Stronghold Video Game Series

The action of the games in the series Stronghold is set in medieval realities. Players have the opportunity to take on the role of feudal lords and direct the development of a stronghold. The game focuses on two aspects: military (conquering surrounding lands and defending one's own territory) and economic (providing raw materials needed for the smooth functioning of the settlement, erecting buildings or recruiting troops).

An important element of the gameplay is the construction of a medieval stronghold. The developers took care of a wide selection of available components such as walls, watchtowers, towers, entrance gates or defense machines. The combat mechanics are based on simple principles - recruited units differ in strength and endurance coefficients, with the higher they reach the higher the purchase cost. It is worth noting that in mainstream games players have a choice of whether they want to play a military or economic campaign.

The first installment of the series had a simple, two-dimensional graphic design with an isometric view. With the release of Stronghold 2 a more complex, three-dimensional environment appeared. W Stronghold 3 the developers abandoned the proprietary engine in favor of Trinigy Vision Engine technology.

The series was launched with the game Stronghold (Stronghold). The plot of the title is quite simple - the evil Lord Wolf decided to betray the king and our task is to oppose him. The production has generated interest with its rich system of creating medieval castles. In addition, it has extensive fire mechanics, which is an important element of gameplay, which was not (at the time of the game's release) and is still not standard in RTS games. The title received a free add-on called Excalibur Pack, which allows us to direct the most famous historical and legendary castles.

Stronghold: Crusader (known in Poland as Stronghold: Crusader), as the name suggests, moved the series to the times of the Crusades. Compared to the previous part of the series, the game was not a revolution, but an evolution, keeping most elements from its predecessor intact. The biggest change was the introduction of mercenary units, which could be purchased in a dedicated building. Mercenaries cost much more than regular soldiers, but they did not need to be equipped with weapons. In addition, on desert maps, it became necessary to manage fertile land, as only on it can you put buildings that produce food.

The plot in Stronghold 2 again is not very complicated - in unexplained circumstances the king disappears, and our task is to defend the kingdom from unfaithful vassals. The real revolution, however, is the introduction of the series in full 3D, which allowed, for example, to fight battles in some buildings. We can also take a close look at the lives of our subordinates. A new honor mechanic was also implemented, which allows us to recruit certain units and purchase rural estates, which provide the player with raw materials and gold. The game has enriched the series with new buildings, units and several mechanics for developing our castle, allowing for greater immersion.

Stronghold Legends is a spin-off of the series, which differs significantly from its predecessors. The game has heavily simplified the economic element and stronghold management, focusing instead on skirmishes. The title has 3 separate campaigns. We can take on the role of King Arthur, the hero of Norse mythology Sigurd Fafnesbane, and the famous Vlad the Impaler. The game has departed from realism, introducing mythical units with dragons at the forefront.

Stronghold 3 returns to the roots of the series - quite literally, as it is a direct storyline continuation of the first part of the series. The action of the title takes place 10 years after the events of Stronghold. The country is once again threatened by the Wolf, and the player once again takes on the role of the hero from the "one" who stands in his way. The game uses a completely new graphics engine, and also breaks with building within a grid, allowing more freedom in creating our castle.

Stronghold Kingdoms is largely an installment based on the solutions of the first parts of the series, with the difference that it is a free-to-play MMORTS with a payment model based on micropayments. The game allows us to take control of a village, and our task is to expand it. However, the title has been enhanced with mechanics to adapt it to MMO gameplay. An example of this are various types of cards that we can use to accelerate the development of our settlement; we acquire them in the course of the game or buy them with real money. Players now also have access to spies, so they can check what forces other players have at their disposal. The system of battles also had to change; they are fought automatically, and we are only sent a report with the possibility to preview how the skirmish went.

Stronghold: Warlords takes us to East Asia. The game classically combines elements of army expansion and a strong economy. This time, however, we are supported by the title Lords of War. These are commanders who give us unique bonuses, they can be upgraded for diplomacy points earned through special buildings. The title introduces many new units and buildings, as well as unprecedented raw materials and types of food.