The following games like Stronghold will keep you engrossed in historic real-time strategy elements for hours on end. If the mere mention of Stronghold has already got you all nostalgic and brought forth some exciting memories, then you definitely have to check out these interesting substitutes. While many of them possess the same RTS genre, there are others that come quite close to what you’re looking for. Nonetheless, they all have something or the other that’ll captivate the hearts and fingers of any fan. Take a look.
1 – Rise of Nations:
Developed and published by Microsoft, Rise of Nations rolled out across the scene 10 years ago. According to the brains behind this endeavor, you get to journey through 6,000 years of history and choose your desired path. It could be anything ranging between war, trade or espionage.
Here you can create new cities, expand national borders, improve city infrastructures and even conquer enemies. Lead any one of the 18 given historical nations such as British, Maya, Chinese, French, Japanese, Nubian, Turks, Romans and Mayans.
2 – Age of Empires III:
This particular entrant in our games similar to Stronghold roster released in 2005 for the PC and a year later for Mac systems. Noted to be the third game in the acclaimed Age of Empires series, this gem proffers innovative gameplay elements, strategic scenarios, 3D graphics, and destructible environments.
You can even gain access to your own European home city in the brave New World. You’ll further be spoiled for choice with 8 civilizations to choose from namely French, British, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch, German and Ottoman. Prepare to command your troops and enter into battle.
3 – Empire Earth:
Developer Stainless Steel Studios calls on all you RTS enthusiasts out there to recreate and partake in the greatest battles in human history. Spanning across 500,000 years of past events, you must take advantage of the land’s natural resources and build a sprawling empire of your own. As you progress through the stages, you’ll be provided with new technologies, weapons, and buildings.
Beware of attacks from rival civilizations which might just lead to your downfall. You can even sink your teeth into the Gold Edition which includes the original Empire Earth game as well as the expansion pack called The Art of Conquest.
Here’s another exciting game in our Stronghold alternatives array that released quite some time ago. And although Cossacks: European Wars was unleashed in 2001, there’s a Steam edition awaiting all those who want a taste of nostalgia served on the PC platter. The epic events take place between the 16th and 18th centuries in Europe.
You’ll find that there are 16 nations featured here, each with its own military advantages and drawbacks, economic and technical development peculiarities, unique technologies and tactics against foes. Some of the regions include Austria, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Piemonte, Ukraine, Turkey, and Venice.
5 – Age of Mythology:
Age Of Mythology is a mythology-based RTS game that’s developed and published by Ensemble Studios and Microsoft Studios, respectively. You’ll be transported to a time where the almighty Gods interfered in the lives of mortals. Here, you take charge of anyone among the 9 ancient civilizations and lead the people to victory by strategically playing your cards.
Wage war against enemies, gather resources, create large armies and build new settlements. There’s also a Gold Edition available for fans that come complete with the original title as well as The Titans expansion pack. And yes, you can expect to see ancient mythological monsters like Cyclopes and Minotaurs featured here too.
6 – Celtic Kings: Rage of War:
This real-time inclusion in our games similar to Stronghold roundup claims to be sprinkled with strategy, adventure, and RPG elements. You can experience 2 modes of gameplay namely, strategic and adventure modes. While the former allows you to play against the computer or other players over the internet, the latter lets you control a band of heroes and travel across the globe.
You can play with 2 nations in multiplayer mode – Roman and Gaul. Celtic Kings: Rage of War is also embedded with other elements such as numerous characters and conversations, random map generation, 40-60 hours of adventure time and high-quality pre-rendered movies.
7 – Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim:
After revealing a host of PC splendors, we now set our sights on other platforms. And while this RTS game did indeed release for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems, it also makes its presence felt in the portable gaming terrain. Fashioned for iOS and Android-infused devices, this title pulls you into a vast magical world where you must step into the role of a fairytale nation king.
You’ll have to manage economic and scientific developments, battle against monsters and foes, and even tackle some unexpected problems that may crop up during your reign.
Conclusion:
Developed by Firefly Studios, Stronghold made its way to the PC platform more than a decade ago. Since then, 4 sequels and loads of compilation packages have been forged for fans and other PC players. Building castles and an army are just some of the much-loved aspects found in these games. Now, all those of you with itching fingers can try your hand at any of the aforesaid games like Stronghold if you want to feed that nostalgic feeling or reminisce about historic events that can be now recreated by you. And after dabbling in a few, don’t forget to leave your mentions and suggestions in the box below.