Stronghold 2: Steam Edition Review Summary

Last updated: 2026-02-09
  • Rich gameplay mechanics praised by users
  • Distinct visual style appreciated
  • Complex production chains add depth
  • Music highly praised by community
  • Frequent bugs and glitches reported
  • Gameplay balance and pacing issues
Stronghold 2: Steam Edition header

Emotions

What players like:

Common complaints:

Gameplay feedback:

Performance notes:

Recommendations:

Other player notes:

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Review evidence

Why players say this

What players like

Rich gameplay mechanics: The game offers a wide variety of mechanics and possibilities, providing players with numerous options and strategies.

Distinct visual style: The game features a unique and self-ironic visual style that sets it apart from other games in the genre.

Game still great despite issues: Despite some issues, players generally agree that the game is still great and enjoyable.

Praised music: The music in the game is highly praised by players, enhancing the overall gaming experience.

More complex production chains: Players express a desire for more branched and complex production chains to add depth to the game.

Common complaints

Bugs and glitches: The game has various bugs, including unit selection issues, units phasing through each other, and original bugs still present from previous versions.

Constant attacks and population issues: Players face immediate and continuous attacks by outlaws and wolves, along with constant population dissatisfaction.

Poorly explained mechanics: The game lacks clear in-game explanations and tutorials, forcing players to refer to external sources to understand mechanics.

Gameplay balance and pacing: The campaign is tediously slow, while non-military campaigns are too quick. The difficulty ramps up too quickly, requiring building spamming.

New antagonists and enemy issues: New antagonists appear suddenly and lack charisma or tactics. Enemies on ladders are immune to wall defenses.

Gameplay and performance

Poor game balance: Players report issues with game balance, including poorly managed production chains, continuous bandit attacks, and additional requirements compared to the first version of the game.

Complex gameplay mechanics: The game offers a variety of mechanics including building, resource management, and multiple game modes such as campaign and multiplayer.

Inadequate tutorial and feedback: The game's tutorial is considered poor, and there is insufficient feedback and guidance provided to the players.

Slow campaign progression: The campaign mode is criticized for being tediously slow, affecting the overall enjoyment of the game.

Sudden antagonist appearances: New antagonists appear unexpectedly, which can disrupt gameplay and frustrate players.

Frequent game crashes reported: Multiple users have reported that the game frequently crashes, especially when alt-tabbing or during multiplayer sessions. These crashes occur even on high-end PCs, indicating potential stability issues.

Various bugs reported: Players have encountered different bugs, referred to as 'Prorva bugs,' which vary in size and impact. These bugs can affect the overall gaming experience.

Recommendations

Steam Edition Not Recommended: Players do not recommend the Steam Edition of the game due to its lack of complete multiplayer features.

Platform notes

Steam Deck: The analysis of user feedback reveals several critical issues affecting the gaming experience. Frequent crashes and control issues are the most significant problems, with multiple users reporting these issues. While there is positive feedback regarding the graphics and gameplay design, the frequent crashes and control issues severely impact the overall experience. Minor issues with game elements are also noted but do not have a substantial effect on gameplay.