Age of Respair Promises to Be the Stronghold Spiritual Successor You’ve Been Waiting For

I’m a simple man. I like castles. I like trebuchets. I like having a retinue of knights, and sending them to go and bash my enemies. Unsurprisingly, Stronghold was a formative part of my childhood - and most of my adult life has been spent wondering why no one is capitalising on that formula. 

But finally, someone’s taken the bait. Age of Respair is an upcoming RTS tailored to people like me. Inspired by the iconic Stronghold series, it’s boasting a boatload of exciting features. Castle siege warfare. Resource Management. Mediaeval economy simulation. Trebuchets.

It’s being made by a couple of industry veterans who found themself wanting for a modern Stronghold alternative. Filled with all the gubbins that made the classic game ticks - with some new twists to entice a modern audience. It’s built in Unreal Engine 5 - and its impressive building destruction features should work wonders for that castle levelling fantasy we all have. 

From the brief look we’ve had so far, the scale is being increased across the board. Huge maps. Massive legions of soldiers. Fortifications that make Helms Deep look like Hermit’s Castle. You’ll have to gather materials from the world around you. Manipulate your surroundings to compliment your defences. Keep a peasant rabble happy and housed.

Agriculture, industry, religion -  all key pillars to keep your domain ticking, and your war machine turning. It’s looking to tick all the right boxes, and if they can manage to capture the atmosphere and slight silliness of Stronghold - this could be a slam dunk. 

Age of Respair is set to be released in 2025, with more information to be revealed in the coming months. You can keep up to date on the game and its development by following the Steam page.