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Genre: Action strategy real-time strategy
Developer: Blueside
Publisher: Blueside, Incredi Soft
Release Date: February 28th, 2020
Edited by AlexKnight2005
Back in the year 2004, a hidden gem was released on the original Xbox console known as Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders. This gem got fairly good reviews at the time but was vastly overshadowed by other games of the era. Now with the fan base hungry for more content after the release of Kingdom Under Fire 2, Blueside has remastered their hidden gem for modern PC gamers. This release brings with it all-new widescreen support with updated controller support and even includes bindings for those who would prefer to play using their trusty keyboard/mouse combo. Let’s see how this classic holds up today and whether they did enough to warrant the title of remaster or if this is more of a glorified port.
Those of you out there familiar with the original release will know exactly what you are looking at here. The classic version only supported 4:3 aspect ratio screens at 480i, with no progressive scan support, though it would run flawlessly in progressive mode if you had those fancy cables for your Xbox. That being said, all the content from the classic release is here, with the awesome soundtrack and all.
There have been only minor graphical changes made, such as improving the resolution of the textures, and shifting to the now more common 16:9 aspect ratio, but that’s about all that was done save for adding a broader range of supported controllers. The audio is entirely identical to the western Xbox release of the game, right down to the needless censoring of the word patriarch. None of the voice lines have been cleaned up and made it sound just as horrible as they did back in 2004. The music is still clear and crisp, although it seems a bit overpowering in regards to the overall audio mix. Still, the rest of the game’s sound effects aren’t anything special, so it isn’t a huge deal.
As for the gameplay, they tried something different by making the game a mixing hack and slash gameplay with tactical decision-making like what you would expect from an RTS title. This gets confusing, as you’re constantly flipping between controlling the leader of a platoon and commanding your platoons around the battlefield. There are melee and ranged soldiers and those who can use magic, and the positioning of these troops is vital for success. You have various special abilities available to you that can depend on the composition of your current platoon and on making the preparation that is vital for the survival of your army.
After each battle, you will have the opportunity to visit the various facilities around your castle, from the bar, which boosts morale, to the barracks where you can hire new troops and upgrade your existing ones. There is a lot to consider before marching onward to your next mission. Thankfully, upgrade paths are clear, and you will always know what you need for the upgrades you want. Resources are limited, but you may need to choose between buying your forces some good ale to give them that pep back in their step or paying the bills for specialized training. These choices could very well mean victory or defeat in your next mission.
The overall story is a pretty cliche story of a war between two groups, so there isn’t much to say without massive spoilers. There are four different story paths to play through, however. You only start with 2 of them available, but the other two unlock as you complete the first set. Each story is around 3-5 hours in length and can easily be completed in a single session if you know what you’re doing, though your first playthroughs may take you considerably longer while you fight to understand the game’s mechanical depth. The difficulty curve is a bit harsh as well, with the initial story being considerably easier than the ones they unlock.
Just like the original release, you have a limited number of save slots, and there is no mission select for completed campaigns. These factors make replaying your favorite missions a bit of a chore, as you may need to replay a fresh campaign up to that point in the future if you don’t have a save laying around. Thankfully, as stated above, each campaign is relatively short, so it shouldn’t take much time to reach that favorite mission again.
I found it difficult to fully grasp the switch between the control styles presented in the game. I was often unable to react fast enough to prevent casualties by shifting my formation on the battlefield while still engaging the numerous foes in front of me. I could probably master it if I spent more time working on it, but I have found that this unique blend of gameplay styles is not quite something I enjoy. Most of my faults with this release are not related to the gameplay, though, as it’s quite solid and does the job quite well. My only gameplay-related complaint is that you have an extremely limited move-set while controlling the platoon leaders. You only have a light and heavy attack, which does create some combos, but not nearly enough for my liking.
Pros:
- Rocking heavy metal soundtrack.
- Innovative gameplay that blends RTS command with real-time hack and slash.
- Interesting yet cliche story.
Cons:
- Unusual censoring.
- Shifting control styles may be difficult to master
- Limited save slots with no mission select.
GlitchedVision gives Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders HD Remastered a drastik measure of 7.5 out of 10.0 (75).
This is a definite pickup for fans of the Kingdom Under Fire franchise, who have either yet to experience this classic or those who would just like another chance to experience it. If you have not experienced the franchise before, this might be a rocky place to start as it does not hold up well to modern standards. Overall, this should be looked at more like an enhanced port rather than a full remaster.
