Stronghold: Definitive Edition
Release Date: November 7, 2023
Strategy, economic, RTS, the middle ages, war strategy, remasters/remakes, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet
Steam
A remastered version of an iconic BAFTA-nominated RTS, and the beginning of a legendary series. Stronghold: Definitive Edition updates the 2001 original and adds some entirely new content.
Videos and Screens
[2:06] Stronghold: Definitive Edition launch trailer
[1:30] Stronghold: Definitive Edition trailer #2
The main pros of the game
- Nostalgia and Classic Appeal: Many players appreciate the nostalgic experience of returning to a beloved classic, enhanced by upgraded visuals and better frame rates.
- Challenging Gameplay: The new campaign missions, particularly on higher difficulties, are praised for providing a satisfying challenge.
- Quality of Life Improvements: Users note that the Definitive Edition includes essential updates that enhance the overall gameplay experience.
- Medieval Atmosphere: The game successfully captures a medieval atmosphere, which fans of the genre enjoy.
- Custom Castle Building: Players who enjoy medieval-themed RTS games with a focus on building and strategy find the game engaging.
The main cons of the game
- Removed Features: A significant number of reviews express disappointment over the removal of the skirmish mode, which was a favorite feature in previous titles.
- Gameplay Mechanics Issues: Users report frustrating mechanics, such as unit pathing and prioritization, especially in emergency situations (e.g., waterboys during fires).
- Balance and AI Problems: Some players feel that unit behaviors are inconsistent, with complaints about units not attacking or moving properly and certain missions being overly difficult or broken.
- Bugs and Technical Issues: Several reviews mention bugs that affect gameplay, such as issues with specific missions and overall stability.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Skirmish Mode: The absence of a skirmish mode is repeatedly noted as a major drawback, with players feeling that it was an essential part of the Stronghold experience.
- AI Opponents in Multiplayer: Users express a desire for the ability to play against AI in multiplayer modes, which is currently not available.
- More Diverse Gameplay Options: Some players wish for additional gameplay modes that allow for more varied strategies, such as free-play maps without time constraints or the ability to build custom castles in campaign missions.
- Improved User Interface: Criticism is directed at the user interface, which some players find confusing or not user-friendly, particularly for new players.
Summary
- Overall, while Stronghold: Definitive Edition is celebrated for its nostalgic value and engaging gameplay, it faces criticism for missing features and certain gameplay mechanics that detract from the experience.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 132 votes. 43 players anticipated the game.
Stronghold: Definitive Edition Description
Stronghold: Definitive Edition is a remastered version of an iconic real-strategy game, which spawned a BAFTA-nominated series. Just like the rest of the series, Stronghold: Definitive Edition was designed by FireFlyStudios. The game both remasters the original and introduces some entirely new content.
Plot
The game is set in medieval Europe. It includes three campaigns: two classic ones and an entirely new one, designed by Firefly Studios' co-founders - Simon Bradbury and Eric Ouelette. The new campaign, exclusive to the Definitive Edition, tasks players with venturing into the devastated English lands to find and rescue Sir Longarm's kidnapped niece.
Mechanics
Just like the original, the game is a cross between a military/economic strategy and a city builder. The gameplay tasks us with designing and buildings keeps and settlements, erecting mighty strongholds, managing our finances, resources and developing a mighty army to keep our people safe.
The most spectacular part of the game are fierce battles against enemy forces. These often involve sieges, requiring serious tactical thinking. In order to repel enemy attacks, we need a diverse army and strong defenses on the walls.
Stronghold: Definitive Edition brings back two classic campaigns consisting of 26 missions and introduces an entirely new one, consisting of 14 missions.
Game modes
The game supports singleplayer and multiplayer. The former are the campaigns, while the latter are online PvP battles. There is also the Castle Trail, a series of ten siege scenarios inspired by real history.
Technical aspects
Just like the original game, Stronghold: Definitive Edition makes use of isometric 2D visuals. The remastered Stronghold introduces revamped graphics and animations, created from scratch by the same artists responsible for the original game. The soundtrack by Robert L. Euvino was also remastered, while the voice acting was re-recorded, some voice actors from the original returning to their roles.
17
GAMES
in Stronghold Game Series
Game Series
Stronghold Series
A series of real-time strategy (RTS) in the medieval reality. The brand was created by the development team FireFly, which also oversees its development.
17 video games
Stronghold: Definitive Edition Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows
Developer: Firefly Studios
Publisher: Firefly Studios
Age restrictions: 12+
Stronghold: Definitive Edition System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: (1080p) Intel Core i3-3220 3.3 GHz, 6 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 660 or better, 4 GB HDD, Windows 7/8/10/11 64-bit
Recommended: (1440p) Intel Core i3-3220 3.3 GHz, 6 GB RAM, graphic card 3 GB GeForce GTX 1060 or better, 4 GB HDD, Windows 7/8/10/11 64-bit
Ultra: (4K) Intel Core i3-3220 3.3 GHz, 6 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 980 or better, 4 GB HDD, Windows 7/8/10/11 64-bit
![First Patch for Stronghold Remaster [Update: Great Sales]](https://cdn.gracza.pl/i_gp/h/16/437384033.jpg)
First Patch for Stronghold Remaster [Update: Great Sales]
Stronghold: Definitive Edition has received its first update. It fixes a number of small bugs. The devs are also working on fixes for multiplayer issues.
video games
Adrian Werner
November 12, 2023
Stronghold: Definitive Edition Enjoys Great Popularity and High Ratings on Steam
Devs at Firefly have reasons to be pleased. Stronghold: Definitive Edition is getting great reviews on Steam, despite serious multiplayer issues.
video games
Adrian Werner
November 8, 2023
Stronghold Definitive Edition Black Screen Fix
In this guide you will learn how to fix the black screen issue in Stronghold Definitive Edition. Read our article to learn more.
How to
Adam Adamczyk
November 8, 2023
Stronghold: Definitive Edition Launches; Strategy Classic Returns in Refreshed Form
Stronghold: Definitive Edition, a refreshed and expanded version of the iconic RTS from FireFly Studios, goes on sale today. The game is headed for personal computers.
video games
Christian Pieniazek
November 7, 2023
Stronghold Remaster Devs Show How They Overhaul the Iconic Game
New video footage from Stronghold: Definitive Edition has hit the web, showing the process of improving graphical elements in the upcoming remaster.
video games
Adrian Werner
October 8, 2023
Stronghold Remaster Demo Now on Steam, but It's Bugged
We can try out the full-fledged remaster of the iconic Stronghold thanks to a free demo and a trailer discussing the game's new elements. Firefly Studio's action, however, seems to be turning against the developers.
video games
Sonia Selerska
August 9, 2023
Iconic Stronghold Gets New Decent Remaster; Trailer Available
First Stronghold will soon get a full-fledged remaster. The Definitive Edition of the game on Steam will offer refreshed graphics, new missions and a multiplayer mode.
video games
Zuzanna Domeradzka
July 14, 2023