Stronghold: Definitive Edition

[Child of Malkav]

https://playstronghold.com

Spoiler

Get excited I guess? Maybe?

Greetings sire! Your stronghold awaits you. Build a castle economy, besiege unforgettable villains and return to the 'castle sim' that started it all. Experience this classic RTS with upgraded visuals, modernised gameplay, Steam multiplayer and a new campaign.




All Reviews: No user reviews
Release Date: 7 Nov, 2023
Developer: FireFly Studios
Publisher: FireFly Studios

About This Game​

Relive the glory of Stronghold, the original BAFTA-nominated real-time strategy game, with this new definitive edition of the classic 'castle sim'. Witness the game that started it all, carefully rebuilt using the source artwork, remastered music, returning voice talent and veteran developers of the first entry in this legendary series.

UNITE A BROKEN REALM​

Welcome to the fractured, war-torn frontier of medieval England. With the King betrayed by his treacherous lords and a realm on the brink of collapse, take control of scattered forces and reunite your kingdom against the monstrous Rat, Pig, Snake and Wolf!

Strike down each villainous Lord in missions ranging from breaking sieges and capturing enemy castles to building epic fortresses and repelling enemy assaults. Test the limits of your strategic mind with castle assaults and grand banquets in military and economic campaigns.

Dive into classic RTS and city builder gameplay now elevated with remade graphics, community requested features and remastered music from series maestro Robert L. Euvino. Gather resources, construct mighty castles, protect your townsfolk, manage your gold, raise armies and wage all out war!

A LEGEND RETOLD​

Building on its 20 year legacy, Stronghold: Definitive Edition features two classic campaigns told across 26 missions, alongside fresh single player content in the form of a new narrative campaign designed by Firefly Studios founders Simon Bradbury and Eric Ouellette.

Exclusive to the definitive edition, this new 14 mission campaign sees players march across the devastated English hinterland in search of Sir Longarm's captured kin, before venturing beyond the story in a challenging new historical 'Castle Trail' of 10 unique scenarios.

With remade artwork, a higher fidelity soundtrack, full Steam multiplayer support, Steam Workshop, modernised gameplay and more, Stronghold: Definitive Edition is the ultimate way to experience the game that started it all. Your kingdom awaits!

NEW FEATURES​

• ZOOM INTO NEW VISUALS remade by the original artists with improved animations, textures and lighting.
• REMATCH CLASSIC VILLAINS as you hunt The Rat and The Pig in a challenging new 14 mission campaign.
• BATTLE OLD FRIENDS online with full Steam multiplayer support and extra maps on which to wage war!
• RELIVE HISTORY in a new Castle Trail with 10 challenging siege scenarios and famous historical fortresses.
• LOSE YOURSELF in a remastered soundtrack, with fresh recordings from some of the game's original voice actors.
• CREATE, SHARE & ENJOY new Stronghold community content with Steam Workshop support.

System Requirements​

• Minimum:
  
  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 7/8/10/11
  • Processor: Intel i5-3330 3.0Ghz or AMD equivalent
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: nVidia GeForce GTX 680 or AMD Radeon HD7970 (2 GB VRAM)
  • DirectX: Version 9.0c
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Storage: 6 GB available space
• Recommended:
  
  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system

© 2023 FIREFLY HOLDINGS LIMITED. All rights reserved.

 

[Darth Roxor]

New maps, campaign and working multiplayer could be pretty cool as long as they don't fuck with the actual gameplay.

Just the OC and no Crusader feels like a rip-off in the making, however.

 

[Geisler]

New maps, campaign and working multiplayer could be pretty cool as long as they don't fuck with the actual gameplay.

Just the OC and no Crusader feels like a rip-off in the making, however.

 

[Darth Roxor]

 

[Wilian]

New maps, campaign and working multiplayer could be pretty cool as long as they don't fuck with the actual gameplay.

Just the OC and no Crusader feels like a rip-off in the making, however.

Maybe it means the AI just won't dogpile again and again? Maybe? Please?

 

[Harthwain]

Visually it looks like they are on the correct path when it comes to remasters. Gives me Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition vibes.

New maps, campaign and working multiplayer could be pretty cool as long as they don't fuck with the actual gameplay.

Just the OC and no Crusader feels like a rip-off in the making, however.

Maybe it means the AI just won't dogpile again and again? Maybe? Please?

From Steam forum:

- Modernized UI with a classic-mode option

Source: https://steamcommunity.com/app/2140020/discussions/0/3809532340213266653/#c3809532340213648740

If that's all then it's the best of both worlds: you can use the "modernized UI" (whatever that means) with the option to keep it classic (read: stick with the original). I really wish this isn't Pharaoh: A New Era all over again. Don't fix what ain't broken.

 

[Feyd Rautha]

I agree that it's a bit cheap of them to not integrate Crusader into this from the start but I guess they are saving the best for last. Crusader would be a profitable DLC.

Anyway I'm very excited since I loved the first Stronghold and Crusader.

 

[JarlFrank]

Stronghold 1 and Crusader are still the best games those guys ever made. Every subsequent release was a failed attempt to recapture the magic. I didn't hate any of them, even Warlords is pretty fun, but none manage to reach the raw quality of the originals.

 

[Lacrymas]

There are a few gameplay changes I'd like to see, like resource limitations. A game can theoretically go on forever if one player plays super defensively.

 

[Blutwurstritter]

I'm growing tired of these definite editions. I love the original Stronghold and Crusaders but why for the fucking love of god, can't they manage to make a better game in over 20 years of trying. And I don't mean a game that is leagues ahead of the original. Just a tiny bit better, that is all I'm asking for. They are basically the Piranha Bytes of the RTS genre. Releasing the same game over and over in varying quality, but always failing to reach their early works.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

These lazy fucks have run out of ideas alright. So let's do another Definitive Edition.

 

[Thane Solus]

I'm growing tired of these definite editions. I love the original Stronghold and Crusaders but why for the fucking love of god, can't they manage to make a better game in over 20 years of trying. And I don't mean a game that is leagues ahead of the original. Just a tiny bit better, that is all I'm asking for. They are basically the Piranha Bytes of the RTS genre. Releasing the same game over and over in varying quality, but always failing to reach their early works.

Because the talented people probably retired 20 years ago.

 

[pickmeister]

Don't care about multiplayer and the HD version works well. I don't see a single reason to get this.

I'm not giving a single penny to these talentless hacks.

Pic related - why change the iconic guy with a book in the corner? If resolution is the main concern, why not just upscale it with some algorithm that are popular these days?

 

[Feyd Rautha]

I love the original Stronghold and Crusaders but why for the fucking love of god, can't they manage to make a better game in over 20 years of trying.

Stronghold 2 was actually quite ambitious with expanded gameplay but it didn't have the same charm as the first game for some reason.

The games after that have played it more safe and have had smaller scope. Stronghold Crusader 2 is very minimal compared to it's predecessor for example.

 

[Harthwain]

Stronghold 2 was actually quite ambitious with expanded gameplay but it didn't have the same charm as the first game for some reason.

Lords of the Realm III, too, tried to go into 3D and it looked awful. Of course, there were some fundamentally dumb design decisions that ultimately killed it, but change in the visual style didn't help. 2000's had some REALLY ugly graphics. This is partially why I never got around buying Stronghold 2, ever. This and rather unfavourable reviews I read back then. Interestingly enough Steam Edition has some really positive reviews.

 

[JarlFrank]

Stronghold 2 had some issues on launch.

On one hand it increased the amount of micromanagement, you had to build buildings like rat catchers and have a tax man actually visit your hovels to tax the people so you couldn't just dump them in an inaccessible corner.

But then it also gave you a hard cap on maximum population, and didn't let you build buildings outside of your borders, so you had to build more stuff and employ more people to run your economy, but had less space and people to do it with.

 

[The Brazilian Slaughter]

Wans't there an Stronghold HD already? So this is Stronghold HD HD?

 

[Feyd Rautha]

The Demo of Stronghold:DE is now available on Steam!

 

[JarlFrank]

Wans't there an Stronghold HD already? So this is Stronghold HD HD?

They saw how well Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition was doing despite there already being an Age of Empires 2: HD Edition, so they thought "Let's do the same thing!"

The AoE2 DE added lots of new content, including new campaigns, in addition to all original campaigns and the HD Edition DLC content.
It seems Stronghold Definitive Edition copies the same approach by also adding a new campaign to the mix.

Even has the same naming scheme, with being called Definitive Edition and all.

 

[Feyd Rautha]

 

[sser]

not even gonna bother with the text

 

[Feyd Rautha]

 

[Kruyurk]

AoE 2 is a game that aged very well because it has no mechanical problems. All the big problems of AoE 1 were corrected in the second game (path finding, formations, ranged combat, etc).
Stronghold 1 is still fun but has some glaring issues, that I ignored at the time but are pretty apparent now. The biggest to me is the fact that the characters can traverse each other, I assume to simplify path finding. Also the fact that building is instantaneous. It would be so much cooler to see you castle being gradually erected in it's full glory, a sight to behold.
I wish someone did a game in the spirit of Stronghold, but not Firefly since they have been on a steady decline for decades now.

 

[Feyd Rautha]

This was very informative:

 

[Feyd Rautha]

I got it but the lack of skirmish mode turned me off. The intro cinematic is fantastic though.