buildings, and some units were horrible modified. For example, Do you remember the ballista tower? Well, now it costs the triple (300 gold and 100 wood, also any building its    This is an excelent example of how to ruin a nice game. I'm glad i didnt pay the $50 that it costs.
    Its more like an expansion of the first one, but badly done. its not a sequel, Definetly.Also has more bugs, fewer buildings, and some units were horrible modified. For example, Do you remember the ballista tower? Well, now it costs the triple (300 gold and 100 wood, also any building its more expensive than before) with half damage, and soooo slow on firing. Like one shot every 10 seconds i think., and instead of putting the ballista in a Square or Round Tower like the Stronhold Crusader 1, you have to bought it with a kind of wood tower (like those skinny ones on Age of Empires II, but without any protection) and is so f**** weak. Two enemy archers can destroy it. (and even any infantary, because they just have to destroy a wood tower not a stone one. You cant adjust the speed of the game either. The campaign is the same that the old game, The graphics are better than the SC1 but this is a giant steal of money. I would'nt pay more than 5 bucks for this. There are even cheaper games that are better than this one.    … Expand
  10. Flaps
    Oct 26, 2014
    5
    I used to play the first Stronghold a long time ago, and it was great at the time.
    Actually I don't see any great improvement in the second chapter, beside graphics.
    Game-play got slightly worse, few really hard mission without any real good fun.
    Old for these years
  11. madskull505
    Sep 23, 2014
    1
    Gameplay and graphics is same as stronghold 3, original stronghold crusader was fantastic because it was 2.5D and gave same gameplay experience on every computer, but now fancy 3D engine ruined the gameplay experience. Even in medium settings game looks terrible and performance is like stronghold 3.

    Nothing new, don;t waste money on this, buy the Stronghold Curseder HD if you still    Gameplay and graphics is same as stronghold 3, original stronghold crusader was fantastic because it was 2.5D and gave same gameplay experience on every computer, but now fancy 3D engine ruined the gameplay experience. Even in medium settings game looks terrible and performance is like stronghold 3.

    Nothing new, don;t waste money on this, buy the Stronghold Curseder HD if you still like Stronghold series (duh).    … Expand
  12. Kakalot
    Sep 24, 2014
    0
    It's not a "stronghold" game. When i play it, i feel very different from the original version. Still a big disappointment :( .........................
  13. Nnelg
    Sep 24, 2014
    3
    This game has too many bugs and problems in it. In the first Stronghold Crusader you had the time to build up your castle and your forces, now you have to deal with relative large enemy numbers from the start. This game is not worth your time, there are extra units and features but they are not good enough to make the problems disappear. I would rather suggest you buy the originalThis game has too many bugs and problems in it. In the first Stronghold Crusader you had the time to build up your castle and your forces, now you have to deal with relative large enemy numbers from the start. This game is not worth your time, there are extra units and features but they are not good enough to make the problems disappear. I would rather suggest you buy the original Stronghold Crusader because that was a truly legendary game and way better then this bad game.… Expand
  14. elrimhor
    Sep 24, 2014
    2
    I just wanted to point out one thing which seems to go unnoticed, and that is the broken economy. Why? Well, the answer is the dumb candlemaker who produce the candles ex nihilo; out of nowhere! And how does that affect the gameplay? You simple build a bunch of candlemakers near your stockpile and set autosell from your marketplace, and take a look at your income: you get so much gold thatI just wanted to point out one thing which seems to go unnoticed, and that is the broken economy. Why? Well, the answer is the dumb candlemaker who produce the candles ex nihilo; out of nowhere! And how does that affect the gameplay? You simple build a bunch of candlemakers near your stockpile and set autosell from your marketplace, and take a look at your income: you get so much gold that you won't be needing any other resource at all! So, to win the game it is enough to build candlemakers, sell some candles, buy some wood, build more candlemakers, and so on... The key is that you can do all of that inside your castle, so you don't need to go fighting for mines or grass. So why would anybody bother with guarding that stone over there, when 150 candlemakers are the most productive manufacture ever! Therefore: the broken economy system.

    Also, everything that Trickedagain stated is true; I would only like to add "no moat" to his list.

    And one more thing: The spearman is now man-at-arms, right? And he throws the spear before attacking the enemy in melee. The thing I would like to see is a cooldown meter for this ability, so that I could know when my men-at-arms are ready with a new trowing spears. This would allow them to be used as skirmishers, with hit-and-run tactics, which would add a strategy depth. And this is unavailable because it is uncertain are they going to shoot the enemy, or to thrust him with spears.

    There are much more things wrong with this game, but I think most of them have already been pointed out; I would only like to advice people not to waste too much hours on this game, it's just not worthy of your free time or nerves.    … Expand
  15. Josh107
    Sep 24, 2014
    2
    This is a poor show from firefly. Rather than innovate and add new ideas, features and concepts to the original stronghold crusader all they seem to have done is remade the same game with the terrible engine they used for Stronghold 2, 3 and Legends. I really used to like this company, but their continued failure to innovate means if you have played one stronghold game you have played themThis is a poor show from firefly. Rather than innovate and add new ideas, features and concepts to the original stronghold crusader all they seem to have done is remade the same game with the terrible engine they used for Stronghold 2, 3 and Legends. I really used to like this company, but their continued failure to innovate means if you have played one stronghold game you have played them all.

    Stronghold crusader HD is available on steam, and is the exact same game as this from a gameplay perspective without the terrible graphics (the old graphics are far clearer) and is currently £22.50 cheaper than this piece of junk, even on ultra it looks like a drawing you might have on your fridge. I really can't see where Firefly have spent their time on this, it is definitely not worth the £30 they are asking, looking through the menus I counted 1 new building the "artillerier" or something equally retarded which I believe is just a renamed "Engineers guild" from the original game?

    If you have fond memories of stronghold do not waste your money on this game.    … Expand
  16. 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 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    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 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.    … Expand
  17. Trickedagain
    Sep 24, 2014
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. READ ALL THESE USER COMMENTS BEFORE YOU BUY !

    I am one of the stupid ones who got my hopes up after seeing reviews and hearing 'its the original game, but much improved with more additions bringing it up to date' ... and so i bought it.
    What a mistake!
    IT IS MISSING MANY THINGS FROM THE ORIGINAL!!!!!
    No laddermen
    No seige towers
    No engineers! to use, build or put into your seige equipment. This changes gameplay massively, as it used to take time to get decent wall defences, because you had to first build the engineers workshop, produce engineers, and build a big enough tower, then build a ballista/mangonel etc on it, and then put your engineers in them for them to function. Now i just buy a bloody ballista tower as soon as the game starts and it begins shooting longrange hail marys from the get go.
    What about PIMPING my castle... **** in 2002 i could put flags and the likes around, not in this remake.
    No EVIL / NICE system in the castle. Gone are the days of building dungeons and setting out heads on spikes to scare your populace ****less so you can tax them etc... this also kills gameplay in a big way, that was so much of the fun!
    Have to agree with most of the other comments.. The WALLS come down like polysterene blocks, so effortlessly and quickly.
    Maps are tiny, one of the only flaws in original also. but its 2014 youd think they could have fixed that!!! Makes it annoyingly irritating to have resources far from castle so you can NEVER fully have your castle emcompass everything. You are always rebuilding or defending your resource buildings out in the middle of nowhere.
    No more leather armour
    No info when you scroll over buildings etc
    No more peasants saying provocative gestures when u click em
    No tunneling men?? that ive seen
    The AI keep repeating the same tripe over n over again, its 2014 ! get a heap of new sayings in there not just 1 or 2 !!!
    AI is not improved, they do the same **** over n over again from what ive experienced.
    Ahh the list is endless.

    THIS GAME HAS BEEN DUMBED DOWN !!!

    IT HAS LESS THAN THE ORIGINAL !!!

    Gameplay is not even as fun as original !!!!! :(

    Ok, rant over.

    Graphics not good, but ok.
    Only cool thing was haybale launcher thingy.
    So if your into firey haybales then fork over all your dough, otherwise DONT BUY !    … Expand
  18. jerry-jones
    Sep 25, 2014
    2
    The good:
    1-3d Graphic.
    2-More units. 3-Much cheaper mercenaries. 4-The Shield units gets a huge improvement you need only 6 to have your troops protected. 5-Weak AI characters like the rat are much stronger now and use catapults. 6-Formatios: yay that's new no other strategy game thought about that !!!. The Bad: 1-All wooden buildings look very ugly and only the walls and the keep    The good:
    1-3d Graphic.
    2-More units.
    3-Much cheaper mercenaries.
    4-The Shield units gets a huge improvement you need only 6 to have your troops protected.
    5-Weak AI characters like the rat are much stronger now and use catapults.
    6-Formatios: yay that's new no other strategy game thought about that !!!.
    The Bad:
    1-All wooden buildings look very ugly and only the walls and the keep look nice.
    2-Placing units on the wall gives them no protection ever as archers will shoot through the wall.
    3-Units animation is so terrible especially the woodcutter.
    4-The music has like only 4 new musical pieces and 4 old ones from SH Crusader 1 and all the new ones are terrible and unclear.
    5-The sound effects are all from older versions of the game no creation whatsoever.
    6-Wood cost of all buildings are extremely high (inn 200 -house 65-weapons production 50).
    7-Wood production is lowest I have ever seen in any game each hut which costs 20 wood gets you 16 wood every 2 mins and could take much longer if the warehouse is farther away.
    8-Again ranged units is so overpowered but that was always the case in older versions
    9-Arrows don't miss targets ever and I saw an arrow shift in mid flight to hit the target!! I wonder if they use homing arrows ?
    10-Units on hill shoot farther than units on tower even though the tower is higher.
    11-AI characters start attacking after 10-20 sec only instead on 2 min good luck players.
    12-AI characters build units faster than his economics would allow and they are cheating bigger and better than before.
    13-Walls are super weak and very expensive it's useless to even build and would be better to build towers and delay building walls until later when you have like 500 stones.
    14-No more Siege engines on big towers no you build a stupid weak wooden tower which is very weak archers can destroy it after like 12 arrows only and it costs 300 Gold WTF!!
    15-No moats or dry moats it's gone forever.
    16-No more siege towers or ladder-men.
    17-Game price is 50$ but it's worth only 15-20$.
    18-Playing against 7 enemies is impossible in fact playing against 3 enemies means defeat because they each send 30 units every 40 sec and will swarm your castle not to mention siege equipment.
    19-Some bugs here and there.
    20-Campaigns and missions numbers are a lot less than SHC 1.
    21-units overlapping is a big issue and some times 10 units occupy the same spot.
    22-NO tool-tips for units damage,health or defense even the stop order doesn't have a tool-tip! super lazy developer.
    Overall 2/10 the game sucks big time in its current state.    … Expand
  19. heime2003
    Nov 16, 2014
    4
    the series has lost its direction and dev try to get money from fans without any significant improvements
    in fact, the game plays worse than original crusader and graphic got only a little better
    unless u are hard core stronghold players u will get lost since start of the game. no detailed tutorial, easy to look at interface and background story that give u meaning why u have to fight    the series has lost its direction and dev try to get money from fans without any significant improvements
    in fact, the game plays worse than original crusader and graphic got only a little better
    unless u are hard core stronghold players u will get lost since start of the game. no detailed tutorial, easy to look at interface and background story that give u meaning why u have to fight through missions in campaigne
    considering its price tag( $49.99), i felt cheated by dev
    pros:
    - it can give stronghold fans updated version of SH:C
    - the missions are not a piece of cake and often need actual strategic play to complete
    cons:
    - too pricy vs actual quality of game
    - graphic is not at where 2014 games should be
    - not friendly to newbie to the series    … Expand
  20. Shadow34
    Oct 4, 2014
    5
    I wasn't expecting Stronghold Crusader II to be absolutely new game, i didn't expect it to change whole game system and redo everything but... There is NOTHING new in this release. Its almost the same game as HD version of old Crusader with better graphics. If u want to play same game again buy it... But if you want changes, any changes don't. It even contains icons from old Strongholds.
  21. Agarensis
    Sep 26, 2014
    6
    Spent a couple days with this game and while it's so far decent, it needs improvement.

    The game comes with three short campaigns that act as introductions to the economics and military tactics. There's also Crusader Trails, which are a series of pre-made matches with AI players. They are much shorter than the two in the first game, but there are also more of them. There's also the    Spent a couple days with this game and while it's so far decent, it needs improvement.

    The game comes with three short campaigns that act as introductions to the economics and military tactics. There's also Crusader Trails, which are a series of pre-made matches with AI players. They are much shorter than the two in the first game, but there are also more of them. There's also the customized Crusader skirmish games for single and multiplayer, and a sandbox mode for freely building a castle.

    Graphically the game is decent; it ran fine for me without any crashes so far, but there were bugs such as a healer getting stuck on a staircase, and issues with unit stances. Much of the audio is retained from previous Stronghold games, notably Stronghold 2 and the original Crusader. The AI players however still don't speak their lines of dialogue when addressing the human player, and instead wobble their heads about while making faces.

    Building costs are needlessly inflated, and I found myself having to constantly buy wood every time I placed a couple structures, or even one hovel. While I can understand wood being a rarer commodity in the desert, 200 wood for a mill or an inn is ridiculous, let alone 20 just for a woodcutter, and having several woodcutters isn't enough to keep up with the wood demand.

    The economics are also strange. Stone and iron don't seem as valuable when sold as they used to be, despite being the two mineral deposits everyone fights for. Ox tethers transport stone and iron without their usual peasant handler. Chandlers make their candles seemingly out of thin air, while everything else needs an input of raw materials. Every weapon now has its own forge, as opposed to the original where fletchers and blacksmiths could alternate between the weapon types they made. No more leather armour; crossbowmen now wear metal armour and macemen have chainmail, but strangely only need their maces crafted.

    You are confined primarily to building within a bordered estate as previously introduced in Stronghold 2, though you can build in neutral or allied territory to an extent. The game forces you to compact everything close for efficiency, but at the expense of feeling severely boxed in, and you must aggressively defend your outlying farms and mines from attacks, or spend another several hundred in wood to replace them. Everything is square shaped, including your castle towers (no round towers except the tall, thin ones), and with what few castle building options that are available, neither you or the AI players will build anything grand. Even in sandbox mode your castle will probably look more like King Friday's of Mr Roger's Neighbourhood than your personal Krak des Chevaliers. Depending on the map you can even get away with just building a well defended wall between two sections of mountain, backed by a few towers, which is hardly the point of a Stronghold game.

    The combat is faced paced, and the AI players (currently 8, with more rumoured to come) are fairly well balanced with their tactics. Even the revamped version of the Rat makes use of siege engines. Players will either rush you with mobs of cheap troops or turtle towards attacking with stronger armies, though the battles are closer to small skirmishes than the clashing of armies. The variety of units available is pretty good, and the game requires you to build a more balanced army, rather than spamming your enemy with horse archers or mobs of assassins; though archers and crossbowmen still dominate most of the fights, and mobs of macemen can still destroy almost anything they encounter. Siege engines are recruited from siege camps and don't require engineer teams anymore. There's a variety of engines from battering rams and burning carts, to catapults and trebuchets, even Hussite war wagons to protect some of your archers. I don't understand the need for two catapult types though, since you already had a catapult and trebuchet in the previous games, and they both had their pros and cons. The more expensive catapult (referred to as a War Wolf) looks big, cool and does more damage than the regular one, but all of the structures and castle walls are frail enough, even when attacked by infantry. Castle walls are too easily broken, something I didn't like about the Stronghold games from Stronghold 2 onwards. Even in games like Age of Empires or Medieval Total War it would take several shots from a catapult or trebuchet to break through a stone wall, just as it did in Medieval times. Here though it's like launching a bowling ball at Lego bricks, though you can also instantly repair your structures so long as the enemy isn't too close to them.

    Currently this games is closer to a Medieval Command and Conquer, than the castle building sim with RTS elements that the first Stronghold Crusader was. Perhaps with a few patches the game can improve, but given the amount of streamlining I'm not sure by how much. Tough recommendation.    … Expand
  22. tobiaski95
    Sep 28, 2014
    6
    I was expecting a lot more of this game, especially because of the campaign FireFly used on Youtube to promote it by sharing development updates and behind-the-scenes videos. I expected Stronghold Crusader + new content, but it has not a lot of new buildings at all. Also, the ratios for resources are way too oversized. 20 wood for a woodcutter? In SH:C is only took 3 wood.

    For the sake    I was expecting a lot more of this game, especially because of the campaign FireFly used on Youtube to promote it by sharing development updates and behind-the-scenes videos. I expected Stronghold Crusader + new content, but it has not a lot of new buildings at all. Also, the ratios for resources are way too oversized. 20 wood for a woodcutter? In SH:C is only took 3 wood.

    For the sake of the knowledge I have on developing games, I know how long it takes to create a game including art, speech, etc. Maybe there was shortage of time and FireFly had to recycle the audio from previous games.

    What makes me rate this game a 6? I like the new characters like the Sultana and the Slave King. They are different from previous SH:C in terms of armies and management. Also, the 3D graphics look OK.

    I don't recommend to buy the game at this moment; wait until the price drops. If you are new to this genre, please but SH1 or SH:C first because they are still the best of the series.    … Expand
  23. Arkants
    Sep 24, 2014
    3
    This game has a lot of bugs and no sound in battles only in main menu. Wolf, Lionheart.. no one has voice. I bought the Special Edition and don`t see the "mini-campaigns". Its a copy of SC3 and its better SC1
  24. Ivaniuk
    Sep 24, 2014
    3
    Agaaaain firefly fail this feels like sh3, maps are still small, you need to protect your economic buildings all the time, it's almost impossible to build your economic buildings inside the castle, the only medium sized maps you have suck because the construction borders makes the map feels small. Some buildings like the peasant houses are extremely expensive, stone,wood and ironAgaaaain firefly fail this feels like sh3, maps are still small, you need to protect your economic buildings all the time, it's almost impossible to build your economic buildings inside the castle, the only medium sized maps you have suck because the construction borders makes the map feels small. Some buildings like the peasant houses are extremely expensive, stone,wood and iron production are ultra slow, weak walls, even slaves can take it down in seconds, stupid mangonels now they are super slow and you need to tell them where to shoot, if a soldier is above a wall that is being attacked he will die instantly. Sad but the truth is that stronghold saga died after stronghold 2.… Expand
  25. Oxtone
    Sep 27, 2014
    9
    Good solid stronghold crusader fun, has been keeping me entertained now for hours, it has a few game play and AI flaws but will easily be a 10 when these are ironed out. The only one thing i don't like about the game is the AI cheats but then when i am building a sweet castle it needs all the help it can get.
  26. rxgamer
    Sep 28, 2014
    10
    This is the best Stronghold game since the original Crusader and FireFly deserves some credit for this after what I saw from SH2, Legends, etc. It definitely feels like a Crusader game and I appreciate the areas in which they simplified such as no longer having engineers and letting the stockpile, granary, and armory have infinite space. I also appreciate how much less space theThis is the best Stronghold game since the original Crusader and FireFly deserves some credit for this after what I saw from SH2, Legends, etc. It definitely feels like a Crusader game and I appreciate the areas in which they simplified such as no longer having engineers and letting the stockpile, granary, and armory have infinite space. I also appreciate how much less space the orchards, farms, and other food buildings require. This is essentially Stronghold Crusader 2 with a modern graphics engine and some tweaks under the hood. The fact they kept the same formula is a very good thing.

    The visuals are also a massive improvement over the original and the game definitely looks great. There's a lot of familiarity which is nice. The fire arrows are a little disappointing compared to the original since they miss that whistle and nice smoke trail. I had to take a second look to make sure the fire arrows were working at all.

    I only have a couple hours in the game so far, but from my experience the game is far more polished than predecessors, though not quite there yet. The game is fun and I look forward to spending more time in it.

    My only suggestion to FireFly is to take that leap and just invest in a solid game engine that's already on the market and has proved itself. Bugs aren't acceptable in 2014 and FireFly has been struggling with their proprietary engine since going 3D with Stronghold 2 which is several years ago now. You have to call it quits at some point and just lease a gaming engine geared for RTS. This way they can focus on gameplay mechanics and design rather than focusing so much on the technicalities. With that said, the engine in Crusader 2 is good for the most part, but still lacking collision detection.    … Expand
  27. NeoNerox
    Sep 26, 2014
    0
    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 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.
  28. mattaust
    Sep 23, 2014
    0
    Congratulations Ladies and Gentlemen, Firefly Studio have re-released the same game with few improvements over a 12 year period. If this were any other game, people would be outraged.

    Con of the century, and for a $50 pricetag. LOL @ the people that would pay for a 12 year old game.
  29. Tubey
    Sep 23, 2014
    6
    I'm outright confused that this game is a 2014 release. It's the original game with a few UI boosts and almost identical graphics with a polish on them. That said, that doesn't make it a bad game as such because the original was actually pretty good. But I just don't understand what the objective was here as usually with a sequel you try to add and expand on the original. Yes, the AI isI'm outright confused that this game is a 2014 release. It's the original game with a few UI boosts and almost identical graphics with a polish on them. That said, that doesn't make it a bad game as such because the original was actually pretty good. But I just don't understand what the objective was here as usually with a sequel you try to add and expand on the original. Yes, the AI is notably smarter, so what we have here is the original, but smarter. Oh, and streamlined, which is the fashion for these titles, everything has to be simpler it seems, but unlike the Total War series at least it hasn't stripped everything and anything out for that purpose.

    If you're looking for more of the same, this title is for you as it plays it safe almost to a fault. So much so that even the sound is absolutely identical to its' predecessor. Such an odd game to score as there's nothing wrong with it, but nothing particularly eye catching in terms of new features or impetus to buy in 2014. Puzzling.    … Expand
  30. 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 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    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
  31. Razinghell
    Sep 25, 2014
    9
    Minus a few performance issues and missing features at launch day this is exactly the sequel to Crusader HD I've been waiting for.

    The biggest difference players coming from Crusader HD will notice is the transition to a full 3D game engine. Many of the same units feature in both games but I'll make a note of where they differentiate. Crusader HD fans will also notice a simpler overall    Minus a few performance issues and missing features at launch day this is exactly the sequel to Crusader HD I've been waiting for.

    The biggest difference players coming from Crusader HD will notice is the transition to a full 3D game engine. Many of the same units feature in both games but I'll make a note of where they differentiate. Crusader HD fans will also notice a simpler overall economy with many previously gimmicky mechanics streamlined or just removed.

    Buildings:

    -Changed! Faith - churches now operate similar to the Granary and needs candles to operate which are built in the chandler's workshop.
    -Changed! Inns have remained largely unchanged but you only need to place one inn now to cover your entire populace.
    -Changed! The Stockpile, Granary, and Armory now have unlimited storage capacity meaning you only need to place one.
    -Changed! Iron Mines now require an Ox Tether much like Stone Quarries
    -Changed! The Market can now be set to auto sell goods when they reach a preset threshold.
    -Changed! each weapon type requires it's own unique workshop.
    -Removed! Hunter's Hut, replaced with Pig Farm
    -Removed! Fear Factor has been removed, troops will no longer receive a malus or a boost based on your economy.
    -Removed! While not exactly a building, moats do not feature in the game.

    Units:

    -New! Slave Driver - whips nearby slaves into a frenzy
    -New! Healer - units within range slowly regenerate HP
    -New! Whirling Dervish - a poorly armored melee unit with a strong first contact attack
    -New! Sassanid Knight - light knight with special charge attack
    -New! Ranger - proficient with both sword and bow but has poor range
    -New! Sergeant-at-Arms - units within range receive a HP boost
    -New! Conscript - basic weak units, no weapons required to recruit
    -New! Hussite War Wagon - can station units inside, provides protection and mobility
    -New! War Wolf - super catapult
    -New! Burning Cart - creates fire on impact, triggers traps
    -Changed! Spearman now called Man-at-Arms and can throw his spear
    -Changed! Maceman only requires a mace to recruit now
    -Changed! Knight now called Templar Knight and can fight mounted or on foot
    -Changed! Fire Thrower renamed to Oil Pot Thrower
    -Changed! Battering Ram - Can now only destroy Gatehouses
    -Changed! Catapult - can no longer throw diseased animals
    -Changed! Portable Shield renamed to Mantlet
    -Removed! Slinger
    -Removed! Ladderman
    -Removed! Siege Tower
    -Removed! Tunneller

    Engineers are no longer recruited but automatically provided if required when recruiting siege engines. Also, due to the 3D engine many of the map tricks previously used to create eye candy are impossible but there are a fair selection of set pieces to add some much welcomed variety.

    Note: for those wondering how to access the map editor, go to your steam library dropdown menu and elect to filter your library by Tools. The map editor should show up on the list of utilities as 'Stronghold Crusader 2 Map Editor'. After a small 2MB install you are ready to start map making.    … Expand
  32. Rodymetal
    Sep 27, 2014
    8
    After the disastrous Stronghold 3, Firefly rescued themselves and deliver a good castle sim/ RTS again.
    SHC 2 is a very good stronghold game, for me it is somehow a remake of the first crusader, with some elements changed, to the better or to the worse depend on how you see it. The overall vibe of the game is really cool and feels so much like the first game. Overall the game is very    After the disastrous Stronghold 3, Firefly rescued themselves and deliver a good castle sim/ RTS again.
    SHC 2 is a very good stronghold game, for me it is somehow a remake of the first crusader, with some elements changed, to the better or to the worse depend on how you see it. The overall vibe of the game is really cool and feels so much like the first game. Overall the game is very enjoyable, and offers a lot of game modes. This game is good restart point for firefly studios and from here they can build the game up and add more features. The game still needs some patching and improvement however.
    If you are a stronghold series fan get it now with no hesitation, if you are new then you can wait for patch or two or get it when it is cheaper, because to be honest the price is kind of high for what the game is currently delivering,    … Expand
  33. Battlestar
    Oct 17, 2014
    3
    Firefly never realised that success of Stronghold and Stronghold Crusader was depend on great graphic.
    Small but complex world with entertaining action (and many flaws like AI).
    SHC2 looks poor in this sense: colors, environment, buildings, everything is even worse than long years old ancestors. Environment - trees, grass, buildings, walls has great look in old stronghold and crusader.    Firefly never realised that success of Stronghold and Stronghold Crusader was depend on great graphic.
    Small but complex world with entertaining action (and many flaws like AI).
    SHC2 looks poor in this sense: colors, environment, buildings, everything is even worse than long years old ancestors. Environment - trees, grass, buildings, walls has great look in old stronghold and crusader.
    One or two good designers are missing in team.
    Gameplay is not bad, AI is just OK, but game is boring and looking like world after ebola and AIDS in somewhere in poor 3rd world country. I have all editions of SC (original, Warchest, extreme, Steam) but SHC2 didn't win my heart.    … Expand
  34. Achilleslastand
    Oct 19, 2014
    8
    I have over 100 hours of gameplay so far in single as well as multiplayer. While I don't think it is a great game it is a very good game and does what it means to do well.
    The graphics while not cutting edge are more then adequate for the genre. If you are interested in a castle sim/medieval warfare game then this is your best bet.
  35. Gargoyle1965
    Oct 12, 2014
    10
    No they are not reinventing the wheel, yes they are bringing back a classic from the dead.
    Congratulations on making me a very happy man in my limited spare time.
    The AI is tough but then I'm not very good. I will keep this for years as I can now retire my original copy, thank you firefly from a true fan of the castle building and siege genre.
  36. jrallen91
    Sep 23, 2014
    2
    I bought this game on whim last week, anticipating it's release. I have not been so disappointed in quite some time. I loved the original Stronghold games, they were unique, engaging, and charming. In between have been some not-so-great entries, but the devs promised that Crusader 2 would be different.

    Shame on me for trusting the devs and pre-purchasing this piece of garbage. If    I bought this game on whim last week, anticipating it's release. I have not been so disappointed in quite some time. I loved the original Stronghold games, they were unique, engaging, and charming. In between have been some not-so-great entries, but the devs promised that Crusader 2 would be different.

    Shame on me for trusting the devs and pre-purchasing this piece of garbage.

    If anything, content has DIMINISHED from the original Crusader, with a mere 3, yes that's right, 3 tower types, the removal of leather armor, no more building animations or greetings from peasants, and, what stunned me the most, RECYCLED AUDIO from previous games. Your units say exactly what they said in Stronghold 2.

    The graphics, while not great, aren't a problem for me. It's the fact that this game has taken a step back from it's predecessor by dumbing down the system, rather than a step forward with new content and more features.

    Also, the UI is not very good in that it offers no explanation of WHAT buildings do in the form of a mouseover tooltip, which I had thought would be a no-brainer in any strategy game. Of course, you can find this information in the in-game encyclopedia, but I think that just shows how lazy the devs were with this game.

    I don't usually complain about games, and I'm pretty easy to please. When I saw that the same guys from the original Stronghold team were working on this project on their own, on top of their promises of not repeating past mistakes, I thought it would turn out great. Boy was I wrong. If I could get my money back, I would, and I have literally never said that about any other game ever. Not because this one is so bad (although it is), but because I feel betrayed.

    The first Stronghold Crusader may have been a labor of love, but this one just feels like a chore.    … Expand
  37. kucyk
    Sep 28, 2014
    0
    Optimization is pathetic. For example -> pc -> Far Cry 3 ULTRA, good FPS rate. And now Stronghold C. 2 - if 10-20 enemies = optimization is good on ULTRA but when you must fight vs 2, 3 enemies then optimization is totaly SUX, pathetic, worst in the world. And difference between ULTRA vs LOWEST = zero or +1 FPS more! LOL! Stronghold 1 (2002) is more complex game, more buildings, more all.Optimization is pathetic. For example -> pc -> Far Cry 3 ULTRA, good FPS rate. And now Stronghold C. 2 - if 10-20 enemies = optimization is good on ULTRA but when you must fight vs 2, 3 enemies then optimization is totaly SUX, pathetic, worst in the world. And difference between ULTRA vs LOWEST = zero or +1 FPS more! LOL! Stronghold 1 (2002) is more complex game, more buildings, more all. And
    Stronghold: Crusader II looks like a demo version. AI in the game is RETARDED, you can build a gate + 5 meters of wall and retarded enemies will try destroy gate and wall first instead
    skip the wall and attack the Lord! AI totally retarded! This game is worth 1 USD MAX! not more! Dont buy this crap! The worst game I've ever seen!    … Expand
  38. DarkSimulant
    Sep 28, 2014
    10
    The game truly delivers. It might need a few stones polished but all in all, its very enjoyable and fun to play, especially with friends. The music by Euvino hits its mark once again and the game itself is just beautiful. I'm sure they intend to add additions and minor fixes in the future -which will make this game even more enjoyable and challenging. Well done FireFly.
  39. BobbyDole
    Sep 23, 2014
    10
    Stronghold crusader 2 is great revamp of the original series. Contains all the best features from the original with some new and interesting game play. Skirmish mode is the big thing here, but that's what made the original so great as well. Graphics aren't stunning but they get the job done and aren't an eyesore. If you like the original then you will like this game as well with all it'sStronghold crusader 2 is great revamp of the original series. Contains all the best features from the original with some new and interesting game play. Skirmish mode is the big thing here, but that's what made the original so great as well. Graphics aren't stunning but they get the job done and aren't an eyesore. If you like the original then you will like this game as well with all it's addicting features.… Expand
  40. 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 in other 2014's productions, but It's stronghold series, graphics is not important!
  41. NMan7496
    Sep 23, 2014
    9
    Firefly Studios has done it, they made up for their previous game, Stronghold 3. I have been awaiting this game for months, and so far it lives up to my expectations. I have been playing it since I got it at about 11:00 am on the date of its release, and I not tired with it yet. There are a few things that I found annoying:
    1. No laddermen or Siege Towers.
    2. prone to random crashes    Firefly Studios has done it, they made up for their previous game, Stronghold 3. I have been awaiting this game for months, and so far it lives up to my expectations. I have been playing it since I got it at about 11:00 am on the date of its release, and I not tired with it yet. There are a few things that I found annoying:
    1. No laddermen or Siege Towers.
    2. prone to random crashes (but that may just be my computer)
    &3. like every SH game besides legends (maybe 3 but I got too frustrated at that to notice) I click produce unit X times and I get X soldiers, whereas in Legends I could drag a slider to the designated number and click the produce unit button once to get multiple units (though this is just a personal preference).

    The good definitely outweighs the bad. The physics engine is amazing (I especially like seeing the archer corpses fall limp over the battlements). The graphics are great, especially the textures of the water and the sand. Although I was hoping for a little more diversity with the number of lords for skirmishes (for example: it has the rat and the wolf, so why not the pig and the snake?). But all in all it is a great comeback after the failure of Stronghold 3, and I would highly recommend this to anyone.    … Expand
  42. DonaldK_012
    Sep 24, 2014
    10
    This game may have some issues, but it's overall a redeeming game that beautifully captures everything about the original game + some. People are complaining because it's not the same, but of course it's not. It's 3D, and can only resemble the original so much before it stops being a modern on the game, and starts being a re-release. Basically, everyone's just mad that it's a sequel andThis game may have some issues, but it's overall a redeeming game that beautifully captures everything about the original game + some. People are complaining because it's not the same, but of course it's not. It's 3D, and can only resemble the original so much before it stops being a modern on the game, and starts being a re-release. Basically, everyone's just mad that it's a sequel and not a copy-paste.… Expand
  43. honvik
    Sep 24, 2014
    10
    Where to start. Stronghold Crusader 2 has come in leaps and bounds. I played the pre-alpha at EGX last year and again at Rezzed, now its out and the pure energy, time, dedication that's gone into the game is clearly showing.

    Stronghold Crusader 2's content is vast with a large number of pre-defined missions, skirmish trials, Free Build, Co-Op, Multiplayer (very stable 4 players),    Where to start. Stronghold Crusader 2 has come in leaps and bounds. I played the pre-alpha at EGX last year and again at Rezzed, now its out and the pure energy, time, dedication that's gone into the game is clearly showing.

    Stronghold Crusader 2's content is vast with a large number of pre-defined missions, skirmish trials, Free Build, Co-Op, Multiplayer (very stable 4 players), large maps and boy theres a lot to enjoy.

    I know some people are referring to the bugs but these are minor and you need to remember this is a small team that are finally self-publishing their games. Stronghold Crusader 2 like I mentioned has developed into a great title with all the major bugs fixed through to release. Firefly as a company has been bringing us Stronghold Titles over 10 years now and this is a natural progression. We all know that Stronghold 3 wasn't what players wanted and had a number of bugs but that was their last title under a publisher. Firefly has picked up from its past and tried to please the fans to right the wrong of Stronghold 3 and to their credit they have done that.

    Stronghold Crusader 2 has all the previous incarnations features and adds some quirks like weather effects which can really twist how a came can turn out, not to mention a solid multiplayer, destructible walls with physic effects.

    My conclusion is that don't be put off by negative comments, try the game, see how it plays and you will be playing it for hours of entertainment for a the price of going out for a meal. Firefly are very set on bringing extra content out for the title, bug fixes and supporting the game for a good period of time. My hope is they keep on improving and my biggest hope is a wonderful DLC for a historical campaign with a fun climax!    … Expand
  44. Seilof
    Sep 24, 2014
    6
    It is a very good game, with the "bugs" from the last stronghold crusader. If you don't mind that, stronghold crusader 2 has the same lovely gameplay known from (the better) stronghold 1 and stronghold crusader 2.
    Its no visual beauty, but the graphics get the job done.
  45. 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 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.
  46. SmattyCore
    Sep 23, 2014
    9
    Stronghold Crusader 2 looks pretty nice but I'm asking what were they working on? It took 2 years if we count from the last HD remake or 3 years if we count from the last big game they made. Okay, graphics are good as well as weather effects, etc. But I mean we already had 3D in Stronghold Legends, 2 and 3.

    But I like the game. It feels like a Crusader game, like the old and origin    Stronghold Crusader 2 looks pretty nice but I'm asking what were they working on? It took 2 years if we count from the last HD remake or 3 years if we count from the last big game they made. Okay, graphics are good as well as weather effects, etc. But I mean we already had 3D in Stronghold Legends, 2 and 3.

    But I like the game. It feels like a Crusader game, like the old and origin Crusader game just in 3D but I was missing one big part.. Campaign. I thought it was a bug just having 3 main campaigns with 3 training missions and the other ones, each with 4 missions. But then I read that's it. A total of 11 missions which is... Not much as I think.
    But I think it's worth 35,99€ which I paid. Some people said that it crashes always but this never happened. When I first played Stronghold 3 it was full of bugs so it might worked giving it more time.

    The new interface looks good as well, it's a bit weird first, but slim and nice.    … Expand
  47. ogre
    Sep 23, 2014
    9
    It's all too easy to take a classic and screw up the sequel, but they did what barely any do: kept true to the original style. It focuses more on its tried and true gameplay and does not reinvent the wheel, but it brings it together in a balanced and enjoyable fashion.
    It did not deviate at all from the original gameplay. There are wood cutters, wheat farms, flour mills, mercenary    It's all too easy to take a classic and screw up the sequel, but they did what barely any do: kept true to the original style. It focuses more on its tried and true gameplay and does not reinvent the wheel, but it brings it together in a balanced and enjoyable fashion.
    It did not deviate at all from the original gameplay. There are wood cutters, wheat farms, flour mills, mercenary outpost, catapults, trebuchets, everything you remember. You still build castles, farm food, mine stone and iron, and construct weapons just as you did in the original. That gameplay worked, and it still does today.
    However, there is not much new to the game. It feels like a prettier 3D version of the original crusader, with some UI improvements. That's all I could have hoped for, but if you're looking for something different than the original, you will not find it.
    I was really worried given Stronghold 3, but I'm very happy to see they kept as close to the original while still bringing it a bit up to date.
    The campaign is just a string of skirmishes and missions, and is not very interactive, but it doesn't need it to still be awesome.    … Expand
  48. sreckom92
    Sep 27, 2014
    10
    While this game isn't perfect, it surely doesn't deserve to be rated 0/10.
    My honest opinion is that it deserve 7/10, maybe 6/10 at worst.
    But a bland zero? No way
    I'm rating the game 10/10 to counter those people that have no idea how does a 0/10 game looks like.
  49. Fhm
    Nov 22, 2016
    0
    This game is totally **** i hope nobody buys it because, the arabian units are underpowered while the crusader units are overpowered. in real life arabs were Invincible. I rated 0/10

    - Stronghold 2 fanboy
  50. smitty5569
    Sep 23, 2014
    10
    Stronghold Crusader with improved featuresStronghold Crusader with improved features

    ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................    … Expand
  51. Noobinator
    Sep 24, 2014
    8
    TL;DR – trebuchets can be armed with diseased camel heads. That is all.

    A fair, honest 8/10. I'm not going to whine or inflate my score because other users think differently to me, and I'm not approaching this with any bitterness left over from Stronghold 3. You get a brief, efficient tutorial. Does the job. You get three quick “learning campaigns” which do exactly what they    TL;DR – trebuchets can be armed with diseased camel heads. That is all.

    A fair, honest 8/10. I'm not going to whine or inflate my score because other users think differently to me, and I'm not approaching this with any bitterness left over from Stronghold 3.

    You get a brief, efficient tutorial. Does the job.

    You get three quick “learning campaigns” which do exactly what they suggest over 11 missions with a little story sprinkled over the top, from both the Crusader's and Arabic perspective. Enjoyable enough, but clearly not the focus of the game.

    You get 24 skirmish trail missions split into six groups of three to six missions each. The first few are typically balanced in your favour, with every match after that being balanced against you. These can get challenging and fun, although the AI certainly needs a bit of work. There's definitely room for harder games, hopefully in future DLC, but nonetheless these trails do a fantastic job of giving you many different and fun unbalanced skirmish games, many of which are not just two sided.

    You get a mostly customisable traditional skirmish mode with 8 unique AI characters to choose as opponents or allies. A bit of the traditional Stronghold humour can be seen here, with characters making comments as you place them in the lobby and remove them. The Wolf, for example, lovingly announces you “Imbecile!” upon kicking him. The real highlight here is the map selection, though, which is all available for multiplayer games too. 35 unique maps come with the game (with countless more sure to come from players and perhaps in future DLC). These maps are split into balanced and unbalanced (amongst other categories). Balanced maps play like your usual Command and Conquer-esque strategy maps, whereas unbalanced maps offer some real variation, especially in scenarios where some players know they are more or less skilled than others.

    For example, a five player map, “The Ridge”, involves a 2v1v2 scenario, with the lone player in the centre of the map but protected by a large mountain range, giving them height advantage (which is vital to gameplay). They also possess the only supply of iron on the map. However, the players down below have more oases, and must traverse the mountains in order to get to one another. Just one example of many unique scenarios, all completely customiseable in regards to teams and positioning.

    You also get sandbox, or freebuild mode, completing single play content.

    Of course, the real meat of the game is its multiplayer. This offers some real replay value, with co-op and AI completely integrated. In co-op mode, two players work to control the one castle. Players may be put together in any number of ways, so long as the total number of *players* does not exceed 8. For example, in a 3v3 scenario, you could have seven players with one lord on one team being controlled by two people, if you so wished.

    Graphics are fine, animations for workers and soldiers are generally average (woodcutters look very stiff when hacking down trees). The various medieval war machines look absolutely glorious – seriously, knocking down castle walls with catapults and trebuchets has never been this *satisfying*. Oh my gosh, sending your troops charging in with rocks flying down everywhere and the enemy castle crumbling, pitch being set on fire, war hounds being released... it really is fantastic. I do miss siege towers (they aren't included) but I guess they weren't used much competitively in the original Crusader. Regardless, I hope they will be added in later.

    There's enough new here, with an improved popularity system, troops with passive special abilities, and new units (such as the Sassanid Knight, which functions like the original Knight in Crusader 1, whilst the Crusader Knights function like Stronghold 2 knights), combined with enough of the original Crusader to make a really great game.

    For me it loses most of its points from what it doesn't include. A strongwall toggle in skirmish mode, a King of the Hill mode, and a toggle for “permanent alliances” (that is, if unticked, you can betray your mates halfway through a game) were all promised at one stage or another, but aren't in the game. These features may be included in later updates, but I am reviewing the game as it is now, not what it might be next month, and it's disappointing they aren't there.

    Most noticeable, however, is the lack of community features. For multiplayer, all you get is a lobby with a list of games to join and the option to host a match. No global chat, no friend's list, no invite system outside of steam, very disappointing.

    Once you get a game going, though, it is damn well worth it.

    And finally, the music. Oh my gosh, the music. If you have the soundtrack, listen to track 25, “Metaphysical Inscriptions”. Like wow, the entire thing is good, but LISTEN TO THAT TRACK. Oh, and track 20, “Scimitar”. JUST LISTEN TO IT, DAMNIT. Bravo Robert.

    And bravo Firefly!    … Expand
  52. jeroensteam6
    Oct 10, 2014
    10
    Installed it yesterday around 5 PM and played multiplayer until 1 AM =D
    I simply loved it.
    Yes it had a small bug for me when turning buildings because it did not recognize my mouse wheel, but changing my mouse solved this problem. Also Firefly is patching quickly.
    For anyone who liked the original Crusader and wants to try this as a good online multiplayer, this is your chance!
  53. Illy45
    Oct 11, 2014
    8
    I am going to be as honest as possible here but this game is simply an exact replica to Stronghold Crusaders back in the day. I do love it however! Even though nothing was really added and, it may even feel, features had been taken away; for some reason this does not really bother me because I still enjoy playing the game. I guess my best advice if you were to buy this game was to considerI am going to be as honest as possible here but this game is simply an exact replica to Stronghold Crusaders back in the day. I do love it however! Even though nothing was really added and, it may even feel, features had been taken away; for some reason this does not really bother me because I still enjoy playing the game. I guess my best advice if you were to buy this game was to consider it a modern-day version of Stronghold Crusaders (or a game add-on if you will) and not a sequel for it does not meet the qualifications of a complete sequel. Stronghold Crusaders II is still highly addictive and always wants you coming back for another battle!… Expand
  54. Triggrd
    Dec 14, 2015
    5
    Its like they had really good ideas at first and were really motivated to redeem themselves from what stronghold 3 had become and at some point just decided to become crack addicts releasing the game without the most basic polish to get more money to buy crack.
    It isn't as bad as it was back when it came out but it still feels like a crippled child who is wearing a stronghold1-fanshirt.    Its like they had really good ideas at first and were really motivated to redeem themselves from what stronghold 3 had become and at some point just decided to become crack addicts releasing the game without the most basic polish to get more money to buy crack.
    It isn't as bad as it was back when it came out but it still feels like a crippled child who is wearing a stronghold1-fanshirt. For example the whole video/dialogue thingy is actually a thousand times worst than in their FIRST game OVER 10 YEARS AGO.
    |
    BUT!
    |
    You will still find some fun in the difficulty and the whole castle building (enough for 5 solid points) but it'll just piss you off that you bought something that is worse than its over 10 years old predecessor and what will piss you off even more is the fact that sometimes you can almost feel what some of the developers were trying to do with this game but just **** up real bad    … Expand
  55. Mirannejad76
    Sep 4, 2018
    8
    most of the people like fist one but i think this version is better than first one.
  56. masterleaf
    Apr 7, 2017
    3
    Eu ainda não consigo entender como uma produtora pode destruir um game que tinha tudo para ser um clássico isolado na indústria.

    O game é um retrato da incompetência, IA extremamente burra e cheater, campanha single player feito de qualquer jeito, menus confusos e com péssimo desing. O que mais decepciona é que aparentemente você vai ter a mesma experiência do antigo CS1 mas é só a    Eu ainda não consigo entender como uma produtora pode destruir um game que tinha tudo para ser um clássico isolado na indústria.

    O game é um retrato da incompetência, IA extremamente burra e cheater, campanha single player feito de qualquer jeito, menus confusos e com péssimo desing.

    O que mais decepciona é que aparentemente você vai ter a mesma experiência do antigo CS1 mas é só a IA começar a trabalhar que você percebe q ela é Cheater e que não importa qual estratégia vc vai tomar ela vai usar de tudo para te exterminar. A única maneira de vencer é única, usar estratégias nada divertidas de Famar e comprar mercenários.

    O jogo se torna maçante e vc n pode criar seu castelo, produzir armas e utilizar soldados diversificados, não, você será obrigado seguir aquela receita, farmar X comprar mercenários e atacar.

    Péssimo.    … Expand
  57. SmileisCharity
    Oct 20, 2017
    8
    Çok hoş oyun zaten hayranıydım crusader 1 den beri ama pc iyi olmasına rağmen bi türlü düzgün performansla oynayamadım arada küçük buglarda vardı ama yine aksiyonu çok hoş tavsiye ederim
  58. CDannyZ
    Nov 23, 2019
    8
    Lets be honest, the first was much better. But this Is also Fun to play. The only thing i hate Is optimalization, Its horrible
  59. 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 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. JustStill 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
  60. 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 ruined for bugs
  61. Merti
    Mar 21, 2022
    6
    They scored on the game ... Developed, return the stronghold to us, or, well, work with the 2-part
  62. elliedriver1996
    Jun 23, 2022
    2
    This game is a major disapointment. There is no benefit to destroying Ai's buildings, as they can literally cheat and materialize troops and supplies out of mid air. Enemies will go out of their way to attack you, sometimes literally working with another AI who isnt even
    on their team against you. By the way, you have to comb over the battlefield constanly because your troops are so    This game is a major disapointment. There is no benefit to destroying Ai's buildings, as they can literally cheat and materialize troops and supplies out of mid air. Enemies will go out of their way to attack you, sometimes literally working with another AI who isnt even
    on their team against you. By the way, you have to comb over the battlefield constanly because your troops are so incompetent on their own that you have to babysit them. Several times when i attacked an enemy lord, my troops stood around him in a circle
    doing nothing, attacking ony one at a time.
    Dozens of swordsmen should not take 3 minutes to kill an enemy lord. Everything about this game stinks. I mean the buildings are lackluster and bland, the voice acting sounds lazy, there is no fear factor bonus, maps are terrible and unbalanced (even the 'balanced' ones) and dont get me started on how costly everything is. A tiny hut for weapons is 50 wood but a two story wood cutters hut is 20 wood. A market is a whooping 200 wood. So make sure you buy that first or you will be screwed out of playing. There is also no tower mountable seige equipment. You have to instead over pay for a weird scaffolding tower with a catapult attached to it, which takes up valuable space that these maps simply dont give you. All and all, stick with the classic crusader. Maybe one day firefly studios will get the memo and stop loving the smell of their own farts and return back to what gave this series a following to begin with. If it aint broke, dont fix it. Please stop trying to re invent the wheel Firefly studios.    … Expand
  63. cercisyusuf
    Sep 8, 2023
    7
    they dont do new thinks we need more soldier types and more lord types so score is not so nice
  64. aecsuter
    Sep 5, 2022
    4
    My review is based on my experience playing today!
    I didn't find the campaign fun, it's very difficult to see things in the scenario even after playing for a while.
    For those who liked the game and for nostalgia ok, but buying to meet today I didn't think it was a good experience.
  65. IamNader
    May 9, 2023
    6
    Love the first game and it is similar to the original, but unique enough to feel the difference - 6/10

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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
  1. 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]
  2. 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.
    Read full review
  3. 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]
See all critic reviews »