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Stronghold 2

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Stronghold 2
Developer(s)Firefly Studios
Publisher(s)2K
Firefly Studios (Steam)
Designer(s)Simon Bradbury
Programmer(s)Andrew Prime
Will Wilson
Warrick Buchanan
Andrew McNab
Bob Kang
Artist(s)Darren White
Robert Thornley
Jorge Cameo
Jason Juta
Writer(s)Simon Bradbury
Casimir C. Windsor
Composer(s)Robert L. Euvino
SeriesStronghold
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
  • NA: 19 April 2005[1]
  • EU: 22 April 2005
  • WW: 5 October 2017 (Steam)
Genre(s)Real-time strategy
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Stronghold 2 is a 2005 real-time strategy video game developed by Firefly Studios and originally published by 2K for Windows. The second instalment of the Stronghold series and the sequel to Stronghold, the player again develops a stronghold in the Middle Ages.

The game engine was enhanced over the original Stronghold to provide full 3-dimensional graphics. Other changes include new military and peace campaigns and the addition of crime and punishment, allowing players to torture unruly peasants. A number of new characters were also introduced.

On 5 October 2017, Stronghold 2 was re-released digitally on Steam by Firefly Studios as Stronghold 2: Steam Edition. It is available as a standalone title or as a free upgrade for owners of the Stronghold Collection on Steam. The re-release includes the following new features and improvements: Steam multiplayer, 16:9 Widescreen resolution support, visual enhancements to the in-game textures, 6 new maps, the ability to share and download custom maps through the Steam Workshop, Achievements, and digital versions of the official art book and soundtrack.[2]

Gameplay

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In the game, players take on the role of a lord who rules over a medieval castle. With their available resources, players place buildings or features, including many different kinds of food production, industry, civil, or military buildings and defences. Available peasants automatically choose jobs whenever a building requires one, so player micromanagement is minimal; players mostly set up the various buildings in an efficient way while providing safety for their peasants. Military units are directly controlled individually or in groups, sometimes quite large with sieges or battles involving many hundreds on each side. One addition to the original Stronghold is the inclusion of estates that players can "buy" with their accumulated honor (gained by popularity, holding feasts, dances, jousting, etc.). Estates are semi-independent villages (without castle fortifications) that produce their own goods that owners can send via cart to their castle or allies.

The inclusion of fully 3D-rendered graphics allowed Stronghold 2 to include tower interiors as battlegrounds for units, and the ability to go observe castle inhabitants very closely, which is useful for the new features of waste and rat management. As in the original Stronghold, players can choose from several different play modes: Kingmaker, Siege, War Campaign, Peace Campaign, Freeplay, Custom scenario, and Multiplayer

From May 2014, the original version's multiplayer is no longer supported due to GameSpy shutting down their online servers however the 2017 re-release on Steam has full multiplayer support via Steam's online servers.[3]

Reception

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The game received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[4]

According to Edge, Stronghold 2 sold at least 100,000 units in the U.S., but was beaten by its predecessor's 220,000 sales in the region. Total US sales of Stronghold games released during the 2000s reached 590,000 units by August 2006.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Stronghold 2 Goes Gold!". www.gamedeveloper.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  2. ^ 7 New Things About Stronghold 2: Steam Edition, retrieved 24 August 2023
  3. ^ "GameSpy online services shutting down May 31". Shacknews. 3 April 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Stronghold 2 for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on 11 November 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  5. ^ 1UP staff (6 June 2005). "Stronghold 2". 1Up.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 5 January 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "Stronghold 2". Computer Games Magazine. No. 177. theGlobe.com. August 2005. p. 68.
  7. ^ Neigher, Eric (September 2005). "Stronghold 2" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 254. Ziff Davis. pp. 64–65. Archived from the original on 5 November 2005. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  8. ^ Gillen, Kieron (3 May 2005). "Stronghold 2 [date mislabeled as "June 7, 2005"]". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Stronghold 2". Game Informer. No. 146. GameStop. June 2005. p. 135.
  10. ^ Beers, Craig (28 April 2005). "Stronghold 2 Review". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  11. ^ Abner, William (3 May 2005). "GameSpy: Stronghold 2". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  12. ^ Giacobbi, Kevin "BIFF" (4 May 2005). "Stronghold 2 - PC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 5 October 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  13. ^ Adams, Dan (30 April 2005). "Stronghold 2". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  14. ^ "Stronghold 2". PC Gamer. Vol. 12, no. 7. Future US. July 2005. p. 64.
  15. ^ Wilcox, Mike (4 June 2005). "Burning rubber". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 24 April 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  16. ^ Edge staff (25 August 2006). "The Top 100 PC Games of the 21st Century". Edge. Future plc. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012.
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