Lionheart‘s combination of role-playing and high strategy is so precarious that it barely succeeds. Neocore’s additions to that well-worn schematic include a novel setting (the Middle East during the time of the Third Crusade), RPG elements, and some flirtations with alternate history and outright fantasy.

Lionheart presents itself as a Total War clone with all the fixin’s: the high level/low level divide in the action, the focus on recruiting and maintaining units of diverse types, lavish height-mapped battle-scenes and 'epic' scale. Passed inspection: Rudiments of a Total-War battle system two lengthy, distinct campaigns many opportunities for customizing units hints of historical flavor good graphics.įailed basic: AI that frequently can’t provide a challenge lack of strategic-level back-and-forth, unit balance issues. Lionheart: King’s Crusade – PC Game Review By Kyle Stegerwald