On July 15, 2025, the Definitive Edition of Stronghold Crusader went live on Steam. The strategy game, originally from 2002, is considered an absolute classic and one of the best in the genre. Apparently rightly so: the release is going really well.
What kind of game is this?
- The Stronghold series combines historical castle building with real-time strategy, where you besiege enemy castles and engage in battles with soldiers.
- A great unique feature are the unique AI characters and the historical battles you can reenact.
- Stronghold is among the best strategy games on the market and after Part 1, the sequel has now also been released – better and more beautiful.
This is the remaster: In Stronghold Crusader, you have to build your own castle with walls and feed your people. To do this, you need an economy of farms and a diverse food supply or entertainment – because dissatisfied peasants simply leave.
Unlike in other strategy games like Age of Empires, you don’t just consume your resources, but you have to refine them through production chains: grain to flour to bread, iron to swords, wood to bows, cows to leather to armor.
Upon its original release, Stronghold Crusader was regarded as an absolute hit and has crystallized over the years for many fans as the high point of the series. In Stronghold Crusader, you even encounter historical legends like Richard the Lionheart or Sultan Saladin.
What distinguished it from its predecessor were new units and the possibility to play skirmish rounds. The Definitive Edition now offers:
- improved graphics and numerous quality-of-life changes
- 8 new playable units
- 4 new AI lords
- more campaigns
- an online mode via Steam, which is likely to be the highlight for many players
At release, the game costs on Steam only 17.99 euros (until July 29), otherwise regularly 19.99 euros.
“The only strategy game I like”
On release night, Stronghold Crusader launched with over 12,600 players, steadily rising (according to SteamDB). The ratings just a few hours after launch are at 95% and thus “very positive” with currently 222 reviews.
For many players, the Definitive Edition is simply nostalgia, a piece of childhood or youth that they can now experience again in a modern form and still just as good as before. A big plus for many: the somewhat biting German voiceover is still exactly as it was back then and was already a reason for the great popularity in Germany.
Stronghold Crusader even excites strategy skeptics. In a comment, it says that the game not only looks great, but it is especially the combination of castle building, economy, combat, and the various game modes that make Stronghold so good. Similar feedback is frequently seen, and particularly the affordable price receives additional praise.
From the same era and at least equally popular among many fans of the genre is the classic Command & Conquer. The series has also received remasters but has somewhat lost its way – at least until the unofficial successor: New strategy game starts directly with 92% on Steam, aims to revive an old classic
