Stronghold Crusader II – The Princess and The Pig DLC Review

“…a meaningful amount of extra content for the game at a low price tag…”

The Princess and The Pig is the first paid DLC to be released for Stronghold Crusader II – the latest game in the classic series by FireFly Studios. Offering players two new AI characters to play against, The Princess and The Pig in case you hadn’t guessed, as well as seven new single player missions, ten new achievements and some new castle designs to enjoy, there is plenty of bang for buck on offer here. What players of the game will want to know of course is whether or not it is worth it. I had a play with these new elements to find out!

As DLC goes, it is worth mentioning that this one is particularly friendly. On the one hand, I felt like I had plenty of new gameplay to enjoy considering the relatively low price tag attached to the package. On the other hand, I did not feel that the game had changed so significantly where if I had not purchased the new DLC I would be at any disadvantage or be feeling hard done by. I suppose the best way to put it is that this feels much more like some optional extras for the game, rather than a necessary expansion of its content if you want any hope of keeping up with other players. It is very satisfying to have, but you do not need it, and this is exactly the way it should be. Perhaps FireFly Studios will help some other developers remember that fact.

The DLC package is one which presents a new challenge to players. It is probably worth having experience with the game before you do purchase it, but you do not need to be the very best at it in order to play with the new content. Each of the new characters presents a unique style of play to the game too. The Pig, as some players of the original Stronghold might recall, focuses on all out attack as his strategy, hitting you early on and frequently with faster units. The Princess on the other hand is new, and instead tries to smother you in numbers to claim her victory. Each opponent is difficult but not impossible to play against, and of course you can vary your difficulty level if you need to. This is probably the perfect level for both newer and older players of the Stronghold series to appreciate the offering, but of course you have to appreciate the homage to veterans which is paid by the return of The Pig.

The new DLC makes little difference to playing the game online, bar a few additional features as mentioned previously. If you are a player of the game who appreciates its offline skirmishes however, the new missions will almost certainly please you. Seven new missions in a Stronghold game of course means plenty of additional playtime to enjoy, and that cannot be frowned about given the price. Perhaps not a DLC for every kind of player then, but many will undoubtedly be grateful for the expansion of their game, especially if they have already played through the core game’s skirmishes.

There is little to be critical about with The Princess and The Pig DLC for Stronghold Crusader II. It offers a meaningful amount of extra content for the game at a low price tag, but it does not come in a nature which almost forces you to buy it in order to keep playing the game. The new opponents and skirmishes each pose a worthy challenge to any player who has some good experience with Stronghold, and adds a good few hours of playtime on top of the core game’s missions. The only downside will be for online players, who will notice less difference from the DLC than those who prefer to play the offline elements of the game. Nevertheless, there is no serious negatives to the content on offer, and those who do choose to purchase it will be pleased that they did.

The Good:

• The Princess and The Pig each pose their own unique set of challenges to the player which adds an even greater variety to gameplay than before.
• New skirmishes offer a decent challenge that any player with experience of Stronghold can enjoy, without needing to be an expert.
• Purchase of the DLC feels worthwhile given the low price tag compared to the amount of new playtime and content which you receive.
• DLC is genuinely optional and does not impact on your overall enjoyment or ability to play the game.
• New castle designs and achievements are an aesthetically pleasing bonus.
• The return of The Pig from the original Stronghold will no doubt please veterans of the series.

The Bad:

• Online players will feel little impact from purchasing the DLC package.
• You need at least some good experience of playing the Stronghold games to make the most of what is on offer; it is not necessarily recommendable to all.

Disclaimer:All scores given within our reviews are based on the artist’s personal opinion; this should in no way impede your decision to purchase the game.