Stronghold: Crusader Extreme, released by Firefly Studios in 2008, is a slightly updated version of the original Stronghold: Crusader. It has a handful of new missions that largely end up being frustrating due to an extreme difficulty spike. It’s not an inexpensive package, so players may want to consider your level of brand loyalty to the Stronghold series before they rush out and buy this game. It does come with the original version of the game included, which is a welcome addition, but with the original game likely to soon be on sale because of this new release, it’s hard to recommend this updated version to any but the most hardcore of fans.
Additions Without Many Upgrades
New modes, missions, items, and maps are the main additions to Stronghold: Crusader Extreme. Graphically, the game hasn’t seen a noticeable upgrade from the base version. The graphics are the same pixellated 2D sprites that were seen in the original. It’s not an especially pretty-looking game, lacking any kind of nuance or detail in the characters or environments. The maximum resolution is 1024 x 768, which would be more forgivable if this game were considered a classic. Without the nostalgic charm that goes along with that status, it’s hard to justify not upgrading the resolution for modern monitors. As another indication of overlooked production values, most of the communication is text-based. There is the odd voiceover in-game, but it’s mostly ambient stuff such as battle cries, making the sound design feel a bit sparse.
Added Challenge Without Added Strategy
As stated above, Stronghold: Crusader Extreme lives up to its name in some instances. This is especially evident in its challenge level, which can be described as “frustratingly difficult”. The game hinges on making key decisions within time limits that are often a bit too short for comfort. While a certain level of challenge can be a welcome thing, it would be nice to have that challenge implemented within the established conventions of the gameplay genre. Whereas a good economic sim (the genre under which this game ostensibly falls) plays out with the complexity of a chess match, the 20 new missions offered here are more like puzzles set within a time limit, giving them the feeling of a series of mini-games.
In the first new mission, for example, you have little more than a minute to gather resources and create something to defend your kingdom before you get annihilated. There isn’t enough time to go about the usual method of building an empire, so you have to channel your resources into a few specific areas. The problem here is that the correct allocation of resources can only be gleaned through trial and error. There is not enough information to make an educated decision until you’ve already failed several times. After about the tenth try, you may able to pick the right combination of strategic elements and finally avert disaster. It’s hard to consider this fun, challenging, or extreme since the only way to win on your first try would be to make a lucky guess, which isn’t exactly a welcome prospect in a strategy game.
A Truly Old-School Experience
As with most games of this genre, the idea of Stronghold Crusader Extreme is to use your resources quickly and efficiently to expand your influence over the map, but unlike more recent games’ trend away from fussy micromanagement, that is the foundation upon which this game is built. To be fair, it handles this in a way that feels more natural than many of its old-school contemporaries.
Final Thoughts
That’s why the game enjoyed such popularity in its heyday, and for fans of this older style of game, there may be some fun to be found in Stronghold: Crusader Extreme. For those wanting a more modern take on strategy games, stick with Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars.