Stronghold: Crusader

 PC
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 410 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 364 out of 410
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 410
  3. Negative: 17 out of 410
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  1. BenjoS.
    Mar 21, 2003
    10
    Interesting I Love it!!!!! The characters are really 3D based.
  2. BenM.
    Apr 1, 2004
    10
    Great game!!!!!! The best I've played in years.
  3. Sam
    Dec 3, 2002
    10
    Okay, Okay, this game rules. i have over 30 pc games and this is the one, its slick, great grahics, great sound, oh yes and incredibly funny exspeshily THE RAT. all in all spend your money right on this game you'll love it cause i do!!
  4. SergeyS.
    Dec 20, 2006
    10
    The best strategy game I've ever played, given that I'm not a big strategy fan. I was pretty disappointed the first a couple of times I played it: I had no clue what was going on and was defeated withing 10 minutes. Once I got a grasp on it, though, I couldn't stop playing it. I still waste a couple of hours a month with this game even though it's 4 years old now The best strategy game I've ever played, given that I'm not a big strategy fan. I was pretty disappointed the first a couple of times I played it: I had no clue what was going on and was defeated withing 10 minutes. Once I got a grasp on it, though, I couldn't stop playing it. I still waste a couple of hours a month with this game even though it's 4 years old now (ancient, according to tech standards).… Expand
  5. [Anonymous]
    Nov 30, 2002
    10
    A masterpiece. You can't go wrong with this one.
  6. JamesSilence
    Jan 28, 2004
    10
    Even though the single player missions have no plot holding them together, the overall variety and intensity of the game makes up for the loss. The inclusion of new units is a plus as well.
  7. WillA.
    Nov 30, 2002
    10
    Great graphics, occassional humorous comments, makes this a pleasure to play.
  8. DucVolpeWolf
    Aug 13, 2004
    10
    This game hasn't been very changed since stronghold numba 1, but the little twist is arabs.when you don't want make armour and bows, then you'll always have the arabs.this and c&c:generals and starcraft are three of the best strategy games ever i rest my case!
  9. Mikester7
    Dec 22, 2010
    10
    Listen to the users and not the critics on this game as this is by far underrated. A great cross between an RTS game and a sim providing more realism. While the AI are fairly predictable this game can still be very challenging, especially when undergoing the crusader trail which requires you to perform certain tactics in order to establish a foothold to win that level. Designing your ownListen to the users and not the critics on this game as this is by far underrated. A great cross between an RTS game and a sim providing more realism. While the AI are fairly predictable this game can still be very challenging, especially when undergoing the crusader trail which requires you to perform certain tactics in order to establish a foothold to win that level. Designing your own map and playing it is always a lot of fun, or even better, downloading someone else's maps and playing them. Even though the game includes a huge amount of maps, there is community fourms that design many great maps for players to download and play. Extremely cheap game, any RTS player should buy it.… Expand
  10. qwertyy
    Aug 29, 2011
    10
    when 7 years ago i played this,the first best game i played,i play a whole afternoon when i first play it ,hope stronghold 3 will be like this game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  11. 11killakal11
    Oct 27, 2011
    10
    Stronghold Crusader is by far my favourite game. The graphics are old yet still work so, so well. The gameplay is abit complicated but as soon as you learn it you love it. Stronghold Crusader is a must-have for strategy gamers. There is so mayn game modes a well, will keep you occupied forever.
  12. KnownOperative
    Sep 9, 2015
    10
    Fair Review from someone with 20+ gaming years expirience.

    (This game is an absolute Classic strategy game, one of the best Ever made, Especially multiplayer wise)
    Multiplayer gameplay could rival Starcraft. Released in 2002, it is still a fun game to play in the Year 2015.
  13. Arberhoti
    Jul 22, 2013
    10
    I played this game 5 years ago and i still love it and play it .This was my first strategy game that i played and i feel this game rly hard .This is my best game that i played in my life and i'll never forget a lot of hours played on it
  14. Triasadi
    Feb 28, 2015
    10
    Stronghold Crusader is my favourite RTS game. I first played it since 7 years ago and bought the steam version recently. It was one of the best and most addicting game I played back then. The game is quite simple when you get the hang of it. Stronghold Crusader mixes castle building, RTS, and resource management. The soundtrack fits the theme very well. The campaign will teach you most ofStronghold Crusader is my favourite RTS game. I first played it since 7 years ago and bought the steam version recently. It was one of the best and most addicting game I played back then. The game is quite simple when you get the hang of it. Stronghold Crusader mixes castle building, RTS, and resource management. The soundtrack fits the theme very well. The campaign will teach you most of the things from resource gathering, building and defending your castle, to siegeing the enemy and defending your castle. The AI for Stronghold Crusader is excellent, different AI lords will have different strategies and difficulties. Each AI has different castle builds and different troop choice. You can choose using Arab or European troops or even all together. The gameplay is still great till this day, event though the game was from 2001. And I really like the HD addiction of the game, the max resolution used to be 1024x768 and after the HD addition you can play with almost any resolution. Stronghold Crusader is a must have for RTS players, overall 10/10.… Expand
  15. masterpaul
    Dec 2, 2013
    10
    i have the chance to play this game when i was a child. it was my favourite game eva ,The IA ,the music and the mechanic of popularity and taxes are the most singular characteristic.In this game you can get epic massive wars whit out needing a pc game give them a opportunities now its very cheap VERY CHEAP.
  16. Skitte
    Jul 8, 2014
    10
    I saw a lot of strategic games, but this is the ONLY one that satisfy my pleasure and I see it as a true challenge that also link with history. For a 2000 era game, the graphics are outstanding and there is a lot of content and variety of features to try.
  17. jancifejs
    Jul 9, 2014
    10
    Stronghold crusader is one of the best RTS games ever. Nice graphics, epic battles and perfectly implemented castle building, conquering or defending. I agree with Mikester7, this game is little bit underrated by game critics, but you should try it and I am sure you will enjoy this awesome game. It's very cheap, I bought it on steam for 2.69€ and it totally worth!
  18. shatti
    Apr 20, 2019
    10
    timless classic rts
    still playing it these days and maybe for ever simbly because casual rts games are dead and we are left with these amazing legacy
  19. Lashab
    Jan 9, 2015
    10
    Amazing game. It has very bad graphics but the gameplay is probably best I have seen. Economics, Diplomacy, War - this game has everything Considering the date of its release, this has to be the best RTS game ever. Sure there might be better games recently released, but considering the game was released 13 years ago, it feels impossible - how did they do it?
  20. DarkBee
    Apr 5, 2018
    10
    Each player has his favorite setting. Someone likes the Second World War, someone loves science fiction, someone gives a steampunk ... And almost everyone loves the Middle Ages.
    "All one size fits all, author!" "What a shameful subjectivity!". And here not.
    The rabid love of gamers around the world for the medieval setting is not only in some special romance of those times, which, of    Each player has his favorite setting. Someone likes the Second World War, someone loves science fiction, someone gives a steampunk ... And almost everyone loves the Middle Ages.
    "All one size fits all, author!" "What a shameful subjectivity!". And here not.
    The rabid love of gamers around the world for the medieval setting is not only in some special romance of those times, which, of course, takes place. Popularization of the Middle Ages is greatly facilitated by fantasy, because in most cases, fantasy worlds do not differ so much from any England of the 13th century. Laws, philosophy, relationship with religion, feudalism, the organization of armies ... Often, popular fantasy universes simply copy from real history, along the way adapting individual elements to their "dungeons-with-draconian" nuances.

    So the Middle Ages remain in the trend. Like the games in this setting. The Stronghold series was once a great discovery for me - a game that well uses the rule of the golden mean.

    On one side of the scales we have any classic RTS - we can frame units in frames and send them by a heap to slaughter, to win it is often necessary to break the enemy's base, for success you must necessarily get all the resources, the main one is old-good money ... On the other The scales of the scale are the covenants of even very hardcore German Settlers - there are many resources, and the most valuable ones are at the end of the production chains. The same soldiers you do not hire without the right weapons - you want to create a detachment of swordsmen? At the mines, they extract iron and deliver it to the warehouse, the smith and the master armor (these are two different artisans!) From this iron they create swords and armor. Deliver them to the weapons - and only then barracks encased in armor appear from the barracks!

    Music 10
    Sounds 10
    Setting 10
    Surroundings 10    … Expand
  21. nieXas
    Dec 21, 2018
    10
    One of the best strategy games of all time. Surely there have been some bugs where you can finish level in 5 minutes, but still it is a masterpiece.
  22. Ilkin123
    Oct 7, 2019
    10
    The best RTS Game ever. This is very interesting strategy. This game have a many interesting characters very good maps and very hard missions.
  23. CDannyZ
    Nov 23, 2019
    10
    Holy this game isnt about graphic, but Its the best stronghold i have ever played. Everyone should try it
  24. kretas
    Jun 21, 2020
    10
    I still play it often, I adore it, I think the graphics are really lovely not as stiff as the future stronghold games. 10/10
  25. kolarz3
    May 19, 2023
    10
    On of the best games that I ever played. I like a lot fact of building my own stronghold.
  26. cercisyusuf
    Sep 8, 2023
    10
    its better than the other all rts games like age of empires and commend conquer generals. underrated af i think
  27. erfunfazli
    Aug 8, 2023
    10
    Really a masterpiece with great graphic, gameplay, soundtrack and...
    I'm sure it's one of the best strategy games of all time.
  28. Quazder
    Jun 25, 2023
    10
    This game is just old masterpiece. Nice strategy, good music, nice feeling when playing. its simply a masterpiece
  29. C.G.
    Aug 29, 2004
    9
    Brilliant!! best pc game i ever played (despite the fact it is the only pc game i ever played!!)
  30. ChrisC.
    Sep 11, 2006
    9
    It was a good game, but here and there are a little things that don't, lets say, seem ok, like if your on a hill that is over looking someone, you cant build moats on that hill, and in the crusades, there were plenty of castles on hills that had moats, besides that, this game was awsome!
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Awards & Rankings

61
#61 Best PC Game of 2002
12
#12 Most Discussed PC Game of 2002
8
#8 Most Shared PC Game of 2002

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 14
  3. Negative: 1 out of 14
  1. Game Informer
    88
    When you use a trebuchet (an enormous catapult) to launch a diseased cow over an enemy's walls and watch his population drop like flies, you can't help but get that warm fuzzy "I love this game" feeling. [Dec 2002, p.149]
  2. Game Over Online
    80
    Basically, Crusader is just Stronghold but browner, and whether you like it or not will probably have a lot to do with whether you played Stronghold and how much you liked it.
    Read full review
  3. TotalGames.net
    85
    It looks wonderful, plays like a dream and deserves a place in the games collection of any self-respecting strategy fan immediately.
See all critic reviews »