CastleStorm II

Castlestorm II is a mixed bag; a combination of some equally intense highs and lows which almost feels worse than if it was simply not a good game. The issue is that it is a good game on a fundamental design level. The integration of several strategy elements alongside the hands-on gameplay makes for a thrilling and fun experience that is truly unlike anything else out there. That level of quality and innovation, however, is hamstrung by frequently poor controls, performance, and presentation which dramatically lowers the pedigree of the experience. Unfortunately, Castlestorm II feels like a step back from its predecessor, as it acquires more new problems than it fixes the old. Even so, we still feel it's worth a light recommendation as a 'buy it on a deep sale' title. There's always a chance that patches will fix up the rough edges, and if you can get past the issues in execution, there's a legitimately great game to experience here.

There's a good chance that you'll have a love/hate relationship with CastleStorm II. The combat remains as fun as ever, but the strategic elements feel like an unnecessary add-on. The hampering of Luna's chapter also feels cruel, and the pacing of the game feels slow, especially with so many loading screens bookending each screen. There's still some fun to be had, but if you haven't already, you're better off playing the first game.

CastleStorm II's brand of real-time strategy tower defense is just challenging enough to keep you engaged, but not so much that you're throwing your controller.

CastleStorm 2 tries to keep many of the same elements that made the original game fun, but it just doesn't come together this time around. The new mechanics and expanded campaign design feel shallow and almost unnecessary.

Although the castle-smashing combat and humor remain enjoyable, Castlestorm II is bogged down by half-baked systems that often undermine each other.

CastleStorm II isn't a bad game but it's definitely a substantial step down from the classic original. Speaking of which, after playing this over the past few days, I think I'll go back to enjoying the fantastic first game as it's a far more polished experience.

This Action Strategy mashup is solid enough to keep you playing, the strategy layers add to the game but are not the main focus. The battles are some of the brightest spots but still nothng special that you can’t get in other games.

The gameplay is fluid, the visuals are stunning (other than some motion blur) and the music and ambient noise make this Zen Studios experience quite relaxing outside of combat. It’s not quite an Epic Games Store platform seller but combined with all of the freebies they offer, RTS and tower defense fans should definitely consider jumping on board CastleStorm 2 for an experience that I’d expect from a modernized Warcraft game.

While the original CastleStorm had an old school sort of appeal the best thing about the sequel is the increased ambition to provide a more varied experience...