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[Hudo]

UPDATE: DEMO IS OUT NOW, LADS

So I guess the lads over at Firefly Studios thought "Well, these lads over at Microsoft are somehow making quite a chunk of money with their Age of Empires remasters, it seems! Let's do it like that as well!". And so they are:

It's out Nov. 7. It's essentially a similar treatment like Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. And don't be mistaken: Stronghold 1 (and Crusader) are among the best mixes of RTS and city builder ever made!
Here's the trailer:


Here are some screens:

more news here:

Stronghold: Definitive Edition

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.

playstronghold.com

and the obligatory Steam link:

 

[GymWolf]

For a moment i thought you were talking about stranglehold

(the guy having a seizure in mid air doesn't help my argument)

 

[Hudo]

For a moment i thought you were talking about stranglehold

I only talk about good games.

 

[GymWolf]

I only talk about good games.

That one was a fun romp, don't be a fart sniffer elitist

 

[Hudo]

fart sniffer elitist

That's what my second ex girlfriend called me, incidentally.

 

[stranno]

Julius and Augustus are already the definitive edition of the game, but I see little love for Caesar III, the best city-builder game ever developed.

 

[Hudo]

Julius and Augustus are already the definitive edition of the game, but I see little love for Caesar III, the best city-builder game ever developed.

Huh? This is about Stronghold. Not one of the games by Impressions Games (which are pure city builders, and among the best ever made). This is more like a mix between RTS and city builder.

 

[GymWolf]

That's what my second ex girlfriend called me, incidentally.

Now i'm curious about the nickname you got from the first ex-gf.

 

[Hudo]

Now i'm curious about the nickname you got from the first ex-gf.

I think it is recorded somewhere in the GAF annals. I try to necro-bump threads to bury it.

 

[thebigmanjosh]

This looks like a (welcome) update/re-release of their HD remaster a while back.

Day 1

 

[diffusionx]

I thought they remastered this already? I'm confused.

 

[Hudo]

I thought they remastered this already? I'm confused.

Kinda. There are indeed HD versions of Stronghold and Stronghold Crusader which are essentially just the original games but in higher resolutions and some convenience to get them to run on modern Windows. That's about it. Kinda like Age of Empires II: HD Edition was. For this one, they redid all the assets, made multiplayer work through Steam, made an additional new campaign, remastered the OST, made modding easier and all that jazz.

 

[NeonDelta]

For a moment i thought you were talking about stranglehold

same here lol

 

[Lucifers Beard]

Noice! I’ll be all over this. Loved the game when I was a kid.

 

[havoc00]

For a moment i thought you were talking about stranglehold

Same here !

 

[MasterDerico]

I only talk about good games.

So you only talk to yourself, taste is personal.
I love Stranglehold!

 

[Red5]

I remember one single campaign mission where you couldn't generate any income and had to defend your keep with what you had. Only way I could finish that one was with cheats.

 

[Banjo64]

Have to say I completed Stronghold HD (again) at the start of the year.

In my hundreds of hours of game time over the past 20 years I’ve never once thought ‘this game needs modernising’.

I think the 8.8 MC userscore that this and Crusader sit on doesn’t do the games justice.

 

[Rentahamster]

Fuck yes this is one of my favorite games!

For a moment i thought you were talking about stranglehold

 

[Heisenberg007]

I thought it was Stronghold Crusader.

That game was soooo good. I spent countless hours on it. Ah, memories!

 

[Denton]

Stronghold was so good, I have the Castle Jam song imprinted in my brain.
Glad to see it live on.

 

[Hudo]

So you only talk to yourself, taste is personal.
I love Stranglehold!

It was a joke, dude.

 

[Hudo]

I thought it was Stronghold Crusader.

That game was soooo good. I spent countless hours on it. Ah, memories!

As far as I can read, it seems to be only a remaster of the first Stronghold and not Stronghold + Crusader. That's a bit disappointing indeed (if that's really the case). But I guess they want people to double dip.

 

[Banjo64]

New 14 mission campaign designed by the studio co-founders.

If they were involved with anything post Crusader, I wouldn’t be excited.

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!

 

[MasterDerico]

It was a joke, dude.

Sorry then, sometimes i can't figure out if its a joke or not, language barrier...lol

 

[Hudo]

Sorry then, sometimes i can't figure out if its a joke or not, language barrier...lol

No worries. My jokes are fairly blunt because I generally don't give a shit. And sometimes, that can come across as being an ass (which I am anyway).

 

[Rentahamster]

 

[tomato shrub]

>another one being lurked here by Stranglehold

 

[Hudo]

You know, I wouldn't mind if a completely new Stronghold would have these high-def/4K 2D graphics.

 

[ThisIsMyDog]

You know, I wouldn't mind if a completely new Stronghold would have these high-def/4K 2D graphics.

True, a small studio like Firefly should leave the 3D graphics and give us a decent new 2D Stronghold.

 

[jshackles]

#NotMyStronghold

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

Day 1

 

[emmerrei]

People are constantly asking for a new 2d stronghold, and they get out with this quick and safe update of the old game. All 3d chapters released in all those years, aren't even remotely good as the 2d games (this and crusader). This re-release is going to do only one thing, making fans asking even louder for a new 2d game.
For who don't know, they're making a new 3d one, this time, with unreal engine 5, considering that from stronghold 2 (20yo) to this day, all their 3d games relies on their proprietary 3d engine, which is unoptimized as hell, old and outdated.

 

[Tams]

I don't really like these 'polishes' of old games. 'HD' versions that just get them to look and run better on modern systems, sure.

It's rather they spent the resources on making proper sequels that from the foundations take advantage of modern systems.

 

[Kdad]

Just started another playthrough of Stronghold Crusader last week....don't think I ever played Stronghold...will check it out.

 

[A.Romero]

For a moment i thought you were talking about stranglehold

(the guy having a seizure in mid air doesn't help my argument)

Me too. I still have my PS3 copy.

The game became mostly obsolete with the release of Max Payne 3 but the theme is pretty cool. I remember being pretty hyped about it back then, it didn't live up to the hype but it was kind of special back then.

 

[Starcheif]

"No, Pig not die! No! NOOOOO!"

I loved the first game! Wonder what's new with the campaign?

 

[EDMIX]

For a moment i thought you were talking about stranglehold

(the guy having a seizure in mid air doesn't help my argument)

same

 

[Rentahamster]

I don't really like these 'polishes' of old games. 'HD' versions that just get them to look and run better on modern systems, sure.

It's rather they spent the resources on making proper sequels that from the foundations take advantage of modern systems.

Generally speaking I agree with you, but as for this dev in particular, their new games sucked so im okay with this.

 

[Hudo]

Generally speaking I agree with you, but as for this dev in particular, their new games sucked so im okay with this.

Was about to write the same answer as well.

 

[Rentahamster]

 

[Slicker than your average]

Loved this game at release. Aren't the new games that are 3d much better though? Seems kind of pointless remaster?

 

[Banjo64]

Loved this game at release. Aren't the new games that are 3d much better though? Seems kind of pointless remaster?

 

[Rentahamster]

Loved this game at release. Aren't the new games that are 3d much better though? Seems kind of pointless remaster?

No, they suck.

 

[Hudo]

Yeah... that's the unfortunate history of Stronghold.

At least Firefly seem to be financially stable now (they've been bought by Devolver).

 

[Rentahamster]

Demo is out on the Steam Store page.

 

[Hudo]

Demo is out on the Steam Store page.

Let's bump this fucker of a thread up. People deserve to know!

 

[Rentahamster]

Let's bump this fucker of a thread up. People deserve to know!

Thread title edit to include "Free Demo Available" or something like that might be good too.

 

[Neon Xenon]

Demo is out on the Steam Store page.

Not too into RTS games. but I do know the name Stronghold, so I grabbed the demo after reading this.

Actually, there's a number of upcoming RTS games I've been keeping an eye on like Tempest Rising and Beyond All Reason. I find myself not sticking with these games, but something about them gets me to at least check out an RTS every now and then.

 

[the_master]

Fuuuuuu
I read Stanglehold. Heart broken