At first glance, Castle Strike looks to be another typical real-time strategy (RTS) game, easily comparable to Age of Empires or Warcraft. This comparison is quickly lost as Castle Strike gives the player something different, something that strategy gamers might not have experienced in recent times.
The premise seems relatively simple - build a castle, build an army and storm your enemy`s stronghold using one of three nations (England, France or Germany). This, as will be seen within the first couple of plays, is easier said than done.
Castle Strike is an intricate, difficult game that will undoubtedly intrigue the experienced, hardcore strategists. The myriad of options should, however, put off the novice gamer as it is not easy to master.
As in all RTS games, you have to build buildings, perform upgrades and mine resources (no surprises here), but the difference is you have to build a castle as well, complete with towers and walls - everything you read about in history books.
This is a very fulfilling aspect of the game as seeing your fortress when completed inspires a sense of awe. Added features are tax collection and various facets of micro-management, implementing some realism.
The interface of Castle Strike is confusing at first and takes getting used to. The graphics are adequate, with various zooming options so that the action can be surveyed from far or close (and I do mean close - is it really necessary to be able to see the whites of your enemy`s eyes and nothing else?)
The camera angles can also cause minor frustration from time to time, but is nothing to fret about. Combat is also relatively realistic, as it does not take much to kill or be killed. Furthermore, there are various units and upgrades.
The siege weaponry (such as ballistae and ladders) is interesting, without which there is no way to penetrate a castle. Battles do have the sense of the epic. There are, furthermore, unique heroes for each nation, adding special bonuses to units nearby.
The single-player campaign is divided into 27 missions, with much-needed tutorials, and multi-playing is available in different game types (from Deathmatch to Rescue the Virgin) on various different maps.
It feels as though Castle Strike is attempting to revolutionise a genre, but falls short in doing so. Instead of being a potentially fun game, it ends up focusing too much on details and realism.
This is not necessarily bad - hardcore gamers could really find something special in these aspects. Novices without patience should, however, give it a miss, as there is a lot of frustration ahead.
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