Robin Hood Defender of The Crown

by Capcom

Product Features

• A unique blend of role-playing and strategy combined with thrilling action sequences.
• Fund the war effort by lightening the purses of traveling merchants in thrilling archery ambushes.
• Lay siege to imposing castles using mighty siege engines and Greek Fire.
• Joust in majestic tournaments for fame, fortune and land.
• Conquer Englands 38 territories as you command troops on the battlefield and manage Robins growing armies.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000C88I9
• Item Weight: 8 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: November 12, 2003
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,751 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Robin Hood: Defender Of The Crown takes you into a medieval role-playing strategy game where you must become the famous hero known as Robin Hood!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For fans of the original, June 5, 2004

By 

Robert Graves (Thompson Station, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Robin Hood Defender of The Crown (Video Game)

I remember being about thirteen, coming home from school and playing this game on my Apple IIgs. Hours upon hours wasted. Well, now I can waste even more because Capcom has released it on Xbox and Playstation, completely updated yet very faithful to the original.

The story starts with you as Robin Hood in Sherwood forest. You have to defeat the Sheriff of Nottingham in a similar style of play that made the original Defender so great. It's a territorial battle, where the number of men that you recruit and have stationed in a province will determine your ability to protect that province against attack. This part of the game is rather quick and thrown together. They would've done better to extend it, since it is the primary difference between this updated version and the original release.

From here you enter into the original storyline. England is in disarray and it's up to you to save it. Several other nobles are vying for the same properties as you are, and you must choose your properties and fortify them with castles and men, all the while watching your back against attack. The ultimate goal is to defeat other nobles and claim their territories, and essentially be the last one standing when it's over.

As a standalone game it's hard to recommend very highly. It's relatively simple compared to the monolithic games of today, and doesn't have a lot of "sparkle" to it. But as a fan of the original it's like being reacquainted with an old friend. They pay homage to the original scenes, even lifting some of the actual text and cut scenes directly from it. One of the almost humorous additions is the animated princesses after you rescue them. Instead of the simple silhouettes in the window, you now see a scantily clad vixen straight from a Victoria's Secret add. That probably wouldn't have fit in too well back in the 80s. On the most part the scenes are great, especially in the swordfighting sequences. They now take place in 3D castle settings and utilize unique camera angles and perspectives to show some amazing animated scenery.

Overall it's a simple but still great game. On this review page, the major complaint was that the game is "hard." Even if this were true it doesn't mean it's a bad game. And with a little practice you can easily master the elements of the game, from catapult launching to swordfighting to basic strategy. If you're a fan of the original, buy it without hesitation. But if you're new to the game, I'd suggest renting first to see if you like it, since it's so different than what's currently popular in the market.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Robin Hood Game, April 18, 2009

By 

Helen Rider "H" (USA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Robin Hood Defender of The Crown (Video Game)

I had a lot of fun with this, arguably the best Robin Hood game ever made. First of all, the archery minigame makes the game very fun. The battles are a bit repetitive and the siege minigames are a bit hard, but overall with the excellent graphics, great voiceovers and overall coolness of the genre, this game is worth every penny. The swordfights and jousts are very interesting as well. The story is quite entertaining and can be ended several ways, adding to the overall variety of this game. There are several lords that you have to face, with varying strategies and personalities. However, one final note, if you're going to get this game (I highly recommend it), get the xbox version, not the PC version. The PC version crashes a lot and is harder to play. This version almost never messed up on my xbox and is easier because of the controller being easier to access than the keyboard and mouse.

3.0 out of 5 stars FPS Meets Risk, January 24, 2010

By 

John Forbes "Forbes.metal" (Truckee, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Robin Hood Defender of The Crown (Video Game)

Bought the game thinking it was an XBOX redo of the PC Game Robin Hood. Should have read the title better, because I would have realized this was Defender of the Crown with a Robin Hood guise. First levels in Sherwood are fun, but once you go into trying to reclaim the Island, it becomes very difficult. Not recommended for shooters; this is a strategic game. Otherwise, the game has decent graphics and story-lines. Appearances by Little John, Friar Tuck, Maid Marianne, and the Sheriff of Nottingham, among others. Knowing what I know now, I would have browsed past this game for another one.