With strategy greats like Civilization 6, Crusader Kings 3, and Total War still dominating the genre, last year’s Stronghold: Definitive Edition went under the radar. A remaster of the 2001 medieval real-time strategy classic, FireFly Studios rebuilt it from the ground up with better visuals, audio, voice acting, and expanded content to let veterans relive the glory days of the RTS series while offering an improved way for new players to experience it too. FireFly wasn’t done at launch though, as the second DLC campaign and a free update just dropped for Stronghold, and you can get the premium content at a discounted price for a limited time.
Handing you control of scattered forces in medieval England, Stronghold: Definitive Edition gives you the unenviable task of reuniting the realm against four lords: the Rat, Pig, Snake, and Wolf. You’ll liberate the land via strategy game battles and city building, gathering resources, creating a home for your people, and raising an army. If you think you’ve got what it takes to manage troops and the people that sustain them, Stronghold is the perfect game for you.
Tuesday April 30 saw the release of Stronghold: Definitive Edition’s second DLC, Valley of the Wolf. This extra content pits you against the last of the lords mentioned earlier, the Wolf, in a brand-new campaign with seven missions that concludes your story to rescue the Jewel. This brings the narrative of Stronghold: Definitive Edition to an end while adding new achievements, but it isn’t where the additions in version 1.3 end.
There’s a collection of free content updates now in the game to give you even more to do. A new single-player Castle Trail called ‘The Noble Trail’ will see you defending ten of Europe’s most historic castles in countries like Poland, Spain, Hungary, Italy, Germany, and France. There are also five new maps to play multiplayer matches in, alongside eight extra siege castles to spice up your gameplay.
Valley of the Wolf is the final chapter of The Jewel campaign for Stronghold: Definitive Edition, but all of these free additions certainly sweeten the deal. If you’re yet to play this new version of Stronghold, the base game already has an entirely new 14-mission campaign for you to get stuck into as well, so you can easily get your money’s worth before diving into the DLC that’s on offer.
The Stronghold: Definitive Edition Valley of the Wolf DLC campaign is available on Steam right now with a 10% discount, so expect to pay $2.69 / £2.24 until Tuesday May 7.
If Stronghold isn’t enough, you’ll want to give some of the best 4X games and grand strategy games a try if you fancy scheming and conquering your way to the top.
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