Stronghold: Crusader II

Release Date: September 23, 2014

Strategy, economic, RTS, the middle ages, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet

6.8

OpenCritic

74%

Steam

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An RTS set in medieval and a sequel to the 2001 hit strategy game, Stronghold. In Stronghold: Crusader II, players once again take role of a leader of medieval armies fighting in the Middle East during the crusades.

Story
Gameplay
Game modes

Stronghold: Crusader 2 is a real-time strategy which is also a continuation of game created in 2002 by the British FireFly studies, which started the Stronghold series.

Story

In Stronghold: Crusader 2 the players portray the commander of the army in the Middle East in the era of the Crusades once again. The player is a member of the Western knighthood or Arab forces. The main purposes of the game are managing castles, repulsing attacks and conducting military operations on a large scale. Similarly, to the previous version of the series, the players have to learn many elements connected with managing the stronghold. Some basic activities are for example, feeding the population and knights and providing them proper equipment, etc.

Gameplay

In the game has been developed many elements from the first part of the game. In this part, the players have to face with opponents that are more intelligent and make a use of new maps. What is more, the FireFly studio has introduced additional traps, units and plans of castles. The plans have been done on a very large scale so siege gains monumental proportions.

Crusaders and Arabs fractions have received ten new units - each of them is equipped with passive and active special abilities. Among new types of units, you can find: Sergeant-at-arms, the Templar Knight, Whirling Dervish, Slave Driver, Sassanid Knight, the Healer, the Fire Ballista and more.

Stronghold: Crusader 2 is powered by a new graphics engine. From the visuals point of view, the game world is presented very detailed with lots of effects and what is more, the game can show the extensive physics system off. There is also added the possibility of free rotation of the camera and there was improved user interface.

The participants of the game share common reserves of resources among controlled aspects of the game. There are wood, agricultural products and animals. The economic and military aspects are so powerful that the decision about sharing them is never obvious.

Game modes

The game allows players to manage the castle jointly in a cooperative mode. They control only a castle and share responsibilities. One of the players is involved in managing the economic side and the other military. The communication between them is done using the integrated voice chat service provided by Steam.

Last updated on August 14, 2015

guide

Last Update: October 23, 2014

Stronghold: Crusader II Game Guide

Stronghold Crusader 2 guide contains detailed information about the single player, as well as online gameplay.

Stronghold: Crusader II Game Guide

Videos and Screens

[0:34] Stronghold: Crusader II mini-campaigns trailer

[1:52] Stronghold: Crusader II The Templar and The Duke DLC - trailer

6.8

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 37% of Critics. There are 12 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

GameWatcher: 8.7 / 10 by John-Paul Jones

For old, war-tested Stronghold players Crusader 2 is a triumphant evolution of the game that they've held dear for the last twelve years. For the rest of us though, there is perhaps no better time to see what all the fuss is about.

Full Review

NZGamer: 4 / 10 by Keith Milburn

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.

Full Review

God is a Geek: 7 / 10 by Mike Stubbsy

Overall, Stronghold: Crusader 2 does a lot of things well. Managing the economy is important, but it doesn't need to be constantly managed (although you do need to take the right resource path in order to succeed). Combat is the traditional RTS "smash into each other experience" but it works well (despite the questionable unit AI), and building your castle is incredibly pleasing despite the dodgy interaction with terrain. Irritating moments such as the enemy Lord fights and generally high difficulty detract significantly from the game, but it's still an enjoyable romp for any RTS fan.

Full Review

74%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Mostly Positive (11,590)

STEAM

User Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

Graphics and Engine: The game features improved graphics and a new 3D engine, which enhances the visual experience compared to the original.
Engaging Gameplay: Some players find the gameplay to be fun and engaging, particularly in multiplayer settings.
Nostalgia Factor: Fans of the original series appreciate the return to the Stronghold universe, even if the execution is debated.
Multiplayer Mode: There are positive mentions of multiplayer gameplay, especially when playing with friends.

The main cons of the game

Gameplay Mechanics: Many users criticize the new pathing mechanics, which they find confusing and poorly implemented, leading to unit mismanagement during battles.
Unit Balancing: Specific units, like crossbowmen, have been nerfed significantly, making them less effective against armored targets. New unit types are seen as inferior to the originals.
Slower Resource Management: Peasant workers are noted to be significantly slower in their tasks, impacting overall gameplay efficiency.
High Costs for Siege Engines: Siege engines are considered excessively expensive and slow to deploy, which hampers strategic gameplay.
Interface and Bugs: The interface is described as poor, and there are numerous bugs, particularly in multiplayer mode, leading to frustration among players.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

Lack of Charisma in Units: Players note that units have lost their personality and engaging speech, which was a charming aspect of the original games.
Visual Indicators: There is a lack of visual cues for stockpile and granary item quantities, which complicates resource management.
AI Issues: The AI is criticized for using resource cheats and exhibiting poor decision-making, making the game feel unbalanced.
Limited Campaign Content: Some users feel that the campaign lacks depth, with fewer cutscenes and a repetitive feel compared to the original.
No Attack-Move Command: The absence of an attack-move command is highlighted as a significant gameplay flaw, especially for managing large armies.

Summary

Overall, while Stronghold Crusader 2 has its strengths in graphics and nostalgic value, it faces criticism for gameplay mechanics, unit balancing, and technical issues that detract from the experience.

Summary generated on: November 25, 2024

7.7

GAMERS Score

Average score from 1502 votes. 1923 players anticipated the game.

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GAMES

in Stronghold Game Series

Game Series

Stronghold Series

A series of real-time strategy (RTS) in the medieval reality. The brand was created by the development team FireFly, which also oversees its development.

18 video games

Stronghold Game Series