its a good game, if you like management, its alot more complicated than stronghold 1 mind......
-build your own castle
-the editor is very in depth (you can even edit certain sounds)
-more than one fighting animation per unit (eg. a swordsman will strike with his sword,stab with his sword, bash with his shield, kick etc)
-knights that can mount/dimount a horse
- your Lord can mount/dismount a horse and ride into battle with his troops
-good voices(still has the funny sayings etc) including the spearmen who sound alot like Bob Geldof
-siege weapons have more realastic affects (eg a ballista will go through several units, whereas in SH 1 it would simply hit 1)
- diffrent modes (castle builder,skirmish, editor, peace and war campaigns and castle attack)
-in depth management of castle goings on
-see inside buildings and the combat continues inside Towers and even in the great hall of the Keep)
-editor extends lifespan
-i like the graphics ( many would argue against me here but i see the graphics as good looking and they do allow gamers with lower spec PCs to play)
cons:
-in castle attack the AI can build a siege camp (when attacking) whereas you cant
-hard to use triggers and events in editor
-editor is generally quite hard
-management is a bit over the top (including assigning Gong farmers, falconers and guards)
-you always get criminals, no matter how happy your people are
so its a good game, but i still prefer SH 1 and SH C, maybe you should get them first and give this series a try. Good game