A nice attempt... more of a throwback to older games, but still could use some polish
User Rating: 5.5 | Stronghold 2 PC
As many who read my reviews know, I don't look for graphics to judge a game. In fact games like this one intrigue me since, in my view, they should make up for in gameplay what lacks in graphics... Stronghold 2 gives it a squire's attempt, when a Knight was needed to do the job. FireFly studios seemed to really rush this title, or at least it feels that way. After playing for a while it becomes pretty apparent that the publishers pushed out what easily needed another 2 months work. If it weren't for the bugs, and maybe some touches on interface and implementation, Stronghold 2 could have been a solid title this year, even as a budget class game. But, budget game or no, the bugs that Gamespot themselves noticed in pre-release should in no way, shape, or form still exist in the release product. The gameplay would be great if it weren't so buggy. The castle building, watching the people go about their chores, going inside the buildings to see whats going on, its all actually quite fun. But, with its predecessors being stronger releases than this one, its hard not to notice the faults as you play through. I was not a fan of the series, in fact, I played it completely backwards, starting with SH2 and finishing with the first set. I found them to be a great deal more fun and polished. When all is said and done, SH2 is worth a look if the price goes down to $10, but other than that, developers need to learn that products this buggy come release should not be rewarded, especially when other budget bin developers have released some awesome products given their predicaments, this really is no excuse. Graphics are sub-par and grainy, but they fit the game. Sound is probably the game's most rewarding feature. Other than that, the bugs will drive you nuts before long. worth a look at $10 or less, otherwise you may feel bitter at paying so much for an unfinished product. 
