Stronghold: Crusader Review

A real-time strategy game involving simulated castle building, managing an economy, and warfare. What can be better?

Set during the Crusades, Stronghold Crusader takes part in the sandy deserts. Like the Stronghold series, Stronghold Crusader is a real-time sim game. You must balance your fortifications, your economic buildings, and your army in order to halt your opponent from gaining the upper hand.

Stronghold Crusader has several game modes to play. One can play the 50 missions in the Crusader trail or create their own custom game with their own set rules. One can also alternatively take part in some historical campaigns, set in real scenarios in the past. If fighting is your style, then perhaps you'd like to simply build a castle and economy in Crusader's castle builder mode.

Players are allowed to make their own maps and scenarios to play on.

Up to eight players can participate in a single game. Players play against each other using a gaming server or a manual connection.

The graphics are rather outdated compared to games from today, though they are still pleasing and smooth. Though the famous game-play from the Stronghold games is why this game is so awesome.

When I mean sim, I truly mean sim. Similar to the Command & Conquer, you see and control everything. Building a strong economy is a very delicate process that can be approached in many angles. In order to have an army, you must have the funds and equipment to support one. Funds can be collected from taxation or by selling raw or finished materials in the market. Equipment can be made by your own craftsmen, or purchased on the market as well.

In order to support a population, they must need food. As your job being their leader, you must provide it to them through their own labor or from the market. Or even none at all. Stronghold Crusader allows the character to make many choices that could affect the their public image. Like forbidding food, one can save a fortune of gold and labor in return for major dislike. You can make large decorated gardens and statues to honor those who have fallen, or instead build gallows and torture tools to change your citizens' way of thought. Each decision has an equal or opposite effect, and players can explore those many ways to find much enjoyment in the game.

Castle building is an art. To be able to secure the stone needed and to fortify a dwelling is not easy, but the challenge to try so is always entertaining. The various NPCs in Stronghold Crusader have their own styles of building a fortified keep. You are allowed to make low walls, high walls, towers, ballistas, among many other structures to protect yourself.

Stronghold Crusader offers a wide variety of soldiers to create. There are two fractions of troops. There are the European and Arabian soldiers. Each character has unique traits and values, and can be manipulated in many ways to suit different scenarios. Siege engines can also be built in the game to add more strategic value.

Overall Rating - 8/10

Stronghold Crusader is a must have for a Stronghold fan or a strategists who want to try their skills.