Stronghold: A Hero's Fate

“Stronghold: A Hero's Fate” is an interactive novel that I recall enjoying, though the specifics have faded over time. This update is meant to replace the one-line review I had posted years back. What remains in my memory is of a narrative-driven experience that allowed for a decent amount of agency in the choices I made. I do remember being frustrated by the pacing and time skips; they often felt abrupt, jumping over character development and story I would have preferred to play through. In a genre where the feel of the world depends entirely on the prose and the choices, losing that continuity can make the emotional stakes feel disjointed. However, as a fan of interactive fiction and an avid reader, I would not have left a 7/10 had I not enjoyed it, so I will trust that I did. (7/10)

I just finished a complete run-through of the game and I have to say- I really enjoyed it! There were a few issues along the way, but nothing that would make the game unplayable in my opinion. The time skips in the second half felt rushed and broke up what was originally a very flowing and immersive setting. I also had a technical issue where the character I was romancing was suddenly replaced by someone who had approached us (it resolved after one choice click). And although I originally had planned to pursue the mining route, after chapter 2 I stopped getting options to address mining at all. Some choices and options seemed to vanish into thin air- never to be mentioned or offered again. Despite these minor issues, game play was enjoyable. In the vast array of choices and options I think there was only one or two times where I couldn't find a choice I agreed with. There were numerous times where I was torn between two very good options! This opens the door to multiple plays and I will certainly try the game again with a different approach. While I have played many choice-based games, was my first game in this particular style and I really enjoyed it. I feel like this experien…

Sixteen hours in and I still didn't realize some of the things I could build for my town. This game is bold and sweet, with moments that are frustrating and others that are genuinely touching. It's not focused so much on relationships as it is on the world around you, but it's fun to play and a little bit of a power trip. SimCity doesn't let you build catapults, y'know?

love it

Good

Wow, i loved the idea of the game. Starting a little town, choosing what to do and how to do it was very fun. I have planed orginally just one playthrough, before going back to other games, but this is one, as soon as i was done, i went back for more.. a few times. Good game, i like it a lot.