Citadels

About

Citadels is a single player strategy game with a historical theme. It was developed by Games Distillery s.r.o. and was released on July 25, 2013. It received negative reviews from players.

"Citadels" is a single-player historical strategy game set in the time of King Arthur, with lousy graphics and known bugs. Construct and manage impregnable fortresses, equip them with defense structures, and units to crush enemy hordes. Your strategy and resource management will determine victory or defeat in extensive campaigns that provide insight into both sides of the war.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

13%

Audience ScoreBased on 278 reviews

humor3 positive mentions

stability20 negative mentions

The game has a good concept and potential for an engaging RTS experience.
Some players found enjoyment in the gameplay despite its flaws.
The graphics and artistic style have been appreciated by a few players.

The game is plagued by constant crashes and bugs, making it nearly unplayable.
It lacks proper support and updates from the developers, leading to an abandoned feel.
The user interface and AI are poorly designed, resulting in frustrating gameplay experiences.

stability
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
87%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of frequent freezes, bugs, and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players express frustration over incomplete mechanics and inconsistent performance, particularly in later levels, leading to a generally negative perception of its development quality. While some users find enjoyment in the game despite these issues, the overwhelming consensus is that the stability problems make it difficult to recommend.
- “I have just completed my first mission with no glitches, crashes, or problems of any kind.”
- “You can increase the unit count in skirmish maps (the maximum was 99, now it's 149). The campaign, which is almost bug-free in terms of completion, is easy enough with the current 99 cap, in my opinion.”
- “Not to say it's bug-free yet.”
- “Too many bugs and glitches that it hurts my wallet.”
- “Bought this years ago and it's still a buggy piece of software.”
- “It freezes too often and there are issues with the pathfinding of laborers getting resources.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The game's story has received mixed feedback, with many players struggling to engage due to frequent bugs and mission failures that disrupt gameplay. While some appreciate the initial concept and find the storyline enjoyable, others criticize it for being underdeveloped and lacking replayability. Overall, technical issues overshadow the narrative experience, leading to frustration and diminished immersion.
- “The story is way too good, it's like mixing Call of Duty with The Notebook.”
- “A good bit of fun, low level storyline, but freedom is good.”
- “I really enjoyed the initial concept of the game; however, the game has multiple glitches from peasants not building defenses and just standing around to graphics problems with walls, and last but not least, the campaign quests work maybe 75% of the time.”
- “Couldn't really get into the storyline, and I found the replayability (even in story mode) to be a tad underdeveloped.”
- “What really drives me away from this game every time are the crashing bugs. I have been stuck on that one mission for about half of the time I've played this game (the one where you have a couple of villages to help and a big enemy citadel to take down - I think it's the 3rd mission or so).”
- “I really enjoyed the initial concept of the game; however, it has multiple glitches, from peasants not building defenses and just standing around to graphics problems with walls. Last but not least, the campaign quests work maybe 75% of the time.”
gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
55%
28%
The gameplay has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users citing terrible mechanics, slow pacing, and numerous bugs that hinder enjoyment. While some appreciate the unique control options and resource management, the overall experience is marred by confusing controls, lack of tutorials, and a general sense of boredom. Comparisons to better-established titles highlight the game's shortcomings, suggesting it fails to meet modern standards.
- “The gameplay is mostly the same, but you can control each warrior, you have more choice in building, more resources to gather, etc.”
- “Don't expect this to look like Starcraft II, but the gameplay is smooth and unique.”
- “(Units are still a bit too silent for my liking, not game-breaking though) there are still some things that aren't explained fully during gameplay, (the upgrade button comes to mind) but most of those are easy enough to figure out on your own.”
- “The gameplay is extremely slow and I did not find this game fun at all.”
- “Dreadful, poor gameplay and overall boring.”
- “The boring gameplay, poor design, and lack of content leave little reason for me to play any further.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
31%
46%
The graphics of the game have been widely criticized for their low quality, with many reviewers noting that they resemble outdated titles from the early 2000s. Players report numerous glitches and poor user interface design, detracting from the overall experience. While some find the nostalgic aesthetic tolerable in a strategy game, the consensus is that the graphics are subpar and in need of significant improvement.
- “The graphics, combat, and physics are cleaner and smoother, making for a much better experience.”
- “The graphics are reminiscent of 'Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-earth II'.”
- “Essentially, if this game came out in 2004, it would have been amazing, but it plays like a game from then with some updated graphics.”
- “Extremely bad graphics (screenshots look like a completely different game).”
- “The graphics are low quality, the UI is badly programmed, and there is no tutorial, making it difficult to learn how to play.”
- “Essentially if this game came out in 2004 it would have been amazing, but it plays like a game from then with some updated graphics and plenty of bugs with walls and structures.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report that a significant portion of gameplay, approximately 10%, is dedicated to AFK card farming, indicating that grinding can feel excessive and may detract from the overall experience.
- “1/10 of my playtime is spent on AFK card farming.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I find myself doing the same repetitive tasks over and over, which really drains the fun out of the game.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users feel that the game's replayability is lacking, particularly in story mode, as the storyline fails to engage them fully, leading to a less compelling reason to replay.
- “I couldn't really get into the storyline, and I found the replayability (even in story mode) to be a tad underdeveloped.”
- “The game lacks the depth needed for replayability; once you've completed it, there's little incentive to go back.”
- “After finishing the game, I felt no urge to replay it, as the choices and outcomes didn't vary enough to make a second playthrough interesting.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is perceived as sarcastic, with players suggesting that the developers are likely profiting from the game while enjoying a carefree lifestyle, which adds a layer of irony to the overall experience.
- “The developers are probably enjoying all that money and laughing on a beach somewhere.”
- “The humor in this game is top-notch, with clever jokes that had me laughing out loud.”
- “I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously, making every moment feel light-hearted and fun.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many users reporting performance issues and crashes. The developers acknowledge these problems and are aware of the ongoing complaints.
- “Their forum is loaded with complaints about poor performance and crashing, to which they state that they are aware.”
- “The game frequently stutters and lags, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “Despite having a high-end PC, I still experience frame drops and long loading times.”