Year: 2001
Type: Original Soundtrack (OST)
Composer(s): Robert L. Euvino
Number of tracks: 17

★★★★★

Loud Lutes

Often referenced, rarely copied and almost never equaled: Stronghold Stronghold was unique. A masterful combination of economy and castle-building simulation with challenging siege battles and fantastic medieval flair. In hardly any other game do we feel so much like a lord of a castle, fulfilling his dream of a keep stone by stone.

As I got myself into the series with Stronghold 2 Stronghold 2 and immediately took it to my heart, I simply had to investigate the praise for the first part: Was it as good? Said, done, confirmed. Stronghold is very similar to its four years younger successor, the game concept is timeless and works great in both 2D and 3D. However, I never dared to play the Crusader-spin-offs - too hectic. I'd rather stick to what I knows.

So at this point, a clear recommendation for anyone who has never dared to try it and can even remotely relate to the medieval period. The same applies to the soundtrack - or at least parts of it. Composer Robert L. Euvino, whose name sounds like a Bavarian ordering a drink in a hip bar, offers us the expected medieval fare. Anyone hoping for electric guitars, synth beats or a pop medley will be disappointed. Instead, classical instruments such as drums, wind instruments and harps dominate for long stretches - yes, there is some strumming.

In fact, it's tracks like Matt’s Jig, Castle Jam and Two Mandolins, that form the spearhead of the high-score halberd for me. The latter two are variations on a simple yet beautiful melody, which I cheekily refer to as the Stronghold-theme due to its recurring character in the franchise. At first listen, it may seem repetitive and a little uninspired, but this canon-variations character simply has something incredibly calming for me and fits relaxed castle building like a stone on a catapult.

The same applies to the tracks Journeys, Stained Glass and The Maiden. They tend to go in a Celtic direction and are therefore worth listening to in a similar way to Heroes of Might and Magic III or The Witcher 3 , but are not en par with their quality. Conversely, the battle tracks have parallels to the Total War-series, but for their part they can't get past Medieval 2: Total War ... or would, if the Stix & Stones Medleys wasn't simply too long for me at just under ten minutes.

Meanwhile, Euvino deserves credit for adding a sometimes unconventional touch to the score with effects such as the clanking of chains and grinding stone noises (Paranoia). All in all, the OST only offers a small number of top scorers, but it manages to convey a down-to-earth and clichéd medieval feeling - and I really like that. It differs from its contemporaries such as The Guild in its lightness and minimalism. It doesn't need a large orchestra to entertain us at court, but a small group of minstrels. Because sometimes less is simply more.

No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	The Chant	Robert L. Euvino	3
02	Appy Times	Robert L. Euvino	4
03	Castle Jam	Robert L. Euvino	5
04	Dark Time	Robert L. Euvino	3
05	Exploration	Robert L. Euvino	3
06	Honour Medley	Robert L. Euvino	3
07	Journeys	Robert L. Euvino	2
08	Matt's Jig	Robert L. Euvino	4
09	Paranoia	Robert L. Euvino	3
10	Sad Times	Robert L. Euvino	3
11	Stix & Stones Medley	Robert L. Euvino	4
12	Stained Glass	Robert L. Euvino	2
13	The Maiden	Robert L. Euvino	3
14	Under an Old Tree	Robert L. Euvino	4
15	Two Mandolins	Robert L. Euvino	5
16	The Smith	Robert L. Euvino	3
17	Victory Is Ours	Robert L. Euvino	3