Stronghold 2 is a 2005 real-time strategy video game created by Firefly Studios and first published by 2K for Windows. It is the third game in the Stronghold series and follows Stronghold. In this game, players build and manage a stronghold during the Middle Ages.

The game’s engine was improved from the original Stronghold to include full 3-dimensional graphics. Other updates include new military and peace campaigns, as well as a feature called crime and punishment, which allows players to discipline unruly peasants. The game also introduced several new characters.

On October 5, 2017, Stronghold 2 was released again digitally on Steam by Firefly Studios as Stronghold 2: Steam Edition. It can be purchased as a separate game or as a free upgrade for owners of the Stronghold Collection on Steam. This re-release includes new features such as Steam multiplayer, support for 16:9 widescreen display, improved in-game textures, six new maps, the ability to share and download custom maps through the Steam Workshop, achievements, and digital copies of the official art book and soundtrack.

Gameplay

In the game, players act as lords who manage a medieval castle. Using available resources, players build structures such as food production areas, industry buildings, civil facilities, and military defenses. Peasants automatically select jobs when needed, so players focus on arranging buildings efficiently and protecting their peasants. Military units are controlled directly by players, either individually or in large groups during battles or sieges involving many participants. A new feature in the game allows players to purchase estates using accumulated honor, which is earned through actions like hosting feasts, dances, or jousting. Estates are partially independent villages without castle walls that produce goods, which can be sent to the player’s castle or allies via carts.

Stronghold 2 uses 3D graphics to include tower interiors as battle locations and allows players to closely observe castle inhabitants, which helps manage new features like waste and rats. As in the original game, players can choose from several play modes: Kingmaker, Siege, War Campaign, Peace Campaign, Freeplay, Custom scenario, and Multiplayer.

The original game’s multiplayer mode stopped working in May 2014 when GameSpy closed its online servers. However, the 2017 re-release on Steam includes full multiplayer support through Steam’s online servers.

Plot

During the 11th to 12th centuries in medieval England, the king vanishes without explanation, leaving the nation without a ruler and causing chaos. In the midst of this disorder, a brave knight named Sir William is determined to find his king no matter what, with Matthew Steele, the main character, serving as his assistant. At the same time, a powerful warlord named Lord Barclay seeks to take control of the situation. Other individuals gradually join the conflict, revealing their intentions. Steele is assigned to help William, and through his efforts, he gains enough status to participate in political decisions.

Reception

The game received "mixed" reviews, meaning some people liked it and others did not, according to the review website Metacritic. According to Edge, Stronghold 2 sold over 100,000 copies in the United States, but sold fewer units than its predecessor, which sold 220,000 copies in the same region. By August 2006, total sales of Stronghold games released during the 2000s in the United States reached 590,000 units.