Whenever I'm unsure what to write next, I always fall back on my favorites. π And while I've already done a piece on Stronghold (the original game) I'm going to be a bit heretical and say that I like Legends better.
I'm not saying Legends is objectively better, mind you. And I played them both when I was a wee lad. It's just this one holds a place in my heart that is unmistakable. π Funny thing is I think I'd also much rather play the original game nowadays than this one. π
So why do I remember Legends so fondly? Let's seeβοΈ In this edition of Through the Lens π, we'll be taking a look at Firefly Studio's attempt at bringing English folklore and legend to the RTS genre from 2006: Stronghold Legends, Roll it! π½
π© UP TOP π©
The soundtrack this time around has the same chirpy qualities as the previous Stronghold games while adding a form of grandeur to fit its subject matter. It's not the most mind-blowing piece of music you'll ever hear, but it's super nostalgic for me.
Take a listen. πΆ
This was another one that I played on release. π± I had played every other Stronghold up to this point, and the name Legends just sounded so cool at the time. I remember in 2006 there was also a Tomb Raider game called Legends as well. And I remember thinking "Sheesh, all the good games are called Legends, eh?" // I did enjoy that Tomb Raider game, and might do a write-up on it
For another thing, I remember initially not liking this game. It felt too clunky, too stale. But for some reason, I kept playing it. π€·ββοΈ And in time I couldn't stop. π
π° SAME BUT DIFFERENT π°
And for, another, another thing, I'm not sure why it felt clunky since this game is just a reskin of Stronghold 2. π
It has the same region system and tax system as that game; the models are super similar and so on. In time, the Arthur Legend flavor that Legends provided was just... fresh. It went from corny to refreshing real quick.
I loved how every faction felt different. How the skills and buildings represented that faction super well. The campaigns were all fun to me, and the multiplayer rocked. πΈ
Speaking of those, what did I call them? Oh yeah.
3οΈβ£ THREE OF A KIND 3οΈβ£
While playing you can chose one of three factions: King Arthour π, Ice π, and get this Evil π₯. ππ€£ππ€£
"Scientists are baffled at Firefly's choice of names for the classes of their castle-building game, Stronghold Legends. To this day it remains one of the great enigmas of our time."
Scientists, 2022
Weird naming convention side, each faction feels very different. I've always found it funny how their ground, or field, or whatever you wanna call it, changed in multiplayer games. So you'd have one green square of land right next to a snowy square next to freaking Mordor. πΉ
You play through the campaign in any order you like and the three factions each have a storyline to follow. At the time it was very range to me that I couldn't beat the Ice section, even though it was the medium difficulty one. The EVIIILLLL campaign was easier than the easy campaign. π So I'm not sure what was going on there.
Besides the environment changing, each faction had a special building that produced special units. This was the gimmick of the game.
So you would have the round table when you fought as Arthur, able to summon knights of the round table - each knight had one special ability for instance. π If you played as Vlad the Impaler you could build a Lord of the Rings knock-off tower that produced all manner of besties: from giant exploding bats to revolves that climbed the walls (so cool!). Or summon trolls and giants when playing icy. βοΈ
These gimmicky units were really fun to play with. They brought character and flavor to Stronghold and made it... fresh. // did I use that descriptor before? I guess I did. Whatevs I am lazy about today, deals with its
πΊ PLAIN FUN πΊ
I remember plenty of times that I would play with my best bud all day long. I would always be EEEVVVIIILLLLL and he would always be cold as ice (and willing to sacrifice, of course (5 points for the hip hop heads who got that)).
All the fancy units when playing in a lobby just made for some stupid fun. There were a lot of buttons to click with units having abilities and passives, while still being a very solid castle builder. π
I didn't talk about the castle-building elements because they are the same as always. If you've played one Stronghold game you have practically played them all in that sense. The 3D ones do have some differences, but the core has stayed the same for over two decades.
π LEGENDS π
Well... it has Legends in the name... that has to count for something right? π
Honestly, I think this game has only been remembered by Stronghold fans, and even then not fondly. For some reason clicked with people. The general audience never connected because its a just not a mainstream appeal type of game; while the Stronghold fans just never appreciated the change of mythos.
I, being a braindead 13-year-old, didn't really care. π I know this is probably most people's least favorite entry in the Stronghold franchise, but I think it might be my favorite. Sue me.
And if that ain't a gaming legacy, what is? π
Shout-out to the πPIZZAπ gang, π€ gang. π€
Since we are on the Stronghold train now, me thinks we can do the franchise's objective high point eh? MMMM, yaaasss. Stronghold Crusader is next up boiiis (and gurls, no discrimination here).
This was a fun trip down nostalgia lane. π For those of you that decided to take the trip with me I thank you from the bottom of my bottomless soul.
π Follow me on my HIVE blog π
Have a great start to your week! π
@tipu curate
Upvoted π (Mana: 5/55) Liquid rewards.
Thank you. π
Man, I remember the days when I was 5-6 years old and was playing the original Stronghold. Good times.
Yuppp, I remember those days as well. π
Thanks for stopping bu. π»
God what a great game, I played it a lot when I was a kid without understanding how to play it, hehehe, great post mate you made me remember very nice moments.
I am glad sir! That is the best thing you could tell me. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks to you for sharing this postβ€οΈ