Review Robin Hood Defender of the Crown Developer: Cinemaware Publisher: Capcom Genre: Adventure/Strategy ESRB Rating: (T)een Release Date: 1986, 2003 Platform: Review by Randy Sluganski November 7, 2003

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Shades of Errol Flynn, Robin Hood’s back and the only thing missing is the technicolor. Cinemaware has updated their classic 1986 strategy/adventure Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown for multi-platform release. Yes, that’s right, we said 1986 – positively Neanderthal in computer years. But anyone who is familiar with some of the Cinemaware releases of that era – Rocket Ranger, The Three Stooges, It Came From the Desert – is well aware that these were games that were graphically years ahead of the competition (I would love to have original boxed copies of these Cinemaware classics!). So it comes as no surprise that the development team at Cinemaware has been able to recapture the original magic of almost two decades ago.

Now what passed for entertainment some seventeen years ago wouldn’t fly today, so Cinemaware has meticulously recreated the simplicity of the original game and beefed it up with cinematic presentations voiced by professional British actors, a fully orchestrated soundtrack and a deeper storyline that offers some insight into the Robin Hood mythos. While this attention to detail will most likely go unappreciated by twitch gamers just looking to use some peasants for target practice, the slower, more patient gamer will unearth a wealth of fun.

Defender of the Crown concerns Robin Hood’s valiant attempt to usurp the evil King John and restore the rightful king to his throne as King of England. The forest is fraught with danger though as the player must master sword fighting, archery, jousting, catapulting, siege warfare and army battles as he battles and schemes his way to victory and the liberation of twelfth century England. If this sounds like fun to you, well it is, but only if you are someone who enjoys an intellectual challenge for, as you will discover, you must often think as many as three or even four moves ahead in order to be successful.

All of the Robin Hood stalwarts are present for the campaign – Little John, Maid Marian, Friar Tuck and Will Scarlet to name just a few. Depending on the situation, many of these characters are also playable, for example, Little John acts as your battlefield general and recruits troops and moves armies and garrisons. Ivanhoe is your knight of choice when jousting in a tournament.

Now if there is anything that I just truly sucketh at, it is strategic planning. As I watched my every campaign collapse, I decided it was time to call-in my prime military strategist, my 13-year old son. It was only a matter of time until Jacob had my forces acquiring new ground, while I took over for the more exciting aspects like jousting, sword fighting and catapulting. As you progress deeper into the game, these battles to successfully invade and occupy territories in Sherwood become more intense and in many ways repetitive. Attempting to assemble varied battle units to exploit the weaknesses of enemy lords is not my strong point, but kudos to Cinemaware for keeping this aspect of the game as an intellectual challenge and not succumbing to today’s marketplace pressure for bloody warfare.

Now I confess, seventeen years ago I played the original version of Defender of the Crown endlessly and try as I might I could never win a jousting tournament and, to be honest, was not much better at sword fighting. My lack in these skills has haunted me for years and caused much embarrassment in my personal life. Other gamers would point at me and whisper, “He can’t keep his lance straight.” So I’m glad to say, that after seventeen years I finally won my first jousting tournament. It was a hollow victory as no one else was present to witness my jubilation, but for once the warm feeling in my heart wasn’t me bleeding from my opponent’s lance penetrating my chest.

I wish I could report I had as much success with archery raids on caravans, but more often then not my arrows went awry of their target. A cross-hair on the intended victims would have been a most welcome addition. If there is a huge fault with Robin Hood it is the lack of an option for precision aiming, be it at jousting or archery. Your success at these events seems to be more a matter of acquiring a ‘feel’ for your weapon which may have been the developers way of immersing the player more into the game world.

Originally, this review was to be based on the PS2 adaptation of Robin Hood and then smack in the ‘middle of robbing the rich to give to the poor’ we received the computer version. There is honestly not a pc game on the market with more stunning graphics. Their lushness and depth of color go beyond eye-candy to works of art and the Cinemaware artists are to be applauded. If the graphics and subject matter aren’t enough to sway you to the pc version, Capcom has also included a separate disk featuring the wonderful full orchestra soundtrack.

So if you’re someone who just enjoys a good game of strategy, or a student who has a research paper due on the political leanings of twelfth century England and would rather play a historical game than study (the 21st century equivalent of Cliff Notes) then Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown is guaranteed to set your tights a quiver.

Final Grade: B+

Stop by the Cinemaware site and play the original 1986 version of Robin Hood Defender of the Crown – and also digitally remastered versions of The Three Stooges, Sinbad & The Throne of the Falcon and It Came From the Desert - or download a demo of the 2003 version. It is interesting to note that one of the producers on the original version was Rob Landeros, who later went on to further fame with The 7th Guest & The 11th Hour and more recently Tender Loving Care and Point of View.

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