Stronghold Legends: Steam Edition
Stronghold Legends: Steam Edition
Game
Game2017
Stronghold 2: Steam Edition
Developer Firefly Studios
Tax, torture or treat your peasants! Rehabilitate criminals or sentence them to death? Decide as you enjoy jousting over a lavish banquet, all while under siege from the warmongering Lord Barclay. From the Steam store page
162 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 4, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
88
LovedLoved
127 positive · 18 negative
95% range 81–92%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 127 | 18 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 2 | 1 | 13 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
2,268 of 2,535 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
86% recommend · 120 yes, 19 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 139 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (5,143 of 5,792 positive).
Many players praise the game's deep economy and castle management mechanics. [1][2][3] Some reviewers note the graphics have aged poorly and the campaign has difficulty spikes. [1][4][5]
Liked
Representative posts
- [12]
One of the best RTS games ever made. The core game itself is still just as good as it always was. Stronghold 2 remains one of the most unique and enjoyable castle-building RTS games ever made. But there is one gargantuan problem. The developers chose not to keep AI enemies in multiplayer Kingmaker mode for the Steam Edition. Kingmaker used to be one of the best parts of Stronghold 2 outside of the campaign. You …
- [1]
Pros: ✅ More serious, economy focused gameplay. ✅ Two decently long campaigns + conquest trail (siege campaign). ✅ Cool estate system. ✅ Multiplayer. ✅ Achievements. Cons: ❌ Graphics have aged poorly (though it still looks better than Stronghold 3). ❌ Gong management simulator. ❌ The cutscenes are very bad, especially the rendered ones (most of them have no sound and end abruptly). ❌ You pretty much have to be a …
- [13]
I built them houses. I gave them food. I gave them jobs, ale, religion, entertainment, and a beautiful castle to live beside. I kept the granary full, the taxes reasonable, and the enemies outside the walls. One rat appears, someone misses a meal, and suddenly I’m the worst lord England has ever seen. The peasants are miserable, the crime rate is rising, and apparently the entire kingdom is now my fault. 10/10 game. …
- [2]
I remember being really impressed as a kid when the series transitioned into full 3D. Visually, though, I think the classic 2D style fit the series much better. Despite that, this is probably the strongest entry in the franchise when it comes to the variety of production chains and castle management mechanics. The huge number of buildings and the simulation of everyday life inside the castle are definitely major …
- [3]
Many hated Stronghold 2 for its unneccesary complexity, but its full 3D graphics are actually a winner. Stronghold 1 and Stronghold Crusader could be a little bit straightforward and hence Stronghold 2 comes with realism. Stronghold 2 still carries the spirit of older titles and stands stronger than later titles.
Summarised from 34 of the 156 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Stronghold 2: Steam Edition sits at 88% positive across 145 opinionated reactions from 3 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Reactions
60 of 162 · most liked firstPros: ✅ More serious, economy focused gameplay. ✅ Two decently long campaigns + conquest trail (siege campaign). ✅ Cool estate system. ✅ Multiplayer.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the best RTS games ever made. The core game itself is still just as good as it always was. Stronghold 2 remains one of the most unique and enjoyable castle-building RTS games ever made. But there is one gargantuan problem. The developers chose not to keep AI enemies in multiplayer Kingmaker mode for the Steam Edition. Kingmaker used to be one of the best parts of Stronghold 2 outside of the campaign. You could play on custom maps with friends and also add AI lords into the match,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Such a wonderful, replayable game! Never beaten the final level but keep trying. Looking forward to Stronghold 4!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I started adding some mutually exclusive "tough choices" about secondary NPCs which will tweak relationships with your party members. I did that extensively in my game Planet Stronghold 2 and decided to redo it again here #visualnovel #indiedev #gamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →Nostalgia Entertaining Addictive But Old we need new one I played it since i was a kid its awesome and very exceptional for its time
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's just okay, not really worth your time.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I love the Stronghold series. HOWEVER, I don't think any of the Stronghold games since have managed to capture the magic of this one. The level of detail for a game that was released in 2005 was incredible. I love the larger focus on actually maintaining your kingdom. It's less about the stats and more about making everything functional. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of annoying details that make the gameplay a little difficult, which is why I wish they would make a sequel based on this…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →so does anyone remember playing Stronghold 2 or am I still the only person I've ever met who's played that game
neutral · AI labelView post →If you're an #indiedev you can see the refunds reasons in your control panel (text left by users). I found this one about my game Planet Stronghold 2! 🤣
neutral · AI labelView post →I remember being really impressed as a kid when the series transitioned into full 3D. Visually, though, I think the classic 2D style fit the series much better. Despite that, this is probably the strongest entry in the franchise when it comes to the variety of production chains and castle management mechanics. The huge number of buildings and the simulation of everyday life inside the castle are definitely major positives. Overall, I had a really great time with this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I built them houses. I gave them food. I gave them jobs, ale, religion, entertainment, and a beautiful castle to live beside. I kept the granary full, the taxes reasonable, and the enemies outside the walls. One rat appears, someone misses a meal, and suddenly I’m the worst lord England has ever seen. The peasants are miserable, the crime rate is rising, and apparently the entire kingdom is now my fault. 10/10 game. I’ve never enjoyed being this unappreciated.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Amazing game! I played this as a kid and somehow love it more as an adult. I do not recommend the later non-crusader games tho. The 4th in this series is coming out soon and I really hope they went back to this entry! The demo for the 4th is a good sign so far tho!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Stronghold 2: Steam Edition First of all, I love the Stronghold games! Probably one of my top RTS games of all-time. This collection comes with Stronghold HD, Stronghold Crusader HD, Stronghold Crusader Extreme HD, Stronghold 2 and Stronghold Legends. This is highly recommended. This collection had endless hours of gameplay. 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Many hated Stronghold 2 for its unneccesary complexity, but its full 3D graphics are actually a winner. Stronghold 1 and Stronghold Crusader could be a little bit straightforward and hence Stronghold 2 comes with realism. Stronghold 2 still carries the spirit of older titles and stands stronger than later titles.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →very beautiful and nostalgic
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been waiting for this one! 🖤 Factario Dwarf Fortress Songs of Syx Rimworld Lobotomy Corporation Stronghold 2 Mount and Blade: Bannerlord Anything by FromSoftware Heroes of Might & Magic (any) Any 4x game Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magicka Deus Ex And.... *sigh* League of Legends (or Dota2)
neutral · AI labelView post →very fun. Great game to pass the time ive got way more then 37 hrs as i played the disc wayyyyy back so id say i have around 800 hrs in this game just playing it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →cool game. But the campaign is buggy and way too hard and luck based.But i like the concept of a bigger economy
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Used to love the Strongholds series as a kid. But now I see it haven't aged very well. Most of the gameplay itself is fine, but there are two major factors why I give it a negative review and its the AI. It's either terrible or cheating like crazy. One game I played 2v1 where one of the AI lords manage to segregate almost all of his production buildings so they couldn't be reached. Needles to say he wasn't very challenging opponent. The other made one push, but he also didn't do a very good job…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Stronghold 2 and Stronghold Legends are the two games I played out of this series as a kid. Recently, I picked up the Definitive Edition of Stronghold, and I have to say that Stronghold 2 has got to be the weakest entry in this entire series. Legends has some creative and fun gimmicks between the three factions, with unique powers and units and fun unique campaigns. Stronghold 2 has too many mechanics that require too much ground space. It's not that they're hard to keep up with, it's that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Stronghold 2 is a cool and engaging strategy game that shows castle building well and has exciting battles. Managing resources and planning really gives you a real sense of command. Every time you play, you just want to keep going
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →pretty good game if you just want to relax
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Stronghold 3 and 4 should have been made like this game... 3 is horrible and 4 looks to be the same... So many years later Stronghold 2 looks still better than all these new games.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been playing this game since I was a kid, and I still enjoy it just as much. I still play it and I absolutely love it, especially the story mode. Just like the Stronghold games, I'd love to see this game get a remaster too.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →most complicated stronghold game that's why i like it. you have to learn how to play the game for gaining fun!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The best Castle building game...and then they have you storm a castle with garbage troops helped by an AI that attacks empty walls. I bought this game seeing that Stronghold 4 is on the way. I hope they stick more with the original game and Crusader that this.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a bit of a walk down memory lane for anyone who played the old CD version of this game. It's a fun strategy game medieval castle defense style of play.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Been playing this game since I was a kid and have to say I have always enjoyed it. very simple war campaign and peace as well as good maps to choose from the workshop.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Spent a few hours on it, and wanted to like it. It just fell short for me.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's great. Recently updated for free with achievements and bug fixes.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I can't count the hours I spent playing this, growing up. It's still great 21 years later.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →all of the games except crusader just seem to CONSTANTLY crash on windows, In Stronghold 2, I had a 6.7 hour game saved in kingmaker mode against AI opponents, crashed 12 times, and the final time it crashed, it did so while saving, so the save got corrupted and anytime I tried to load the game it crashed.... waste of money. Maybe not meant for windows 11, only works on windows XP or earlier? idk, but these games are unplayable on modern PCs apparently
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i love it and my dad likes playing it aswell i got all the other fireflys games
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Somehow I never finished any of the campaigns in my childhood, even though I played that part a lot, it's time to fix that i think
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →annoying as ♥♥♥♥
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →No keys reassignment possible. Refunded.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Need definitive edition my lord!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game was a childhood favorite of mine before Steam ever existed, back when you had to pop the disc in to play. Nothing about this game has changed at all, and that's what I love about it. The modes and playstyles can range from very simple to extremely complex. The Peace Campaigns are great for when you want to sit back, relax, and build a quaint village, while the War Campaigns can be challenging and require strategy akin to a full-time RTS game. This game will also run on a potato, which…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →might be a hot take but I enjoy this more than the og stronghold. so much new things and a lot more complex in a good way
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I love this Game. Altough the Steam Edition has a few bugs in the sim campaign. There are many cool Maps on the Steam Workshop. Multiplayer sucks though. They removed Bots... Would love to see a Definitive Edition of Stronghold 2
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Childhood Game Graphics i Use Basic: Custom General: Highest Resolution in my case 1920X1080X32 60Hz i Have 240Hz But It Hurts eyes idk why Realtime shadows check Grass Check Windowed Mode Check Arrow Trails Uncheck ♥♥♥♥ Trail Texture Details Max & Filtering 16X LVL of Details All two Maxed Out
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →cool rts even for today
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Garbage. Stronghold crusade is so much better. I can't even see what is going on the screen. Not worth even a penny.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →THIS GAME IS SO BUGGGGGYYYYYYY!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun to build and play.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I just made a new update on my 2020 scifi RPG game Planet Stronghold 2: store.steampowered.com/app/857200/P... it's really true that with some genres, you're never done fixing bugs and/or adding improvements. Not surprised many devs just prefer to do simple VNs! 😅#indiedev #gamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →best game ever made
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Absolute banger<3 Cant wait for stronghold 4 fr!!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Immersive and fun!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →best nostalgic game ever
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The best stronghold
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First game I ever played; goated
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Feels like the old stronghold 2 I played on disk many years ago.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It was fun 20 years go, still decent game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i know its old but lowkey great story line
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty much feels like the original, from epic castles all the way down to wheat farm criminals glitching and requiring the farm to be deleted lol. Works great on my more recent PC (the old game didn't run well on this one).
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →the best game ever
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →game soooo good
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Amazing game wish more poeple were online nowadays
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The controls aren't re-bindable, but the defaults are fine, with WASD as well as arrow keys to scroll the view, & an optional right-click to move setting.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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