Stronghold2D

Strategy games are based on the player’s ability to come up with solutions in a relatively short period of time and apply them effectively against the enemy army. Sometimes the mechanics are fast-paced and demanding, as is the case with Starcraft, but other times you have all the time in the world to make your decisions, since it’s the tactics that matter more than actual micromanagement.

Stronghold2D is a very basic strategy game that challenges you to build a base and defend it from enemy attacks. However, instead of ground troops with weapons or tanks, you are actually protecting yourself against turrets and towers. In a way, it’s a combination of RTS and tower defense, but the mechanics are simple enough to allow anyone to get started in just a few minutes.

You start with a main building and a couple of options at your disposal, including energy-generating structures and a few to generate currency. After that, more complex buildings become available, each one of which allows you to gain the upper hand. Moreover, you also have a few cannons and turrets in your arsenal, which can be used to attack the enemy.

Since the enemy can also build turrets, it’s important to keep your buildings as far away as possible, or even elevate them using metal beams. After a few minutes of gameplay you can get quite the impressing suspended cities, depending on your creativity. However, it’s also important to keep attacking, otherwise you won’t be able to defend yourself later on.

The graphics are kept as simple as possible, although that’s not a problem, because the colors are nice, and each building is unique. However, the problem rests in the controls, because they are clearly designed for mobile devices. Hence, it’s difficult to move around the map and make use of the mouse properly, which is annoying for PC users.

In the end, Stronghold2D is more than enough for casual strategy fans, but it fails to impress those who have a bit of experience with the genre. Hence, the awkward controls and the annoying interface can be too much to bare for veterans used to the finer things.