Stronghold vs Stronghold Crusader 2
Stronghold
Stronghold is the original castle simulation game and it's not shy to let you know about it. Back when it first came out, the game was incredibly popular among fans of the real-time strategy genre and it is pretty obvious to why. The game not only let you build and design your own castle in its combat-free economic campaign; you also get to engage in medieval warfare against AI enemies in the game's single player campaigns or against up to 8 other players via the multiplayer mode online. You can even besiege actual historical castles, set up typical catle defenses to stump invaders and make sure your people are well-taken care of.Stronghold is a classic when it comes to castle sims. In fact, until today, there still isn't any game that managed to achieve a similar depth in terms of its gameplay. If you love castle-building and real-time strategy, this is a game you'll most certainly enjoy. Do 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.