Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition Review

A lot of real-time technique video games have accomplished citadel defenses and sieges, however few have dedicated to a full-blown ‘citadel sim’ angle in addition to the Stronghold sequence. Although most entries previous the unique and Crusader struggled to captivate critics and gamers, Firefly Studios – now owned by Devolver Digital – has managed to maintain that spark alive for a few years. Now, Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Version arrives 13 years after its HD re-release and fewer than two after the unique recreation’s remastered refresh.

Initially launched in 2002, Stronghold Crusader moved the motion to the Center East in the course of the Crusades and added a much-celebrated skirmish mode vs. AI opponents on high of the standard marketing campaign. The change of surroundings additionally led to main modifications within the central gameplay loop, comparable to farms that may solely be constructed on the wholesome soil of oases, which makes fights over the restricted assets of maps tenser. This additionally means fastidiously putting such buildings and maximizing using restricted grids is vital to sustaining the populace properly fed.

Crusader is ‘extra Stronghold in a unique setting’ in any other case; there’s no must deny that. It was a superb, old style sequel. That mentioned, as a direct follow-up to the unique, it packed a lot of enhancements that secured it a glowing fame for greater than 20 years now. After a lot of misfires whereas attempting to develop the sequence, we weren’t shocked by Firefly Studios’ push to make their two simple wins within the RTS area even higher and future-proofed.

After spending a while with this Definitive Version, I discovered it laborious to not stroll away impressed by each the assets and care put into this remaster, but additionally by how properly its core loop holds up in any case these years. As confirmed by the latest Age of Empires DEs at Xbox Recreation Studios, most RTS classics simply want the correct amount of tweaks and sensible enhancements to really feel related as soon as once more.

The magical factor about Stronghold (and the higher riffs on its components we’ve seen since its delivery) is the way you’re capable of finally automate every part. Whereas many sim RTS video games embrace a lot of micromanagement, Stronghold is all the time in regards to the bigger image. The city planning parts from Caesar and Pharaoh aren’t a factor right here, however the bulk of the sport is about placing down buildings in the suitable locations to letting NPCs do their factor. Unemployed peasants robotically seize jobs wherever out there and assets begin to circulation. That’s an oversimplification of the method although; as simply sustaining a stability is hard. However you get the concept. Put in sufficient work and deal with having impenetrable defenses and also you’ll find yourself with a fortified village that runs itself.

So, as a substitute of spending an excessive amount of time managing what everyone seems to be doing, you’re principally dictating what form your citadel and its environment will take, making ready troops for the upcoming battles, and taking care of the folks’s wants with optimized grid layouts. In Crusader, as said earlier than, the deserts and oases are on the heart of the town-building technique in every totally different map. This meant that, regardless of my in depth expertise with the unique, I usually needed to ‘redo’ total sections of my strongholds as a result of I may’ve constructed 5 bakeries as a substitute of 4 if I’d performed with the out there area a bit higher, for instance.

There’s a pleasing rhythm to Stronghold Crusader in its quiet moments, and once you’re taking part in by way of the (principally fictionalized) historic campaigns and ‘path’ eventualities, it usually seems like a real-time puzzle. The circumstances and limitations usually change, and, many occasions, enemy armies aren’t the primary impediment. Nonetheless, and regardless of your faction of alternative, the destiny of your stronghold is all the time determined by your navy items and the way they’re used. Enemy AI lords can nonetheless make some baffling decisions although. Take a look at the superior sandbox mode in case you simply wish to construct a fantastic-looking citadel with none exterior stress. (This can be a private favourite of mine contemplating how attractive Crusader’s DE seems to be.)

In contrast to in different RTS, weapons and tools for the soldiers must be created earlier than they are often educated, which ties into the sport’s total ‘circulation of assets’ system. Even in case you automate the mining of iron and blacksmiths are doing their factor, you’ll want an armory to retailer weapons and sufficient gold (through taxes or buying and selling) earlier than you’ll be able to practice a brand new military. This additionally impacts your recognition and so forth, so you’ll be able to see the way it all comes collectively regardless of its surface-level simplicity. Fortunately, it’s straightforward to maintain monitor of the way you’re doing and switching between totally different constructing varieties and data breakdowns, as even at its most advanced, Stronghold Crusader isn’t overwhelming. There’s room for additional UI enhancements that might make some interactions quicker and extra pure although.

Throughout its many modes – together with campaigns, trails, skirmish maps, customized eventualities, and on-line with leaderboards – Stronghold Crusader’s strengths are all the time on the entrance. This recreation nonetheless is simple to suggest to anybody, whether or not they’re newcomers or lapsed veterans. It’s simply delightfully uncomplicated but additionally demanding in a manner that feels truthful as you dial up the problem and discover the harsher missions and trails. Bounce into the timed ‘Sands of Time’ trails in case you’re in search of an particularly pushing expertise or enterprise into all-new battles with the co-op path. On high of every part, the brand new Bedouin warriors are items value utilizing and mastering, as they’re surprisingly versatile and allow different methods that weren’t current within the earlier iterations of Crusader.

The upgraded visuals and audio, which incorporates new recordings, aren’t overdone both. Maybe an outsourced remaster (I’m taking a look at you, Blizzard) would’ve altered the artwork route in ways in which felt extreme, however Firefly Studios’ method to refreshing the 3D fashions throughout the board is simply good to accommodate the a lot increased resolutions we use these days with out betraying the unique imaginative and prescient behind the sport’s presentation. I’m additionally completely satisfied to substantiate the efficiency is silky clean, with no bizarre stutters cropping up whereas scrolling/panning. (Someway, this was a problem in a number of the HD remasters of the outdated AoE titles.)

The icing on the cake are the in depth post-launch content material plans (free and paid) which have been revealed. When coupled with full Steam Workshop help, the in-game map editor, and the deep on-line multiplayer, it’s laborious to think about the sequence’ tremendous passionate neighborhood not embracing Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Version for years to return.

Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Version launches on July 15, 2025, on Steam (no phrase but on a GOG launch) with a price ticket of $19,99 (common worth).