Sid Meier's Civilization IV vs Stronghold Crusader 2
Sid Meier's Civilization IV
Sid Meier's Civilization IV is the fourth installment of the incredibly-successful grand strategy franchise, Civilization. In addition to the many features that had made the previous games great, this iteration brings the series to greater heights by adding in multiple improvements and new features, including new ways to play and win, tools to manage and expand your civilization, easy-to-use and more extensive mod capabilities as well as much more exciting and intense multiplayer modes. The graphics are so much better than Civ 3 though, there are still some flaws in this version, namely the relationship between nations (AI-played nations seem to get angry at you pretty easily) and the happiness level in the regions you control. That aside, Sid Meier's Civilization IV is a pretty awesome and older game to play, especially if you enjoy a deeper gameplay. Give it a try!Stronghold Crusader 2
Stronghold Crusader 2 returns to the desert of the Middle East right in the middle of the war of religions known as the Crusades after a long hiatus. Similar to the previous game, you'll get to play as a brutal Crusader Knight or Arabic freedom fighter as you lead your respective armies to annihilate the other in the game's fast-paced gameplay. Being a series known for its brilliant castle simulations, you can also build huge castles in the desert to house your population and to recruit massive armies to fuel your battles.There are more than 25 unique unit types, each with their own special abilities; other game modes aside from the main story-based campaigns as well as a multiplayer aspect that can house up to 8 players.
That said, the game has a lot of bugs and as such, your gaming experience will definitely be impacted. Many features that fans of the series have loved were somehow taken out of this sequel too and that had angered and disappointed a lot of the game's fans. All in all though, if you enjoy Crusades-themed games, you might want to get the first game in this spin-off series.