Stronghold 2 is a real time strategy computer game released in April 2005 in which the player develops a stronghold in the Middle Ages. It is the sequel to Stronghold, released in 2001, also by Firefly Studios.
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 October 5, 2017, Stronghold 2 was re-released digitally on Steam 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]
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]
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]
^7 New Things About Stronghold 2: Steam Edition, retrieved 2023-08-24
^"GameSpy online services shutting down May 31". Shacknews. 2014-04-03. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
^ ab"Stronghold 2 for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. from the original on November 11, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
^1UP staff (June 6, 2005). . 1Up.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved July 24, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Neigher, Eric (September 2005). "Stronghold 2" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 254. Ziff Davis. pp. 64–65. from the original on November 5, 2005. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
^Gillen, Kieron (May 3, 2005). "Stronghold 2 [date mislabeled as "June 7, 2005"]". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
stronghold, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, november, 2008,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Stronghold 2 news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2008 Learn how and when to remove this message Stronghold 2 is a real time strategy computer game released in April 2005 in which the player develops a stronghold in the Middle Ages It is the sequel to Stronghold released in 2001 also by Firefly Studios Stronghold 2Developer s Firefly StudiosPublisher s 2KDesigner s Simon BradburyProgrammer s Andrew PrimeWill WilsonWarrick BuchananAndrew McNabBob KangArtist s Darren WhiteRobert ThornleyJorge CameoJason JutaWriter s Simon BradburyCasimir C WindsorComposer s Robert L EuvinoPlatform s Microsoft WindowsReleaseNA April 19 2005 1 EU April 22 2005WW October 5 2017 Steam Genre s Real time strategyMode s Single player Multiplayer 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 October 5 2017 Stronghold 2 was re released digitally on Steam 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 Contents 1 Gameplay 2 Reception 3 References 4 External linksGameplay editIn 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 MultiplayerFrom 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 editReceptionAggregate scoreAggregatorScoreMetacritic63 100 4 Review scoresPublicationScore1Up comC 5 Computer Games Magazine nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 6 Computer Gaming World nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 7 Eurogamer7 10 8 Game Informer6 75 10 9 GameSpot5 9 10 10 GameSpy nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 11 GameZone8 10 12 IGN6 7 10 13 PC Gamer US 84 14 The Sydney Morning Herald nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 15 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 edit Stronghold 2 Goes Gold www gamedeveloper com Retrieved 2024 01 12 7 New Things About Stronghold 2 Steam Edition retrieved 2023 08 24 GameSpy online services shutting down May 31 Shacknews 2014 04 03 Retrieved 2023 08 25 a b Stronghold 2 for PC Reviews Metacritic Red Ventures Archived from the original on November 11 2017 Retrieved August 7 2012 1UP staff June 6 2005 Stronghold 2 1Up com Ziff Davis Archived from the original on January 5 2010 Retrieved July 24 2018 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint numeric names authors list link Stronghold 2 Computer Games Magazine No 177 theGlobe com August 2005 p 68 Neigher Eric September 2005 Stronghold 2 PDF Computer Gaming World No 254 Ziff Davis pp 64 65 Archived from the original on November 5 2005 Retrieved July 24 2018 Gillen Kieron May 3 2005 Stronghold 2 date mislabeled as June 7 2005 Eurogamer Gamer Network Archived from the original on March 30 2014 Retrieved October 9 2022 Stronghold 2 Game Informer No 146 GameStop June 2005 p 135 Beers Craig April 28 2005 Stronghold 2 Review GameSpot Red Ventures Archived from the original on July 24 2018 Retrieved July 24 2018 Abner William May 3 2005 GameSpy Stronghold 2 GameSpy IGN Entertainment Archived from the original on November 1 2019 Retrieved July 24 2018 Giacobbi Kevin BIFF May 4 2005 Stronghold 2 PC Review GameZone Archived from the original on October 5 2008 Retrieved July 24 2018 Adams Dan April 30 2005 Stronghold 2 IGN Ziff Davis Archived from the original on July 24 2018 Retrieved July 24 2018 Stronghold 2 PC Gamer Vol 12 no 7 Future US July 2005 p 64 Wilcox Mike June 4 2005 Burning rubber The Sydney Morning Herald Fairfax Media Archived from the original on April 24 2017 Retrieved July 24 2018 Edge staff August 25 2006 The Top 100 PC Games of the 21st Century Edge Future plc Archived from the original on October 17 2012 External links editStronghold 2 Steam Edition at Firefly Studios Stronghold 2 at 2K Games via Internet Archive Stronghold 2 at MobyGames Stronghold Nation Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Stronghold 2 amp oldid 1195417890, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
