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Stronghold 2

RTS based on military conquest against AI or players

7.2

548 Votes

  • Category Strategy
  • Program license Paid
  • Version 2
  • Size 252.49 MB
  • Works under: Windows Vista
  • Program available in English
  • Program by Firefly Studios

A historic RTS game that lets players be King of the Castle.

Stronghold, developed by Firefly studios, is the first in a long line of real time strategy games that centers around medieval Britannia. Plays administrate a kingdom, building castles and developing units in order to defend against incursions as well as destroy opposing castles. The game is a little different in that it has a economic campaign as well as a military campaign but the game, at it's heart, is combat based. Stronghold was produced in 2001 and garnered an average reception and gaining a solid fan base.

Game Play

True to the real time strategy formula, Stronghold has players building buildings, managing an economy of collectible resources and training up an army to take over as much of the world as the map allows. Buildings include both military installations like castles and towers, and economy based buildings like wood mills and blacksmith forges. The formula is a little rinse and repeat; gather resources to build buildings, use those buildings to build better buildings and more units; repeat. Ultimately the game focuses on sending our your amassed army against your opponents. Units themselves fight based on a health and strength system, as opposed to a rock-paper-scissor system. That is, there are no hard counters to any one unit. Typically higher priced units are stronger but each unit has uses. Archery, for example, gives long range firepower to melee units. Non combat units like engineers are also present in the game and have specific roles. In addition to units, fire is a main game mechanic. Fire spreads to units and buildings and must be contained by fire watch or else allowed to have all fuel burned out. Igniting enemy buildings and keeping your own safe from fire is a key to victory.

Presentation

Stronghold came out in 2001 and as such the graphics aren't up to modern standards. At the time they were adequate and while not impressive, the game is still playable today. Fans of the RTS genre will likely move on to newer titles, but Stronghold is an example of a game where the game play has enough value to overlook dated graphics.

Pros

  • Simulated fire is a neat mechanic
  • The Grandfather to a long line of games and has nostalgic value
  • Decent game play is worth the time to try

Cons

  • Dated graphics may be a turn off
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