Reviewed: January 10, 2004
Reviewed by: David Caviness
Publisher
Lucasarts
Developer
Lucasarts
Released: October 28, 2003
Genre: Strategy/RPG
Players: 4
ESRB: Teen
9
7
9
9
8.5
Supported Features:
Long have the games of ancient Rome been a source of fascination and, perhaps, repugnance for modern civilization. Of all the great and terrible aspects of the fallen Roman Empire, the gladiatorial games time and again rise from the history books into the imaginations of millions. Just as we gather in arenas to watch athletes struggle for supremacy, ancient Romans congregated to watch slaves and criminals (or in one rare instance, Rome's own emperor) face each other with swords and spears raised high.
It is this bloody spectacle that serves as the seed for LucasArts' latest creation, Gladius. Though Gladius is set in a fictional world, where victory in the arena wins political and economic favor, it is clearly based on antiquated societies and their brutal ways. Quasi-historical settings aside, Gladius is a curious fusion of turn-based strategy and RPG elements, offering deep character customization and freedom on one hand, and ample opportunity for tactics and strategy on the other.
Gladius is not an easy game to classify, as it does not rigidly adhere to any established formula. You begin by choosing between two nations - Imperia or Nordagh - and taking on the role of the main character for that nation. Though these characters are similar in ability, one is intended for advanced players and the other for novices. Each character proceeds through the game beneath a different storyline, though their plots intertwine, creating an incentive to play through both campaigns.
After choosing your character, you are introduced to the first in a series of tutorials, designed to teach you the basics of gladiatorial combat. Thankfully, these tutorials can be skipped (they are rather lengthy), but you will want to proceed through them the first time, as they have much to teach you. Players seeking a down and out gladiatorial brawl with theatrics and heart-pounding action will instantly be put off here, as it becomes apparent that a keen eye for oversight and administration wins more battles than brute force. This is not Ridley Scott's version of the “games”. Though over the course of the game the rules and particulars become less burdensome, be warned that the learning curve will be a bit steep during your first steps.
Mercifully, the game rewards the attentive - during the tutorials you will learn that position, as in the direction you're facing and your height above the opponent, affects the damage you will inflict and receive. Furthermore, each type of unit in Gladius has a specific function: light units are effective against heavy units, medium against light, heavy against medium.
Beyond that there are other factors to consider, such as the unit's range, special abilities, and equipment. There is also a force known as affinity, broken down between the four basic elements, that serves both an offensive and defensive purpose. Wield a weapon infused with fire affinity, and as you smite your opponents your affinity will charge up, eventually enabling a special attack. But if your opponent happens to be wearing armor or accessories, which generate defensive fire affinity, such an attack would be futile. Considering affinity when equipping gladiators is sometimes key to victory.
To participate in battles, you must first be a member of a school, which you will be by default. This will open up a small range of matches throughout your area, winning them will reward you with badges, items and gold to continue your exploits. Many battles will have other conditions as well, which vary widely. Some of these might seem restrictive or arbitrary, but they can also spare you the humiliation of accepting a match you can't win. They also require you to keep a diverse pool of fighters, as the unit that was all but useless two matches ago might be vital in the next.
Each locale you visit offers randomly generated recruits for you to choose from. They can be purchased permanently, or rented for the span of one match. Membership slots in your school depend upon your previous victories and qualifications, as does your level cap. Though this lends a certain linear sense to the game, you can generally choose to proceed through the available pool of matches however you'd like. Upon achieving victory at the regional championship for your area, you'll proceed to the next.
As if you weren't already busy enough optimizing your gladiators, there is another factor that has profound ramification on your success: the swing meter. They are timed sequences, seen before in the likes of sports simulations, where you must press a button at the right moment or press a combination of buttons in the proper order. Depending on your accuracy, you could score a critical hit, average hit, or miss altogether. Most of these are simple, though a few will test the mettle of your hand-eye coordination. To successfully execute many of the game's attacks, you'll need to master them. Or, if you're put off by the idea of swing meters altogether, you have the option to turn them off completely.
So, you've got your gladiators foaming at the mouth and biting their shields in anticipation of glorious battle, what do you do next? You wander across the world map, where you will find roads leading to every arena, random encounters, accessory vendors, and the occasional side-quest. As you enter each town, you're greeted by a menu that allows you to shop, proceed to the arena, or go back to your school to perform some fine-tuning. Arenas provide an interface that describes the conditions of matches, the requirements, rewards, and number of actual fights within the match.
Not all of these fights are mere deathmatches, as some involve the domination of certain positions, or are pitched according to the actual amount of damage each school inflicts upon their foes. Not that your enemies or allies actually die in the arenas - in the world of Gladius, healers await on the sidelines of every fight to heal the casualties. It is only in random encounters that the risk of death is truly faced, but in the arena defeat is the only thing to fear.
Clearly there are many elements to observe before and during each fight, which might deter someone who is seeking bustling action; but the system Lucasarts has implemented in Gladius is a sound one. As you collect the spoils of war and work toward the regional championship, you will assemble a deadly cadre of warriors and learn the intricacies of their abilities and function. With the right amount of patience and strategy, there are few battles that cannot be won outright. However, the game will often surprise you with foes much stronger than you anticipated. Computer opponents never quite reach the level that a skilled player would, but they do pose a worthy challenge, especially late into each campaign.
This aspect of the game is a double-edged blade, for while the graphics certainly do an admirable job of conveying the world and atmosphere to the player, everything in Gladius seems to possess a low contrast, washed-out quality. Character models are suitably detailed, and their facial expressions often lend much to their personalities. The Xbox version is the only one that generates a pool of blood each time someone is struck in battle, though these puddles can sometimes overlap into thin air or appear in strange places.
The arenas, where you'll spend the bulk of your time playing Gladius, are well varied and for the most part, interesting; though there are a few exceptions. The weapons are appropriately nasty looking, though the armor each character wears does not change throughout the game. You can, however, adjust the color scheme of a gladiator's outfit, skin, and hair, though your options here are limited. The game's special attacks and abilities are rife with bursts of color, and opponents will reel in pain as you drain half their health bar in one strike.
Amazingly, despite the amount of time you'll likely spend playing this game, the music never wears on the nerves. The soundtracks are full of brass and pomp, complementing the gladiatorial combat nicely. The voice acting varies in quality, from excellent to sufficient, but never ventures into the realm of ridiculously bad. Enemies and allies alike will utter threats during the course of battle, these do eventually become repetitive. Beyond that, the sound serves its purpose well, and there are few complaints to be had.
Expect to pay full price for this title, at least for the next few months. However, it is one of the few games out there that truly provides the amount of gameplay and customization necessary to justify such a price. This game would make a good rental for someone curious but not quite convinced that Gladius is for them, but if you want to fight every battle, you'll need to purchase the game. If you know what you're getting into, you will not be disappointed, but if you're looking for your next twitch fest, stay far away from Gladius.
Perhaps Gladius might not have met every expectation, as impossible as that task might be, but it does indeed offer something unique to anyone compelled to play it. The level of depth to be found here is astounding - from the very onset of the game you'll find yourself knee-deep in menus, combat, and strange locations. Billed as a strategy/RPG title, it is victorious on both fronts, blending the two genres without obscuring either of them.
The game requires patience, in droves, but the experience such patience will achieve is well worth it. Though you will spend much of the game performing the same tasks over and over, the storyline will compel to you to carry on to the end - and once again if you want to complete both campaigns.