The last day of E3 is a day for diamonds in the rough. You're exhausted, booths are closing up shop and yet, there are still treasures to be found. Firefly Studios released one such gem, showcasing the trailer for their upcoming castle defense game Stronghold Crusader II.
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The studio is happy to report that the anticipated sequel has finally gone into beta and will have enough time to tweak and polish the gameplay so it is ready for its release this autumn.
Stronghold Crusader was released in 2002 and has since gone on to sell more than 6 million units. A recently rereleased HD version brought new life to the game, but nothing could quell the cries that hungered for a true sequel. The games are a devious combination of real time strategy and city building that put you deep in the Crusades. Stronghold Crusader II will take place at the beginning of the Third Crusade in 1189 when Richard the Lionheart clashed with Saladin, one of history's greatest commanders in a three year struggle to win the Holy Land.
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Firefly is very pleased with the product they have painstakingly, independently created over the last few years. "The game is essentially finished with all our core systems in place including co-op, unit abilities and dynamic events like the tornado and locust swarm. Self-publishing comes with its own set of challenges but one of the great advantages is that we can release when we are ready, when the bugs have been squashed and the game is worthy of the Crusader name.
After taking the game to several public shows over the past nine months we are very happy with the game's feel. The team has been tweaking areas of gameplay such as unit balance and castle destruction in direct response to feedback received at these shows and it has made a huge difference. Players are telling us it feels like the original Crusader in terms of moment-to-moment gameplay and just hearing that is hugely encouraging," a press release from Firefly read.
The game will be a worldwide simultaneous retail and digital release. On launch day Stronghold Crusader II will be available both online through Steam and in stores, with a physical copy of the game available to fans looking to add Crusader II to their collection. Both editions of the game will be exclusive to the Steam platform, requiring the software to active.
Take up arms and fight to win the Holy Land as the (not so) noble Crusader (spoiler alert: you don't reconquer Jerusalem), or defend your home from the invading army as one of country's lords. Watch the trailer for Stronghold Crusader II below- it will be available for download on Steam September 2.