City/Castle Building RTS Style Game from the Past: Castle Strike

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[pad11]

Given all this talk of what a bang-up job Related Designs did with Anno 1701, I dug out an old Related Designs RTS game called Castle Strike that I bought, played for about a week or two and then never touched again, I think because something else grabbed my attention...(imagine that with ME!!).

Anyone else ever play this title?

pat!

[Anguille]

Hi,

I have just started to play it.  I think it's a very decent game with an interesting allocation of workforces!

(i've had the game for many years but did not have time to play yet).

Cheers

[pad11]

Anguille...are you playing the campaign or the single skirmish games....the campaign had too much 'go there, go over there' type stuff...I never really got to build a castle!! 

But I very much LOVE the way you allocate your serfs and how they go about their business...

pat!

[Anguille]

Hi,

I've just starded the campaign and i will focus on that for the moment. . . will play skirmish afterwards 

Cheers

[katmandu2]

  Anguille.

What was your final verdict on this game?  I too have had it for a long time, but have never played it.

Interested to hear your opinion...

Kat

[MaxKos]

 
Hi pad11

Must be coincidence that you gave Castle Strike a mention, like you I've still got it on an older system and keep meaning to give it a whirl again. I seem to remember I liked it a lot but got bogged down in the campaign mode, eventually to make some speedier progress I put a cheat on ie God Mode because I thought the enemy A1 had too much of an advantage and there was too much faffing about. On the reviews, many felt that the skirmish mode was too hard because the enemy always had too much of a head start in the building stage which in itself was time consuming and needed a more leisurely approach. Just as you got going the enemy, would arrive in strength and in half the time a mere mortal could knock everything out (because the computer knows you know, you're playing on its turf!) and beat the bejabers out of you. Ouch!

On the plus side in some ways it was better than Stronghold 2, the artwork and graphics, realism, unit portrayal and scenery were , or are of a very high standard for its time 2004/2005 circa I think. Gamespot gave it an average review, they don't like that sort of thing in all honesty being driven by commercialism more than objectivety. There was no map editor and online support was nil, both in dedicated forum or MMO.

Now you have reminded me I'll fire it up again, got to make these older systems earn their keep, its just as well they are not like cars - if you don't turn the engine over regularly the motor and bodywork goes to pot.

Cheers Maxkos
 

[City Builder]

Was there ever a demo released for it?

[MaxKos]

Hello Worshipful Master.

Nice to see you on the boards again, did you have a break over the New Year. I/We missed your venerable musings or perhaps you were actually too busy gaming to bother slogging away on the keyboard, Oh you have a voice activated script entry - Good Idea.

Yes a Demo is available on Gamespot or if you like Gamershell, faster download for me there, it was that on first sight that decided me on buying it then and there and it arrived before I'd even got through the first scenario.

Its worth getting for no other reason than to watch those Giant Siege Engines in action, with the men sweating and cursing as they wrestle with the ropes and tackle and the earth tremble under the weight of those trebuchets and mangonels with mud being flung up as the stone missile crashes in on landing. The graphic/artwork is realistically portrayed and those German developers don't muck about there's blood, real blood.

Its one of the best Medieval scenarios I've seen not as pictorial as Total War but more realistic. If you do like it you are going to have a job getting it in the States and even here its rather scarce but if you let me know I'll get a copy for you and send it on for you.

All the best

Mac aka Maxkos 

[Anguille]

Anguille.

What was your final verdict on this game?  I too have had it for a long time, but have never played it.

Interested to hear your opinion...

Kat

I have just finished all the tutorials but it's scheduled after i finish WC3 the Frozen Throne....will be able to give you my impressions in about 2 months.

Cheers

[Anguille]

Finally...i am almost through with the campaign (3 scenarios left). My final verdict is that it's an excellent game. Pathfinding of the units is not the best though. Still, the allocation of the workers, the construction of castles and villages, the intersting and very varied campaign places Castle Strike among my fav games of the Medieval period. A special mention to the music...as if they knew they would do Anno afterwards! great for city-builders. I haven't played Stronghold 2 yet (i have the gold edtion but no time alas) so can't compare yet.

Cheers