As part of FYNG at gamescom 2025, our author Christos was able to test an upcoming strategy game on Steam and find out if he has what it takes to lead a group of crusaders. After 10 minutes, he realized: He better leaves that to the professionals.
What kind of game is this? The Polish studio Virtual Alchemy, in collaboration with their Croatian colleagues from Ironward, is currently working on an RTS called Band of Crusaders. In it, you take on the role of a Grandmaster of a medieval knight order who leads a group of crusaders into battle. Exciting components of the game are especially your opponents as well as the combat system.
In addition to bandits and heretics, you also fight against demonic beings that have plunged the surrounding land into chaos. When you find yourself in such a battle, you need to position your troop strategically. You must then closely observe the battle and intervene if necessary; otherwise, your troop will die miserably in the stinking mud. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened to me.
Diablo meets XCOM
How did I perform in Band of Crusaders? As a newcomer to the strategy game genre, I was clearly overwhelmed at first – especially regarding the control of my troop. In the first mission, I simply marked my 5 knights and rushed them into battle against a demon troop… That didn’t go very well. 3 of the knights made it out alive, the rest ended up with the crows.
As an experienced player in the genre, this would surely not have happened to you, but every beginning is hard. Those who think that in Band of Crusaders it is enough to send their warriors mindlessly into battle are mistaken. You need to think strategically and prepare your troops for the worst, especially professionals will have their fun here.
For this reason, you have your camp. In it, your warriors can rest, eat food to boost their morale, get treated, repair their equipment in the forge, or equip themselves with new skills.
Each warrior can specialize in a combat style, and if that’s not enough, you can decide in the camp which warriors you take with you on your raid. This allows you to perfectly adapt your units to your personal play style and the respective missions.
The game strongly resembles Diablo and its dark fantasy setting in the medieval times with the demons. As for the battles, it is reminiscent of XCOM, as you also lead a small troop into battle in Band of Crusaders, just not turn-based, but in RTS style.
What makes Band of Crusaders special? The combat is always conducted in slow motion to precisely observe the encounter of the units. You can then reposition your troops in critical combat situations to gain the upper hand. If the battle goes according to plan, you can disable the slow motion effect.
Another point is the dynamic map. On this, your traveling troop is represented by a figure. When you move it, other units on the map also move – only this way does time pass.
If you’re unlucky, the paths of evil beings cross with those of your troop, and you have to fight. In the best case, however, a traveling merchant visits you, and you can replenish your resources. This adds more immersion.
The weather and the decisions you make on your journeys also affect the gameplay and can make your journey easier or more difficult.
Unfortunately, this was only an alpha test, and the game is not in a state that allows for hopes of an upcoming release. However, I must say that the idea and the current implementation seem promising, and I am curious to see what the two development teams will come up with if there is a release.
Nevertheless, I will be cautious at first, as although the game is entertaining, the learning curve for newcomers is steep and kept me occupied for several hours after my start due to its countless features. Veterans of the genre may well find enjoyment in the complexity of Band of Crusaders.
Are you already excited about the game or would you prefer to wait until a beta is available? Feel free to let us know your opinion in the comments. If you missed the highlights of the Opening Night Live, you can find all the games here in our overview: The highlights from gamescom 2025: The most important trailers and announcements from Opening Night Live
