Knights of the Cross

Maybe it's genetics, but it seems Germans have a primal urge to invade their neighbours and kick the crap out of them. They did it in 1914. They did it again in 1939. And at Euro 2000 they had a fair bash at the Low Countries. But it didn’t just start in the 20th century. Way back in the 1500s they were having a go at the Poles, as seen in this RTS.

Sadly, the topic is probably the most interesting aspect of the game. The graphics are positively medieval and the interface is awkward at best. No 'spinny-rotational-3D-lovlieness’ here, instead you’ll find a clunky mouse interface and a total lack of user-friendly icons, all of which make this game a chore. We found ourselves repeatedly clicking a target only for the units to run in the opposite direction. There's also a distinct lack of units, although this is probably historically accurate (if not terribly fun). The maps are rather small, but they're not in short supply with more than 100 available, plus 50 in skirmish mode.

However, it’s not all bad. The game is available at a budget price and works on low-spec PCs, so we’ve been lenient on the score, as this is clearly not an attempt to hurl a dire game on an unsuspecting public. And for that they should be applauded.