GLADIUS

I purchased Gladius a few years back after reading some really positive reviews on it. The game puts you in the position of a gladiator who is participating in different arenas & trying 2 build his school of gladiators. You can recruite many different types of fighters into your school from archers, 2 bears, 2 bandits & ogres. There are in fact so many classes that you have 2 pick & choose carefully or your school will quickly fill up.

The gameplay uses a swing meter which entails pushing the right button, or combination of buttons, at the proper time. Each time your characters level up your stats. improve & you earn points towards buying skills. Skills run the range from countering opponents, 2 using elemental attacks & other special skills.

I personally love this game i have played through it three times & enjoyed it each time. The battles are reminicent of games such as fire emblem & there are tons of characters 2 use & equipment 2 buy. If you enjoy Strategy RPG's this is one of the best & you can usually find it very cheaply at this point.

Purchasing Gladius, I was under the impression I'd be getting an RPG based on Ancient Rome, dealing with building a Gladiator school & the likes.

First off, despite being called "Gladius" & dealing with Gladiators, it was completely ahistorical, with the brilliantly named "Empire of Imperia" apparently taking the place of Rome, & some generically "Naundark" or whatever named Barbarian kingdom perhaps taking the place of some Germanic tribes.

Aside from a ridiculously stupid storyline which takes liberally from every random generic magical fantasy story having 2 do with constellations of the bear's womb, the magic of the Gods, enchanted items & broad sweeping remarks by old people about "prophecies" & "destiny" & all that boring noise, the sentiments of Ursula's (one of the main character) brother mirrors much of the players' sentiments as well: "More talk... when are we going 2 get 2 some action?"


If you like Pokemon games 4 Gameboy, you'd likely love the battle system here. It consists of taking very slow-to-pass turns walking on paths which render the field into a grid with big squares & limited movement. Attacks consist of selecting the enemy, hitting "Strike", then playing a mini variant of something like "Mario Golf" with trying 2 hit a little bar right when it lands on red 4 a critical strike, or settling 4 the far larger part of the bar marked yellow. This goes back & forth until someone wins.


This makes up the action combat of the game, while the background economics are a complex sort of deal that is difficult 2 keep track of in itself. I had no idea I had only hired a gladiator 4 one battle, & couldn't even check on her until I started a battle 2 select my fighters.


This was a debacle of a game, & absolutely no fun at all unless you're willing 2 pay 4 a 3D highly stylized version of Pokemon...

If you like turn-based strategy games like Final Fantasy Tactics or the Fire Emblem Series, then I highly recommend this game. It is not a fast- paced hack-n-slash, but a thinking man's RPG. It was well worth the money & time invested. During my first play through on the easier setting, I spent148 hours of game play & I did not even complete all of the battles & sidequests. Take the time 2 go through all of the training 2 learn all of the aspects of the game. My first play through I basically stuck 2 melee fighting & did not do much with affinity (this game's type of magic power)and I regretted not learning all the nuances of these available powers. Though this is definitely a great game 4 older teens & adults, any kid with patience & a mind 4 strategy will love it.

This game really is a great game unless of course your not into sword fighting turnbased games. Then you should probably steer clear of this one. In my personal opinion this game is very interesting. The more battles you fight the stronger your gladiators get & the more money you get & the better stronger gladiators you can get. I really like this game. Like I said though it's not 4 everyone, but everyone is entitled 2 an opinion.

this game is terrible. since it was from lucasarts i thought is would be third person & you woulde run around & kill everyone. boy was i wrong. its turn based wich is stupid!!!!taking turns killing each other?!?!?! whoever thought that up should be shot! the screenshots on the back of the box led me 2 believe it was a third person hack & slash, the rating says it has blood & gore. very little blood & absolutly no gore. the story line is terrible, apperently there was a big war that just ended so 2 keep the peace they open up a gladiatore arena. the graphics arent the greates & the gameplay is absolutly terrible. in conclusion this game is a waste of money.

Gladius follows the amazing adventures of two young heroes who turn the gladiator arena into the stuff of legends!

An epic gladiatorial saga comes 2 life in this combat/role-playing game with a sweeping narrative, stunning environments, & insanely detailed graphics. In the fantasy world of the game, the darkness of the Great War has passed & the lands of Gladius are peaceful once more. Now combat takes place only in the gladiator arenas, where schools from around the world compete 4 the title of Imperial Champions. You will follow the grand saga of two young heroes, Ursula & Valens, as they recruit & train a team of warriors & compete in the gladiator games. Battle with deadly weapons & powerful magic as you learn vital combat tactics while you enhance & customize your own characters. Strategic possibilities are nearly endless, with 16 character classes & over 100 unique character types from which 2 choose.