The highly anticipated sequel to the best-selling Stronghold, Crusader throws you into historic battles from the Crusades with fiendish AI opponents, new units, 4 historical campaigns and over 100 unique skirmish missions.

Steam versions are updated automatically to the most recent version.

Lead a determined group of Crusaders, forged by centuries of barbaric warfare, amidst the haze of the desert heat then fight for your freedom as the mighty Saladin.

Battles such as Nicea, Heraclea, siege of Antioch, Krak des Chevaliers and the Siege of Jerusalem all feature, as do the Crusader Trails from the Stronghold Warchest and Stronghold Crusader Extreme.

The new HD battlefield view allows you to zoom out and play in real-time, with the whole map on one screen.

Advance on the castle gates while flanking the enemy from behind, feign retreat and lead your foe into a deadly trap or just sit back and watch the destruction unfold.

The unit cap has been increased from 1000 to a staggering 10,000 troops, special Tactical Powers such as the Arrow Volley can be used and new buildings make their appearance alongside the Crusader Extreme skirmish trail.

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This told me a) Id been playing the game for far too long, b) so had he.

A bacon sandwich RTS, as I like to call them - one that isnt overburdened by micromanagement, allowing you you take time to sit back and munch your plate of bacon sarnies.

We always wanted to do an awesome skirmish game, explains Simon Bradbury, director at Firefly Studios.

But as back in 1998 we wanted to do a really good castle sim game to come out in 2001, we couldnt do the skirmish side as well because it would have taken an extra year of work and budgeting.

So we thought wed try and do Stronghold in two parts, and Crusader is effectively part two.

Graphically, and to a large extent in its economic system, its the same as its predecessor, but in this case the action takes place in the harsh Syrian deserts on the path of the Crusades rather than on the green fields of home.

But its the skirmish options that make up the real meat of the game with a 50-mission skirmish trail where you play through increasingly difficult scenarios, forming alliances and defeating multiple enemies along the way.

Fire is also an ever-present danger, as well as being a primary weapon of the Arabian forces.

Stronghold: Crusader looks like its going to redress the balance, and produce a game that thrives on epic battles with multiple-opponents.

Whereas the first Stronghold title might have seemed too much of a simbuilding game for hardcore strategists, Stronghold: Crusader combines glorious depictions of medieval life with full-on, slap-in-the-face strategy.

In fact, I was tempted to give the game a good mark just for that But what I found was a genuinely decent strategy game.

The twist with this edition is the action takes place the Middle East, making Saracens and Sassanids the foes you must face.

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