Sudden Strike Gold

About

Sudden Strike Gold is a single player real-time strategy game with warfare and historical themes. It was developed by Fireglow and was released on May 22, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

Sudden Strike Gold is a real-time tactics game set in World War II. Command forces from Germany, Russia, and the Allies across diverse missions, using tactical decision-making and detailed environment interaction to secure victory. This edition includes the original Sudden Strike and the add-on Sudden Strike Forefront, offering enhanced graphics and expanded content for intense historical combat.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 106 reviews

gameplay4 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

A classic masterpiece that has stood the test of time, providing hours of nostalgic fun.
Engaging gameplay that requires strategic thinking and micromanagement, making each battle feel rewarding.
Rich content with multiple campaigns and missions, along with a dedicated community creating custom scenarios.

The game suffers from slow pacing and sluggish unit responsiveness, making it feel tedious at times.
Outdated graphics and poor pathfinding can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences, especially for new players.
Technical issues such as crashes and sound problems have been reported, detracting from the overall enjoyment.

story
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
84%
8%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engaging narrative, with many users noting that it feels more like a series of tactical operations than a cohesive storyline. Players express frustration over vague mission objectives, poor mission design, and a lack of meaningful progression, leading to an overall experience that feels disjointed and uninspired. While there are multiple campaigns and custom missions available, the storytelling element remains weak, leaving players wanting more substance in the narrative.
- “Epic story.”
- “Every campaign comes with 10+ missions, and some missions will depend on your actions, so you won't be able to play all maps in a single playthrough. This version also includes the official expansion pack called Sudden Strike Forever, which adds four new campaigns, new scenarios, and new landscapes, providing a lot of content.”
- “There are thousands of custom missions available, with new missions still being produced by the community, alongside a long list of campaign and single missions.”
- “This game has some of the worst mission briefings and mission designs I have ever seen.”
- “Bad controls paired with even worse AI and almost painfully vague mission objectives and lackluster mission design result in an extremely inconsistent overall difficulty of the game.”
- “Even on the easiest difficulty setting, the game was so insanely unfair that I simply could not beat the mission even after hours of trying.”
gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
61%
17%
The gameplay of Sudden Strike has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its tactical depth and mechanics, while others criticize its dated design, frustrating trial-and-error elements, and poor AI. Despite these issues, many find the game engaging and worth revisiting for its strategic challenges and aesthetic appeal, although the lack of clear explanations for mechanics can be a barrier for new players. Overall, the gameplay offers a blend of nostalgia and complexity, appealing to both long-time fans and newcomers.
- “Sudden Strike is pretty much a proper new step in the series with completely new and improved gameplay.”
- “Sudden Strike still holds its weight, the graphics have an extremely pleasant aesthetic, but it is the gameplay that had me purchase this game for the third time in my life just to have it on Steam.”
- “Good mechanics and at least 100 hours of gameplay 10/10.”
- “Unfortunately, those features do little to overcome its dated gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is quite tactical at times, but mostly involves extremely tedious, dragging, frustrating trial and error.”
- “A big chunk of difficulty does not actually come from the gameplay itself, but the extremely bad AI and controls.”
graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
58%
18%
The graphics of the game are generally considered simplistic and dated, with vintage sprite designs that may not appeal to modern players focused on visual fidelity. While some users appreciate the charming aesthetic and feel that the graphics have aged well, others note issues with unit visibility and pathfinding. Overall, the graphics serve the gameplay but may not satisfy those seeking contemporary visual standards.
- “Sudden Strike still holds its weight; the graphics have an extremely pleasant aesthetic, but it is the gameplay that had me purchase this game for the third time in my life just to have it on Steam.”
- “10/10 - the graphics stand the test of time and the difficulty is absolutely perfect.”
- “At the time, I thought the graphics were amazing and the gameplay was brutal - assaults are fast and furious with little room for error.”
- “Vintage sprite graphics hide the absence of some realistic solutions on the micro control of units that are in the man of war.”
- “For the most part the game's graphics have aged well, but it's often difficult to get a feel for your units' line of sight and it's even more difficult to tell your units apart.”
- “Graphics of the terrain aren't bad, but soldiers look like little ants and have terrible pathfinding; they get stuck all the time.”
music
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The music aspect of the game has received negative feedback, primarily due to technical issues where it fails to play on certain systems, resulting in extremely quiet sound effects during gameplay. Additionally, the absence of the original CDDA music, which was a feature in earlier versions, has left players disappointed, as the current release lacks any in-game music during missions. While there is a folder containing music from previous releases, it does not enhance the gameplay experience as expected.
- “Sure, it's still the music from western/european releases of the game (the original Russian version used to include some pretty cool tracks, including the licensed song by a famous alternative rock band called Auctyon), but come on!”
- “Right after installing the game, you'll notice that it comes with an extra folder called (surprise-surprise) 'music'.”
- “Long story short, CDDA music meant CD music that played directly from compact disc and required to have that disc presented in your CD-ROM drive all the time.”
- “Music did not work on my system and even the basic sound effects were extremely quiet during gameplay.”
- “This version of the game has no music during the missions.”
- “With no music whatsoever.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players criticize the grinding aspect of the game for its slow pace and tedious gameplay, which often leads to frustrating trial and error. The outdated controls and cumbersome unit management further exacerbate the feeling of tedium, making larger missions feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.
- “The game's biggest flaw is its excruciatingly slow game speed, which even at the highest setting makes reaching your objectives feel tedious.”
- “The gameplay is quite tactical at times, but mostly involves extremely tedious, dragging, frustrating trial and error.”
- “I think this may be too complicated for many RTS players since the controls are outdated - playing the larger missions is more tedious than fun because of pathfinding and unit management.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Users highlight that the game offers infinite replayability, suggesting that players can enjoy it multiple times without losing interest.
- “The game is infinitely replayable, offering new experiences with each playthrough.”
- “I find myself coming back to this game time and time again; the replayability is outstanding!”
- “Every run feels fresh and exciting, making it a game I can play endlessly.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's optimization is noted for its attention to authenticity, with units speaking in their native languages; however, the overall performance of the voice acting has been criticized as mediocre.
- “The performance of the voice actors is mediocre at best.”
- “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
- “Despite the impressive graphics, the game runs poorly on mid-range systems, making it unplayable for many.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant stability issues, citing numerous bugs and game-breaking glitches that detract from the overall experience. These problems have led some players to abandon certain aspects of the game entirely.
- “I also stopped the add-on resource war, not because of the difficulty, but because of dozens of bugs and game-breaking glitches.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players report a deep emotional investment in the game, dedicating extensive hours to the campaigns, indicating a strong connection to the narrative and characters. This level of engagement suggests that the game effectively evokes feelings and resonates with its audience.
- “The emotional depth of the characters left a lasting impact on me, making me reflect on my own life choices.”
- “I was genuinely moved by the storyline; it felt like I was living through the characters' struggles and triumphs.”
- “The game masterfully weaves emotional moments that resonate long after you've put down the controller.”