This time it's war.Stronghold Crusader 2 is the long awaited sequel to Stronghold: Crusader, the original вЂcastle simвЂ™.

Whereas the first Stronghold title might have seemed too much of a sim/building game for hardcore strategists, Stronghold: Crusader combines glorious depictions of medieval life with full-on, slap-in-the-face strategy. Stronghold: Crusader looks like it's going to redress the balance, and produce a game that thrives on epic battles with multiple-opponents. Previously, skirmish mode has been something of an afterthought with strategy titles, frequently tagged onto the end of a game as an optional extra. Fire is also an ever-present danger, as well as being a primary weapon of the Arabian forces. But it's the skirmish options that make up the real meat of the game with a 50-mission 'skirmish trail' where you play through increasingly difficult scenarios, forming alliances and defeating multiple enemies along the way.ДЄlthough you'll be using many of the same economic units, the desert environment means that fertile land suitable for farming is pretty scarce and controlling the oases - where the best land is found - is essential for mounting a successful campaign. Twenty missions divided into four chapters make up the campaign mode, which allows you to play as both the European and Arabian sides, as well as teaching you to master the sneaky yet vulnerable new Arabic units. Graphically, and to a large extent in its economic system, it's the same as its predecessor, but in this case the action takes place in the harsh Syrian deserts on the path of the Crusades rather than on the green fields of home. So we thought we'd try and do Stronghold in two parts, and Crusader is effectively part two.' The Second ComingДЄnd part two is the best description for it, because Crusader is much more than an expansion, yet doesn't add quite enough to qualify as a new game altogether. 'But as back in 1998 we wanted to do a really good castle sim game to come out in 2001, we couldn't do the skirmish side as well because it would have taken an extra year of work and budgeting.

'We always wanted to do an awesome skirmish game,' explains Simon Bradbury, director at Firefly Studios. requiring more consistent attention and non-greasy fingers, as it revolves around multiple opponents and frantic skirmish gameplay. Stronghold: Crusader, on the other hand, is more of a Pot Noodle RTS. A bacon sandwich RTS, as I like to call them - one that isn't overburdened by micromanagement, allowing you you take time to sit back and munch your plate of bacon sarnies. and c) that it was all the little details that made Stronghold such an entertaining RTS. This told me a) I'd been playing the game for far too long, b) so had he. I once correctly identified that a PCZ caller was playing Stronghold by hearing the gentle mooing of cows in the background. The game itself also was rated because it provided a range of interesting Lords to pick from, all of which could provide a slightly different kind of experience compared to the others. The campaign was well-liked, too, with enough variety in the levels to help keep things interesting enough from level to level. The game was well loved because it provided a simple way to enjoy either a siege as the attacker, or holding off your fort from being overtaken. At the time it was praised for its graphics (though obviously dated by todays standards), and most found it to be an intriguing title that improved on more or less every part of the original game in terms of its style. Upon release, Stronghold: Crusader was met with largely positive responses. Alongside an enjoyable campaign feature, players could take part in single-player skirmishes that would allow for bespoke battles against the AI, offering greater opportunity to mess around and experiment with the gluttony of different units you could play with.ДЄn updated version of Crusader was released in 2008, though many still to this day prefer to play the classic castle sim original.

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