This is a game with a brutal difficulty curve and as such, it demands tenacity and perseverance in equal measure in order to be enjoyed to the fullest extent. Like the best examples of the RTS genre, Stronghold Crusader 2 deftly embodies that colossal balancing act that it demands from its players; economy, populace and war must all be given equal attention for victory to be attained.
Certainly though, for all of the great work that Stronghold Crusader 2 does in welcoming newcomers, stalwarts of the 2002 original will find that a lot has changed and just about all of it is for the better.
The biggest and most obvious change is the shift from the 2D isometric perspective of the first game to the fully 3D worlds and battlefields that are on offer here. Sure enough, a roving 3D camera is something that RTS games have had for years now, and truth be told, while the visual upgrade is welcome, Crusader 2's visuals tend to err more towards the satisfactory than the spectacular.
