Brett Todd at GameSpot wrote a review of the Tribes of th East expansion that's more detailed than the IGN article. However, the game gets a body slam there with a score of 5.5 and harsh criticism towards the difficulty level and gameplay:

"You really can't waste units in even a single battle on most maps, unless you enjoy spending a lot of time and energy rebuilding troop strength. So, say hello to trial and error, not to mention the frequent reloading of saves. This really bogs down missions; even roadside battles with garden-variety gryphons and liches can take so much out of your armies that you're constantly backtracking for reinforcements, or even worse, hitting the end-turn button to zip through weeks to reload recruits and shrines. It all combines to feel cheap instead of challenging. Nival may have been looking for a quick way to lengthen the levels and make everything feel tougher, but in actuality it simply amped up the tedium."

The reviewer also notes similarities between some Stronghold units and existing creatures from other towns. the formulaic nature of scenarios, the lack of imaginativity behind the alternate upgrades and the lack of usefulness of blood rage and the sacrificial altar. The only positive comment is that gameplay is still addictive and Heroes veterans will enjoy getting more of the same (but arguably, newcomers who will be introduced to the series via this standalone expansion might not share this view). This article is a tough blow to Ubival, which saw the scores for its games go from 8.2 (GameSpot's review of the basic game to 6.4 (Hammers of Fate) and now 5.5.

Is Tribes of the East really that hard and tedious?