Choose Stronghold Crusader HD (2012)
Choose Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) if you want a Simulation game with Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP. On Steam, it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. 6,146 Steam reviews back the pick.
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) vs Black Forest
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) and Black Forest both land in Strategy 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 are Strategy games on Steam. Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) (2013) is 10 years older than Black Forest (2023). Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) scores higher on Steam reviews (97.3% positive) than Black Forest (33.3% 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 Black Forest
Choose Black Forest if you want an Indie, Free To Play, and Casual game with Steam Leaderboards. On Steam, it's the newer release (2023) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Black Forest launched in 2023.
Both Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) and Black Forest sit in Strategy 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) |  Black Forest | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2023 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Free To Play, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 97.3% positive (6,146 reviews) | 33.3% positive (21 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | Firefly Studios | Lemuria |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) (2013) is 10 years older than Black Forest (2023).
- Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) scores higher on Steam reviews (97.3% positive) than Black Forest (33.3% positive).
- Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than Black Forest (9.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Black Forest has no Deck rating yet.
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) vs Black Forest — FAQ
- Should I play Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) or Black Forest first?
- If you want chronology, Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) (2013) came out before Black Forest (2023). 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 Black Forest similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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 Black Forest have multiplayer like Stronghold Crusader HD (2012)?
- No. Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Black Forest 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. Black Forest doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.