Sure, newcomers to the series will find some enjoyment here, but for the rest of us, there’s little chance to rekindle our relationship with Firefly Studios. Rarely have I ever come across developers that openly admit to such egregious practices, and while the core gameplay might provide some flashes of value, the game mechanics and frustrating AI movements are simply too dated to ever feel like time and money with the game is well spent. And finally, the game is riddled with AI bugs and crashes that Firefly knew about but still shipped the game with the promise of patching the game post-release. Second, enemy Warlords sit around waiting to be attacked instead of going on the offensive which leads to many encounters becoming one-sided. For one, when two armies clash they blend together into one giant mishmash of pixels that bear no resemblance at all to that of fighting soldiers. The major issue I have with the game, however, is when the combat starts and it’s here that Warlords shows its faults. While the array of fortifications that you can add to your castle is solid, it isn’t spectacular, with simple walls, towers, gates, and a slew of defensive and offensive weapons at your disposal. The castle building element which was once the core element in the Stronghold series seems to be more of an afterthought here. Each warlord under your command possesses distinct perks and abilities that can change the tide of war. The biggest addition to this version is the inclusion of Warlords who are powerful influencers you use to conquer opposing factions over vast historical campaigns.
The settlement management system is robust but not as deep as previous Stronghold games but it does add to the economic and cultural diversity set in the East Asian world. If you’ve never played a Stronghold game the premise is simple: build castles and a thriving community and a big army to defend it. But that’s really where Warlord’s strengths end.įirefly Studios, I love you, but times have changed and your latest offering, Stronghold Warlords just doesn’t do anything for me anymore. Add the addition of working online multi-player features means you can whoop it up with friends in some bare-knuckle excitement. Also, gradually growing your economy and population is rewarding and the feeling that you are getting something accomplished is never tarnished. However, even though fragments of the game’s appearance haven’t aged well, the gameplay is still able to push out some interesting moments. As a result, units once considered charming and charismatic can now be seen as lifeless and blurred. The graphics engine used in 2002’s Stronghold Crusaders has clearly been left untouched. Ok, I’ll give it a go one more time to see if I’m missing out on anything special, but after that, I’m out.
And yet, you keep insisting I give you one more chance.
Firefly Studios, I love you and you’ve given me many happy moments in the past, but times have changed and your latest offering, Stronghold: Warlords just doesn’t do anything for me anymore. No matter how tumultuous things get, she still keeps trying to keep us together even though I’ve moved on to greener gaming pastures. Firefly Studios is like an old girlfriend.
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