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Stronghold Crusader II
Developer(s)	Firefly Studios
Publisher(s)	Firefly Studios
Producer(s)	Paul Harris
Designer(s)	Simon Bradbury
Programmer(s)	Matt de Villiers Tony DeLibero
Artist(s)	Benjamin Lloyd Thomas
Writer(s)	Simon Bradbury
Composer(s)	Robert L. Euvino
Series	Stronghold
Engine	Vision
Platform(s)	Windows
Release	23 September 2014
Genre(s)	Real-time strategy
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Stronghold Crusader II is a 2014 real-time strategy video game developed and published by Firefly Studios for Windows. A spin-off of the Stronghold series, it is the sequel to their 2002 title Stronghold: Crusader.

Gameplay

The first gameplay demo was given to journalists at E3 2013 and the first gameplay trailer, showing pre-alpha footage, was released at Gamescom 2013. Both the demo and trailer showed off several new aspects that the game will introduce to the series.

Features

The game is the first of the Crusader series to feature a 3D graphics engine, but does not retain all of the elements of the original 2D game while adding new features such as "new units like the cruel Slave Driver, new beefed up AI opponents, dynamic on-map events like the Locust Swarm", as well as "new visuals, a new battle interface, and engine enhancements including effects, animations, and real-time physics." A brand new feature to the series is co-op multiplayer, in which 2 players take control of a single castle to share units and resources while fighting against common enemies. Crusader II will feature both a Crusader and Arabic historical single player campaign at launch. The game will mainly be based around skirmish gameplay, similar to the original Stronghold Crusader title. This will include, as with the original Stronghold Crusader, skirmish trails; in which players need to fight through linked skirmish maps with different set-ups in a particular order. The game is expected to be based more on warfare with little but substantial government.

Extras

As with previous titles in the series, there is a full map editor for users to create and share custom maps for the game. Robert Euvino, who worked on previous titles in the series, composed an all new soundtrack for the game.

Critical reception

The game received mixed to positive reviews on release, as of 29 November 2014 garnering an aggregated score of 66% on Metacritic, based on 28 critics' reviews. It has been praised for striking a good balance between the economic and military aspects of the game and staying true to the series and its strategy roots. Conversely, some critics labelled the latter as "nostalgia" and felt it lacking in some areas, in comparison to contemporary strategy titles.

References

1. "Release Date Announced". 27 May 2014. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
2. "Stronghold Crusader 2 and the Quest for the Holy Crowdfund". Thesixthaxis.com. 30 August 2012. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
3. "Stronghold Crusader 2 announced, coming late 2013". Vg247.com. 30 August 2012. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
4. "E3 2013 - Stronghold Crusader 2 Eyes On Impressions". Co-Optimus. 12 June 2013. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
5. "Stronghold Crusader 2 Getting Arabic Campaign at Launch". 24 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
6. "Building a sequel: Firefly's blueprint for Stronghold: Crusader 2". IncGamers.com. 5 September 2012. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
7. "Stronghold Crusader 2 - Community Q&A Part 3". fireflyworlds. 11 July 2013. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
8. "Stronghold Crusader 2 - Community Q&A Part 2". fireflyworlds. 27 June 2013. Archived from the original on 8 June 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
9. "Stronghold Crusader 2 - Community Q&A Part 5". fireflyworlds. 19 September 2013. Archived from the original on 5 January 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
10. "Stronghold Crusader 2 - Music and Sound FX". fireflyworlds. 10 September 2013. Archived from the original on 6 December 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
11. "Stronghold: Crusader II". Metacritic.
12. "Stronghold Crusader 2 review". PC Gamer. 23 September 2014. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
13. "Stronghold Crusader 2 Review". Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
14. "Stronghold Crusader II for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 29 November 2014.

External links

• Stronghold Crusader II official website

• 2014 video games
• Multiplayer and single-player video games
• Real-time strategy video games
• Stronghold (series)
• Video games with Steam Workshop support
• Video games developed in the United Kingdom
• Video games set in castles
• Video games set in the Crusades
• Video games set in the Middle Ages
• Windows games
• Windows-only games