Stronghold 3

28%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,289 reviews
  • graphics
  • story
  • gameplay
Stronghold 3 Game Cover
Frustrating for newcomers and disappointing for veterans, Stronghold 3 is a combat overhaul away from being any good.
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"Stronghold 3" is a real-time strategy game set in a medieval world. Players must build and manage their own castle, gather resources, and raise a loyal army to defend against enemy attacks. The game features a dynamic weather system, day and night cycles, and a destructible environment, adding an extra layer of challenge and realism to the gameplay. "Stronghold 3" also includes a variety of single-player campaigns, skirmish modes, and multiplayer options for added replayability.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

28%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,289 reviews
graphics106 positive mentions
gameplay44 negative mentions
  • The graphics are improved and visually appealing.
  • The soundtrack is enjoyable and fits the medieval theme.
  • Some players find the economic campaign engaging and fun.
  • The game lacks a skirmish mode, limiting replayability.
  • There are numerous bugs and glitches, including units getting stuck.
  • The gameplay feels slow and unresponsive, with poor AI behavior.
  • graphics362 mentions

    The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting improvements over previous titles, particularly in detail and atmospheric effects. However, several critiques highlight issues such as graphical glitches, poor optimization, and a lack of vibrant color, leading to a perception that while the graphics are better, they do not compensate for the game's other shortcomings. Overall, the visuals are seen as a positive aspect, but they are often overshadowed by gameplay and technical issues.

    • “The graphics are improved, and they added a few awesome songs to the soundtrack, but they aren't enough to have you keep playing more than a few hours at most.”
    • “The graphics are really nice as per usual stronghold style.”
    • “The graphics are better, and they added some weather changes, but the AI and how clunky placing castle bits is just wack.”
    • “The graphics are horrendous, a big downgrade from Stronghold 1 and Crusader, and the unit movement is terrible to say the least.”
    • “The graphics are dull and boring and completely uninspired.”
    • “The graphics are not impressive for a recently released game such as this, and the GUI leaves a lot to be desired.”
  • story333 mentions

    The story in Stronghold 3 has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it interesting and a continuation of the original game's narrative, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking depth. Many reviewers noted that the presentation of the story through hand-drawn illustrations felt cheap and unfinished, detracting from the overall experience. Additionally, the missions often felt tedious and poorly designed, leading to frustration rather than engagement with the storyline.

    • “The story is nice and the gameplay is similar to the other Stronghold games.”
    • “Overall, I think this was definitely the strongest story arc of all the Strongholds and the missions were very well laid out and challenging.”
    • “The story adds incredible depth into the lore of the Stronghold series.”
    • “The story is unimaginative, and the missions are practically copied from the first Stronghold.”
    • “The story is bland and horrible as you just complete some petty objectives and you get no sense of accomplishment.”
    • “The campaign story is dull and uninspired.”
  • gameplay232 mentions

    The gameplay of this title has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players citing unpolished mechanics, frequent bugs, and poor AI as major issues. While some appreciate the graphics and a few interesting mission designs, the overall experience is marred by frustrating controls, illogical game mechanics, and a lack of depth compared to earlier entries in the series. Many reviewers recommend avoiding the game unless one is a die-hard fan willing to overlook its significant shortcomings.

    • “After getting used to the gameplay, wall building, etc., it's a pretty good game.”
    • “The gameplay itself is ok and has improvements on other games in the series with a handful of new features that are good ideas and I hope at least some of them carry on through the next games.”
    • “Good game, little dated could use smoother mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay is honestly not very fun.”
    • “Full of bugs, unfinished mechanics and downgrades literally everything besides graphics compared to its predecessors.”
    • “Gameplay is just unbearable, units are garbage.”
  • stability170 mentions

    The stability of Stronghold 3 has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting it as a "buggy mess" filled with glitches, crashes, and unfinished features. Many players experienced significant issues such as units getting stuck, save game problems, and overall poor performance, leading to frustration and disappointment. While some users noted that patches have improved the situation, the game remains plagued by persistent bugs that detract from the overall experience.

    • “No glitches and the frame rate is smooth.”
    • “The game runs great and captures a lot of what the earlier games did well with not much newly added.”
    • “The game is buggy and uses assets from its older games.”
    • “A buggy, frustrating mess that feels like it's barely out of alpha, years and several patches after its original release.”
    • “Stronghold 3 is just another messy, buggy and awful game.”
  • music78 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the nostalgic blend of classic tracks from previous titles alongside a few new additions that fit the medieval atmosphere well. While some players find the soundtrack to be a highlight, others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety. Overall, the music is generally regarded as enjoyable and atmospheric, contributing positively to the game's experience despite other shortcomings.

    • “The music is awesome as always.”
    • “Has great atmosphere and a really memorable soundtrack.”
    • “The music department is the best in the whole saga; there are wonderful ballads, sung and not, perfect for every situation, including classic stronghold tracks.”
    • “The list of issues goes on and on, the HUD is clunky and awkward, the audio is harsh and low quality, the music is uninspired, the sounds are kind of basic, the map design and size is so small I can't even imagine how they expect you to even fit the required buildings at times.”
    • “The soundtrack and voice acting is lame and recycled.”
    • “The soundtrack is ripped from Stronghold 2, which strikes me as cheap and lazy.”
  • optimization18 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting poor performance, frequent crashes, and a frustratingly low frame rate locked at 30. Many users feel that the game struggles to handle even a modest number of units on screen, leading to clunky gameplay and a lack of essential features like custom skirmishes. Overall, the consensus is that insufficient optimization work has resulted in a frustrating experience, especially for fans of the original titles.

    • “It should have been 200+, the most likely cause is probably too little optimization work being done on this entry.”
    • “Terribly optimized, barely runs the maximum of 600 units on screen.”
    • “Sure the performance is better, but what about the actual gameplay?”
    • “The game also suffers from poor performance, mostly in the fact that it's locked to 30 frames for... some reason?”
    • “I don't want to know how low it gets once you add two additional players. While I understand that for performance reasons, one cannot have too many entities at once, but 100 is laughable.”
    • “If you are a fan of the original Strongholds, don't waste your money on this game... overall I feel it was horribly optimized, clunky, and unplayable at times.”
  • atmosphere17 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive medieval setting, enhanced by a memorable soundtrack and detailed graphics that evoke a strong sense of time and place. Many players appreciate the dynamic weather and lighting effects, which contribute to a rich and engaging environment. However, some critiques note that while the atmosphere is compelling, other gameplay elements may not meet expectations.

    • “Brings you into the medieval atmosphere, and there is enough complexity in the city to not get tired of the game too soon.”
    • “Maybe even better than the original, because the atmosphere, the weather, the songs, the dynamic buildings, and the graphics are greatly improved.”
    • “Maps are very detailed and of the right dimensions with a medieval atmosphere made perfectly, also thanks to the various plays of light given by climate changes.”
    • “The atmosphere/building/strategy of this game just isn't fun.”
    • “What should've been the love baby between the gameplay and castle design of Stronghold II and the atmosphere of Stronghold I became a horrible mix of the worst features of both games, with some added monstrosities.”
    • “The game is actually better if you like medieval's darker atmosphere.”
  • replayability17 mentions

    The game suffers from a significant lack of replayability, primarily due to the absence of a skirmish mode and multiplayer options, which limits players to replaying the campaign missions. Many reviewers express disappointment that the removal of these features diminishes the overall fun and engagement, making it difficult to justify returning to the game after completion. Overall, players feel that without these elements, the game offers little incentive for repeated play.

    • “Overall, it is like the stronghold we all know and love without the replayability to it.”
    • “No skirmish mode and multiplayer connection problems almost exterminate any replay value for this game.”
    • “Nearly 0 replayability due to the lack of skirmish mode (why?!?).”
    • “Any form of replayability is ruined because now you are left with only players, which won't play the game because they have no reason to, no AI or any incentive to go in.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game lacks any kind of skirmish mode, and this completely breaks the replayability for me.”
  • grinding14 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overwhelmingly tedious and frustrating, with many missions and resource management tasks feeling like a chore rather than an engaging challenge. The game's numerous bugs and lack of innovation compared to previous titles in the franchise contribute to a sense of disappointment, making the overall experience feel dull and burdensome. Despite some visual improvements, the gameplay is criticized for being a tedious grind that detracts from the core enjoyment of castle building and strategy.

    • “It can feel a bit grindy at times, but the rewards make it worthwhile.”
    • “While it may be a long grind, the sense of achievement keeps me engaged.”
    • “The grinding aspect can be tedious, yet it adds depth to the overall experience.”
    • “The missions are somewhat tedious.”
    • “Playing a campaign that forces you to play missions with limits and destroy enemy castles without reinforcements gets very tedious.”
    • “The trade related objectives are even more burdensome, as you try to maintain forward resource gathering locations defended, and your peasants eat the food required to meet quotas, making this a very tedious quota grind.”
  • humor12 mentions

    Overall, the humor in the game is largely criticized, with many players noting a significant lack of charm and wit compared to the original. While some find humor in the game's bugs and oddities, the absence of engaging characters and a coherent tutorial detracts from the overall comedic experience. The consensus suggests that the game fails to deliver the humor that fans expected.

    • “The original Stronghold's story was pretty good, and the characters were humorous, colorful, and fun to listen to.”
    • “The problems aren't much of a disturbance and are more a bit funny or odd.”
    • “Currently plagued by funny bugs.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The emotional response to the game is overwhelmingly negative, with users expressing deep disappointment and heartbreak over its mechanics and overall quality. Longtime fans feel betrayed, as the game fails to meet their expectations, leading to feelings of sadness and frustration.

    • “This game made me cry.”
    • “Even at $2.99, I'm struggling to justify the purchase, and it is heartbreaking to me.”
    • “Sadly, it actually emotionally hurts me to say, but this game is disgusting; I have been a collector and enthusiast of Stronghold since I was a child.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users noting intrusive advertisements and a lack of value for money. Many recommend waiting for reviews before making any purchases, as the game appears outdated and fails to meet expectations for a beloved franchise.

    • “Also gotta love how the first thing I see in this game is an advertisement for a better game.”
    • “This was a cash grab that executed one of my favorite game franchises.”
    • “Seems like it was made 10+ years ago and only recently released as a cash grab.”
  • character development1 mentions

    While users appreciate the atmosphere, soundtrack, and character designs, there is no specific mention of character development, suggesting that this aspect may not be a focal point in the reviews.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

52% average critic score

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Play time

9hMedian play time
16hAverage play time
5-25hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 15 analyzed playthroughs

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