Stronghold 3

Stronghold 3 is a 2011 real-time strategy game developed by Firefly Studios and published by SouthPeak Games (and 7Sixty), released for Windows and macOS. The long-awaited sequel in the Stronghold series, known for combining castle-building with medieval warfare, it returns to the formula of constructing and managing a fortified settlement while defending it from, and laying siege to, enemy strongholds. The game features two single-player campaigns, a military campaign focused on combat and conquest and an economic campaign focused on building and resource management, alongside skirmish and multiplayer modes. Players construct castles, manage food, resources and a populace whose happiness affects productivity, raise armies, and engage in the series' signature siege warfare, building and breaching elaborate fortifications. Despite high anticipation from fans of the original games, Stronghold 3 was met with a notably poor reception at launch, hampered by significant bugs, balance problems, a weak and unreliable AI, missing features and a general lack of polish; Firefly issued numerous patches in the months that followed to address the issues. It is widely regarded as a troubled, under-cooked entry that disappointed series fans, though later updates and a 'Gold' edition improved it somewhat. It remains a cautionary chapter in the Stronghold franchise.