Defender of the Crown II (CD32)

Title           Defender of the Crown II (CD32)
Game Type       Adventure
Company		Commodore Electronics Ltd
Players         1
Compatibility   CD32
Submission      Courtesy of Sean Caszatt

Review
Jim Sachs.  The name brings back memories of the Commodore 64.  When the
graphics on that machine seemed like the ultimate...until I saw the
Amiga's graphic power.  The man responsible for my appreciation of the
graphics on both machines was Jim Sachs.  His SAUCER ATTACK game for the
C64 really had some impressive graphics, with a keen attention to detail.
His artwork on the Amiga was stunning to someone used to seeing the 16
color graphics of the Commodore 64 on a daily basis.

In these times of digitized cinematic intro animations and full motion
video, hand drawn graphics have grown to be less appreciated.  That's a
shame because some of them are really indicative of the time and work
that's gone into them.  The graphics of DEFENDER OF THE CROWN II may not
be state of the art, but they've got quality written all over them.

Unfortunately, they don't save the game.  As a whole, DEFENDER OF THE
CROWN II is a dressed-up version of some of the EMPIRE-type games that
have been around almost as long as computer gaming.  It's a good version
of those games, but it breaks no new ground.

The basic scenario requires you to capture as much land as possible in the
British Isles.  You can raid nearby castles or attack the forces of your
enemies to do so.  Other minor subplots are thrown in occasionally to keep
things from becoming too monotonous.  You can also enlist the help of
Robin Hood if you're a little low in experience or manpower.

After a few plays, DEFENDER OF THE CROWN II becomes quite dull.  It's
never boring to look at, but it just gets too repetitive.  There are
various ways to try and make it more interesting through different option
screens but, inevitably, it still gets boring to play.

This title is another of those caught in the pipeline when the CDTV was
discontinued.  Although unlike CD FOOTBALL, which was altered so as not to
run on the CDTV now, this one does run on that machine.  It's exactly the
same on that machine, which goes to show you how little of the CD³²'s
power it uses.

A nostalgic game, but one with with little longevity.  Might be fun for
younger kids.  Die-hard gamers may want to pass this one over.

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