Choose Stronghold Crusader HD (2012)
Choose Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) if you want the Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 23% cheaper on the Steam Store. 6,146 Steam reviews back the pick.
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) vs Open The Gates!
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) and Open The Gates! both land in Strategy, Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Strategy, Simulation on Steam. Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) (2013) is 9 years older than Open The Gates! (2022). Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) scores higher on Steam reviews (97.3% positive) than Open The Gates! (73.2% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Open The Gates!
Choose Open The Gates! if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2022) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Open The Gates! launched in 2022.
Both Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) and Open The Gates! sit in Strategy and Simulation on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) |  Open The Gates! | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2022 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 97.3% positive (6,146 reviews) | 73.2% positive (41 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | Firefly Studios | Robin van der Horst |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) (2013) is 9 years older than Open The Gates! (2022).
- Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) scores higher on Steam reviews (97.3% positive) than Open The Gates! (73.2% positive).
- Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) is currently ~23% cheaper on Steam than Open The Gates! (9.99 USD vs. 12.99 USD).
- Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Open The Gates! has no Deck rating yet.
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) vs Open The Gates! — FAQ
- Should I play Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) or Open The Gates! first?
- If you want chronology, Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) (2013) came out before Open The Gates! (2022). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) and Open The Gates! similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Open The Gates! have multiplayer like Stronghold Crusader HD (2012)?
- No. Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Open The Gates! is listed as single-player only.
- Does Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Open The Gates! doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.