With Total War Warhammer 3 getting the majority of Creative Assembly’s attention in recent years, its more traditional, historical offerings have felt a little unloved. Total War Pharaoh arrived to a lukewarm reception, and updates haven’t greatly restored public opinion. Enter Knights of the Crusades. This sprawling blend of grand strategy, city builder, and RTS feels like one of the closest competitors to the Total War format I’ve seen in some time, and developer Reverie World Studios has just launched it out of early access on Steam.
Knights of the Crusades is far from the developer’s first foray into the format – it’s previously brought us several such strategy games in the form of the Kingdom Wars series. This latest offering, however, drops us into the First Crusades, with a map that spreads from Western Europe, into North Africa, and across to the Holy Land. Much like CA’s games or Paradox’s Crusader Kings 3, its campaign takes place on a world map where you can move your scouts and armies about, gather resources, establish and grow settlements, and expand your cultural, religious, and military influence.
While the focus of the overworld is city building, resource management, and political schemes, battles that break out transform proceedings into an RTS game. Again, the easiest comparison point here is the Total War series, although you could also draw lines to the likes of Age of Empires. Draw your troops out in neat formations, establish your tactics, lead with ranged bombardments, send your cavalry on vicious flanking maneuvers, deploy siege weaponry to assault city walls. Then watch as your forces emerge triumphant, or are routed in terror.
The main campaign is based on the events of the Crusades, and features a range of scripted scenarios. Expect to deal with recreations of real historical events such as the Reconquista and the defense of Edessa, along with the likes of naval battles and sieges. Will you follow the course of humanity as we know it, or rewrite history altogether? Once the main progression is complete, you’re able to continue your journey and further spread your influence, build or shatter alliances, and take over as much of the map as you can.
After a short stint in early access, the full Knights of the Crusades launch has now arrived. If you’ve got a taste for historical grand strategy games and are craving something new, its relatively low $20 price tag plus an additional Steam sale discount makes this meal a rather tempting one to try.
Knights of the Crusades 1.0 is out now on Steam, with a celebratory discount offering 20% off until Friday September 19. Expect to pay $15.99 / £12.39. Take a look here if you’re feeling the itch for some medieval mayhem.
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