Stronghold Kingdoms

Last updated

Stronghold Kingdoms
SHK-logo.png
Developer(s) Firefly Studios
Publisher(s) Firefly Studios
Producer(s) Eric Ouellette
Paul Harris
Mark Barney
Designer(s) Simon Bradbury
Eric Ouellette
Artist(s) Darrin Horbal
Tom Ward
Platform(s) Windows, OS X, iOS, Android
ReleaseMicrosoft Windows
  • WW: 17 October 2012
OS X
  • WW: 19 January 2015 [1]
iOS
  • WW: 15 August 2017
Android
  • WW: 31 August 2017
Genre(s) Massively multiplayer online real-time strategy
Mode(s) Multiplayer

Stronghold Kingdoms is a Massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game video game with a Medieval castle building theme. It was developed by Firefly Studios and based upon their commercially successful and popular Stronghold series of games. Firefly Studios started development of Stronghold Kingdoms in 2007 as their first entry into the MMO genre. [2]

Contents

Development

Work on the game began with a small team of developers in 2007, the early alpha phase was started at the beginning of 2009, after which testers were able to play in a closed setting for the first time. The first alpha test began in 2009 and was open to 150 players. [3] From November 2010, an open beta ran for almost two years until the game was officially released on October 17, 2012 when it achieved gold status. [4]

Reception

Stronghold Kingdoms has achieved a Metacritic score of 75, indicating generally favorable reviews. [5]

Strategy Informer gave a score of 85/100, with reviewer Emmanuel Brown describing it as "mission accomplished" and saying that "for the most part, they get it absolutely right." [6] Gaming XP's review praised how the classic Stronghold format was "implemented very well for this MMO". [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Stronghold</i> (2001 video game) 2001 video game

Stronghold is a historical real-time strategy video game developed by Firefly Studios and published in 2001 by Gathering of Developers for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. The game focuses primarily on conquest and expansion through military pursuits but also has prominent economic and infrastructure development elements. There is both an economic and a military campaign to be played and both are discussed in the game manual. In the English version, the game takes place in Medieval Britain around the year 1066; however, since there is not always a time limit, scenarios can continue hundreds of years beyond that date.

<i>Command & Conquer: Generals</i> 2003 video game

Command & Conquer: Generals is a real-time strategy video game and the seventh installment in the Command & Conquer series. It was released for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X in 2003 and 2004. The Windows version of Generals was developed by EA Pacific and published by EA Games, the Mac OS X version was developed by i5works and published by Aspyr Media. The Mac OS X version was re-released by Aspyr for the Mac App Store on April 12, 2004. In the game, the player can choose from three different factions: the United States, China and the Global Liberation Army (GLA).

<i>Dungeons & Dragons Online</i> 2006 video game

Dungeons & Dragons Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Turbine for Microsoft Windows and OS X. The game was originally marketed as Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach. Upon switching to a hybrid free-to-play model it was renamed Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited. The game was rebranded Dungeons & Dragons Online, with the introduction of Forgotten Realms-related content. Turbine developed Dungeons & Dragons Online as an online adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), originally based loosely on the D&D 3.5 rule set. The game is set on the unexplored continent of Xen'drik within the Eberron campaign setting, and in the Kingdom of Cormyr within the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.

<i>Stronghold 2</i> 2005 video game

Stronghold 2 is a real time strategy computer game released in April 2005 in which the player develops a stronghold in the Middle Ages. It is the sequel to Stronghold, released in 2001, also by Firefly Studios.

<i>Stronghold: Crusader</i> 2002 video game

Stronghold: Crusader is the successor to Firefly Studios's 2001 real-time strategy video game Stronghold. Crusader has much in common with the original Stronghold, but differs from its predecessor in the fact that the game is no longer set in England, instead being set in the Middle East during the Crusades. Another prominent addition not found in its predecessor is a skirmish mode in single-player, allowing customized battles with AI opponents instead of the linear campaign. The game was also released as Stronghold Warchest. This version was a compendium of Stronghold and an enhanced version of Stronghold: Crusader, containing additional characters and an additional Crusader Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firefly Studios</span> British video game developer

Firefly Studios Limited is a British video game developer based in London. Formed in August 1999 by Simon Bradbury, David Lester, and Eric Ouellette, the company focuses on historic real-time strategy games for the PC and Macintosh systems. They are best known for their Stronghold series of games. In June 2021, the studio was acquired by Devolver Digital.

<i>Stronghold Legends</i> 2006 video game

Stronghold Legends is a real-time strategy game developed by Firefly Studios and published by 2K in 2006. It is the fourth game in the Stronghold series, following Stronghold, Stronghold: Crusader, and Stronghold 2.

<i>Torchlight</i> 2009 video game

Torchlight is an action role-playing hack and slash dungeon crawler video game developed by Runic Games and published by Perfect World, released for Windows in October 2009. The fantasy-themed game is set in the fictional town of Torchlight and the expansive caverns and dungeons nearby, which adventurers explore to collect valuable loot and battle hordes of monsters. Following the October 2009 digital distribution release, a Windows retail box version was released in the U.S. in January 2010 by Encore, Inc, and JoWooD Entertainment published a retail box in Europe in April 2010. A port for OS X was developed by World Domination Industries and released through Steam on May 12, 2010. Runic Games and World Domination Industries developed a port for Xbox Live Arcade which was released on March 9, 2011. A Linux port was released as part of the game's inclusion in the Humble Indie Bundle 6.

<i>Kingdom Under Fire II</i> 2019 video game

Kingdom Under Fire II was a video game set in a high fantasy setting developed by Blueside which merged real-time strategy (RTS), role-playing game (RPG) and massively multiplayer online game (MMO) genres. The game had a single-player and an online multiplayer mode. The game followed on chronologically from Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom, and was the first RTS game set in the Kingdom Under Fire universe to be released since the 2005 Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes. Due to its mass cancellation, most of the 4 platforms were scrapped, and it was Windows-exclusive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Runic Games</span> Defunct video game studio

Runic Games was an American computer game developer based in Seattle. It was formed by former Flagship Studios developers in August 2008. In 2009, the company released Torchlight, a single-player action role-playing game. It was acquired by Perfect World in May 2010. They released a sequel, Torchlight II, in 2012. It was at this time the developers revealed they were no longer pursuing plans to create an MMO in the Torchlight universe.

<i>Firefly</i> (franchise) Space western media franchise by Joss Whedon

Firefly is an American space Western media franchise created by Joss Whedon and produced by Mutant Enemy Productions. The franchise includes the TV series Firefly, the film Serenity, and other media.

Stronghold 3 is a 2011 real-time strategy video game for Microsoft Windows developed by Firefly Studios and published by 7Sixty. The game is the seventh in the series after several spin-offs, including a remake, Stronghold: Crusader Extreme, and Stronghold Kingdoms. It is the sequel to Stronghold, released in 2001, and Stronghold 2 released in 2005. Unlike previous games in the series which were published by Take-Two Interactive, the game has been published by SouthPeak Games, the new parent company of Gamecock Media Group, publisher of Stronghold Crusader Extreme.

<i>Marvel Pinball</i> 2010 video game

Marvel Pinball is a 2010 pinball video game developed by Zen Studios. It features Marvel Comics-themed pinball tables. It is available as a standalone game for the PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network, and as downloadable content for Pinball FX 2 on the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade. Its content on the PlayStation 3 is also playable in Zen Pinball 2. It is the second pinball title for the PlayStation 3, succeeding Zen Pinball. It was released on December 8, 2010, on the Xbox 360 and December 14, 2010, on the PlayStation 3.

<i>Impire</i> 2013 video game

Impire is a real-time strategy video game developed by Cyanide Studios and published by Paradox Interactive, and released for Microsoft Windows via Steam on February 14, 2013.

<i>Stronghold Crusader II</i> 2014 video game

Stronghold Crusader II is a real-time strategy video game, developed by Firefly Studios, part of the Stronghold series. It was released on September 23, 2014. It is the sequel to their 2002 title Stronghold: Crusader.

<i>Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse</i> (2013 video game) 2013 video game

Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse is a 2013 2.5D platform game developed by Sega Studios Australia and published by Sega. The game is a remake of the original 1990 Sega Genesis/Sega Mega Drive video game of the same name, which was the first title in the Illusion series of Mickey Mouse video games. The game was released on PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360, in September 2013, and later for iOS, Windows Phone, Android, and OS X.

<i>Civilization Revolution 2</i> 2014 video game

Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution 2 is a 4X turn-based strategy video game for portable platforms, developed in 2014 by Firaxis Games with Sid Meier as designer. It is a spin-off of the Civilization series and a sequel to Civilization Revolution.

<i>Stormfall: Age of War</i> 2012 video game

Stormfall: Age of War is a social browser game created in 2012 by Plarium and then moved to Facebook in November. This game franchise builds on the success of Plarium's earlier Facebook titles in the crowded web-based PvP strategy game market, though a pay-to-win aspect of the game raises concerns. Plarium, which has a global registered player base of 250 million players, introduced Stormfall: Rise of Balur as the sequel to the hugely popular Stormfall: Age of War.

<i>Stronghold: Warlords</i> 2021 Real-time strategy game

Stronghold: Warlords is a real-time strategy game released in March 9, 2021, developed and published by Firefly Studios. Unlike the previous entries of the Stronghold series, which were focused Europe during the Middle Ages, Stronghold: Warlords is set in East Asia, with campaigns based on historical events of China, Vietnam, and Japan.

Stronghold is a series of real-time strategy video games developed by Firefly Studios and set in medieval times.

References

  1. "At long last, Stronghold Kingdoms is available for Mac castle builders".[ permanent dead link ]
  2. Ford, Suzie. "Firefly Studios Announces "Castle-Based" MMO". Warcry Network. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  3. Ford, Suzie. "Firefly Studios Talks Up Stronghold Kingdoms". Warcry Network. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  4. "Stronghold Kingdoms Goes Gold". Firefly Studios. 11 October 2012.
  5. "Stronghold Kingdoms Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  6. Emmanuel, Brown. "Stronghold Kingdoms Review". Strategy Informer. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  7. "Stronghold Kingdoms". Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2012.