Where Stronghold 2 really starts to show its growing pains is in the additional layers that were added to the game. New buildings such as the bed chambers, beehives, and vineyards all add to your society, thus helping your Stronghold grow. Previous Stronghold games were a bit lacking in the variety of buildings you could build. One of the major additions to the game is the number of buildings that can be created. For a game that tries its hardest to immerse you in the world, the voice acting sure does its best to push you away. It seems a bit over dramatic and, in some instances, a bit annoying. While none of the game’s sound effects are impressive, the voice acting will at least be memorable, if all for the wrong reasons. Unfortunately, the sound design and voice acting aren’t quite up to par – especially the voice acting. They fit the medieval vibe of the game perfectly, helping add to the feel that you’re actually the lord of a castle. Many of the original tracks were brought over from the first game, but you’re also treated to new tracks as well. Now if there’s anything Stronghold 2 does right in terms of graphics and audio, it’s the game’s music. You could argue that this fits the era precisely, but in all honesty, it’s just plain dull.
The castles themselves look impressive, as well as is some of the detail in the buildings such as the estates.
