Customer Reviews

Stronghold Crusader Extreme

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This game is very good. As a matter of fact the original was the first product I ever wrote a review for on Amazon. This is a five star game then and now, I deducted a point though. I have bought this game three seperate times, once as regular Stronghold Crusader, then I bought the Warchest which contained Stronghold and Stronghold Crusader+some extras, and now I have bought Stronghold Crusader Extreme. It contains the original Stronghold Crusader+the Warchest extras, and now it has a new trail, with 20 extreme missions, and tactical powers like arrow volleys that can kill most enemies on screen. There is also a new 10,000 man cap, so expect a lot more action in this version. Thats why I gave it a five star fun factor. Its like Stronghold Crusader on steroids, and this game still has its charm, and it still is VERY INTENSE. To be honest I love this game, and this new version brought it back to life for me. And I should also mention its now Vista compatible, and the multiplayer aspect also adds a lot more depth to the game.


But there is a downside. There is no real market for this game besides the hardcore fan who probably owns a lot of this games content already. Are they willing to spend the cash for a lot more men, outposts, a new trail, and some tactical powers? I was and Im glad I did. New people to Stronghold Crusader need to realize the original game is from 2002 and buy it for its gameplay, instead of for eyecandy. This is not state of the art in the graphics department. But I recommend it whole heartedly. And there is a whole lot of game here, especially if you are new to Crusader. This is one of the best games of alltime.

This game has a few fatal flaws that make it inferior to the crusader warchest edition:
#1 Reduction of video/audio quality (I mean A LOT).
#2 Immobile AI (they don't make units, or use any of the bonus powers).
#3 More annoying "click screens" (two to be exact -- which is 4 in total I think).
#4 Multiplayer is WAY TOO slow (and this is with ETHERNET folks).
#5 Cannot play the original crusader maps in extreme (yep, they even thought it needful to include LESS maps)...
#6 The game now requires the CD (warchest version did not -- install once and enjoy!)

The extra tacked-on screens you have to click through in order to reach the main menu is highly annoying!

When playing against AI opponents, they can't really do anything. They won't make any *actual* troops of their own (thus unable to defend their Lord), and, they are at a disadvantage since they never use the bonus powers that have been added in the bar (which is really unjust in my opinion, ruins a decent game). This is an ABSOLUTE JOKE! The AI was not fine-tuned for the "Extreme" mechanics, so, they just SIT THERE while the spawned troops march off. These "spawned troops" are just controlled by a universal trigger... there isn't any "unique" attack styles as was found in the previous crusader version.

Now, one might be wondering why I was playing against AI opponents in the first place. Well! If you ever tried playing this thing online, or even on a local ethernet connection, there are HUGE pauses, and the game just runs like mud.

Since somehow the game is now over ONE GIGABYTE, they reduced ALL of the audio. If you have sensitive speakers, the artifacts will be extremely audible, and sharp to the ears. Not only that, but ALL of the little videos have been encoded even more -- you'll notice this when you see Richard swinging his axe at the beginning, and the knight on the right side at the menu. Yuck! A bunch of pixellated discoloured videos.

The ONLY "advantage" of this game are the extra crusader trails. If you want to give the few campaign trails offered, buy it -- but I'd suggest no more over $5 (second hand will do). The game does include the original crusader -- BUT, the audio is still downgraded, you have the extra click screens, and need to put the CD in every time... us hard-working people who BUY the game should deserve a little reward of not having to insert the stupid disc every time.

If you REALLY want the *true* STRONGHOLD CRUSADER experience, buy the warchest edition (which has the extra AI opponents too). You'll get higher quality audio/movies, less click sreens, no need to put the CD in to play, and great multiplayer fun; works really well on ethernet. PLUS, firefly released a really nifty application that allows you to change how the AI builds their castles! You can make the Lionheart's walls like iron.

I absolutely love Crusader, but this "enhanced version" is just a cash cow. Don't let people lie to you, true "die-hard" stronghold fans will not at all enjoy this (which seems to be a common misconception). This isn't even stronghold! It's like a fancy version of "tower defence." The fact that it includes "both" crusader versions means NOTHING. It degraded things in the original too.

Stronghold Crusader "Extreme" is now uninstalled from my hard drive, I just reinstalled a fresh copy of the warchest version. Stick with the classic.

If you have tried the previous version of stronghold. Then this is the version that you must have. Total onslaught of medival times. If you like sims controlled games with a stragetic base? Then your in luck.

This game is fun for the Crusader part of it. It contain Stronghold Crusader and Stronghold Crusader Extreme. The Extreme is too cheap for me. It has units spawn and less maps. I bought this game 2 years ago for 40 dollars and now it is 1.40, so I'm kind of mad about that. I would just buy this for the AI characters and the new mads for the orginal.

It seemed to take a while to get here, but when received my fourteen year old son was very happy with it and enjoys taking his computer to his grandparents where there is no internet. He is still able to do something.

This is one of the worst games I've ever played. To me, there seems to be absolutely no way to win. Previous to this game, I had played Stronghold 2. While it was difficult at times, there was at least a chance to win. Not so with this game.

The game is limiting. There are two modes. Free mode (with only the ability to fight) and campaign mode. I tried both and gave up on both.

In the campaign mode, you open with at a level with one competitor. Your hold is located in the Southeastern corner, with limited protection and not much for resources. Your competitor is North of you, but out in the open. He doesn't have really any protection, but he has a whole lot of resources (and starts with way more gold). Being a human, I'm limited as to how I quickly I can set up things in the game. The computer does not have this disadvantage and goes through the set up of their castle faster than I can get my standard supplies given to me. Plus, in this game you can't "Pause" and set things up like Stronghold 2, so you're behind when you get things finally set up. Also, what you need to know is that you've got a mercenary tent available to you from the start. This is a disadvantage because your enemy will set one up close to your hold, load up with soldiers and just pelt the heck out of your hold. I tried everything. I built walls, towers and gates. I built a mercenary post and bought and bought and bought soldiers. I tried both things together, and still I failed because I couldn't get my walls up fast enough and enough mercenaries out there to make a difference.

From there I tried the free campaign portion. Same idea. Your enemy loads up on mercenary soldiers and you have no chance of accomplishing anything.

There is no chance to really set up an economy or an atmosphere where your society can grow. Call me dorky, but that's I really enjoyed about Stronghold 2. Killing stuff is fun, but this game was too one-sided.

1st i liked it because you get 2 games in 1 so if u never played this game or the one before it you get the chance to experinece with out having to buy the first one.
2nd its more chanllengin you really have to py attention to what your doing and how because you will loose the mission.

If you like fast pace strategic action then look no further. Larger armies and special reinforcements make for a faster pace. Great grame I love it.

Original Crusader was much more enjoyable. I preordered this game and spent over $50 for it but I haven't played this game more than a couple times. Extreme additions are more distracting than strategic and the whole castle building theme is lost quickly in this very weird update. Stick with the original Stronghold and Crusader games and play other's maps, they are far superior.

The game is the same ole Stronghold Crusader with very little change. Added on a differant mode but it's a mode that's the same as the previous game but mainly just a harder level of play. The add ons they talk about in the game were added on in the war chest versian and they make sound like it's brand new; it's not. Definately not worth buying.