Gladius Preview

Developer	LucasArts
Publisher	LucasArts
Genre	Action
Release Date	5/30/03

Time to strap on your sandals, whack on your chain mail and grasp your bent, rusty sword with anger, because during next Spring, gamers will be thrown into the abandoned life of a gladiator. It’s been a while since we’ve been enlightened by a strategy/RPG on PS2, with Ring of Red leading the pack, but prepare yourselves for a dosage of the fine genre once again with Gladius. If it’s any consolation this game has been compared to Final Fantasy Tactics. Yes, I thought you might have wanted to read on after hearing that...

Games featuring gladiators or based around gladiator characters have been jumping off the band wagon ever since the un-forgettable release of the Box Office smash – Gladiator, featuring the relatively podgy Russel Crowe. Whether this in the case or not, many of the games have been great and with the up coming release of Gladius, the roof is most definitely scheduled to rise. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see.

My name is Craigius Harwoodus
Being RPG influenced, Gladius is bound to split up the relationship with your girlfriend/boyfriend, get you fired and totally wipe out your social life with its huge storyline and ability list waiting to be un-earthed - not to mention the addition of a multiple scenario system splitting the game in two. Right from the start, players will have a gruelling decision to make, should I be Valens - the well bred, educated son of Imperia and greatest gladiator in the land or Ursula - the daughter of a barbarian king? The choice may be tough to decide on, but don’t expect lack of sleep over it or anything like that.

Once players have chosen their desired character, with which they wish to play the game, you are then thrown into the game...like a gladiator.

During Valens’ scenario, players are blessed with the fighting power and strength of a professional gladiator who is hoping to claim ownership of his father’s gladiator school right after his murder. Along the journey, Valens may start to find the dream a little too difficult to live up to. While Valens’ journey promises to make the player feel great power and responsibility, Ursula’s on the other hand, is a journey of self-discovery. She has been drawn to the gladiator games, to witness and experience the threat of it after being sheltered by her father for so long. Which ever scenario (character) is chosen players are still required to gather a team of crack gladiators in order to face the whim of the gladiator challenges across the land.

Your main goal or priority during Gladius is to win gladiator tournaments across the continent -- which has a lengthy 20 in the count -- in order to achieve the title of Imperial Champions. However, storylines are always full of devious twists and turns, so expect to stray from your path to complete additional scenarios within the game. Eventually, after a satisfying amount of plot changes the two protagonists (Valens and Ursula) are forced to join forces in attempt to save the world. This isn’t your usual one-play RPG title, due to the fact that players will have to play through the game with both characters, acting out both scenarios, to witness the entire storyline and uncover any questionable plots encountered the first time around.


Gladiators + Strategy = Gladius
Final Fantasy Tactics is getting on a bit now, but still, it amazes to please RPG fans around the globe (including me), with its mix of strategy combat and RPG/Final Fantasy finesse. The same applies with Gladius. Gamers will be pleased to hear that the game features a cunning blend of strategy and RPG in an imaginative world full of fighters and warriors. Common to the traditional strategy/RPG on any games machine, Gladius’ combat is very much turn-based and features and delightful assortment of innovations and additions to keep the genre clear and fresh to the gamer.

During battle a gladiator can choose between a number of differing commands ranging from single attacks, combo moves and magical attacks. Single attacks are as simple as they come with a character striking at an enemy once, or to heat things up a little you could execute a combo attack. This attack will result in a number of strong blows being placed upon an enemy, resulting in a pleasing dismemberment of HP. Gladius also features magical abilities, which in some cases ruins the game’s appearance and feeling. Your gladiators are able to blast out powerful attacks, when aimed badly, can affect your own members as well. These are the basic commands available to the player during any battle, but here comes the interesting part, where I tell you about the ultimate moves obtainable to the main characters.

Valens and Ursula each have a special Ultimate Attack, which charges with the help of battle. Take on damage, the Ultimate Attack bar charges, give out damage and the same applies. Once the bar has been raised to the specified amount you are then able to unleash your Ultimate Attack giving out damage to most of the battle arena. Just think of it as a Final Fantasy VII style Limit Break.

Gladius is also given its uniqueness by adding a handful of different job classes -- like any strategy RPG -- into the game, with classes like Imperial Guardsmen, Galdr Witches and javelin-throwing Peltast. These all help with the progression of the game with some being a nuisance and others a great help. Choosing wisely is the key to success.

Aside from the main action in Gladius, players can also embark upon an exhibition mode, whereby players can enjoy the battles in Gladius without the worrying elements of a plot or storyline. Think of it as entering random battles, which have nothing to do with the overall game, giving the player room to practice and learn the skills of battling. What’s more multiple players can battle in this mode, which has helped secure Gladius as the first multiplayer strategy/RPG on PS2, but sadly only two players will be able to battle it out on the PS2 version, with the annoying feeling that GameCube and Xbox owners will be able to have fierce 4 player bouts.

Final Thought...
Gladius features the classic turn-based strategy element that pushed Final Fantasy Tactics to become a “Greatest Hit” during the Playstation era, and by seeing what’s in store for gamers, Gladius is heading that way too. Expect to see innovations to the genre an even a multiplayer option making for an all-round great RPG. If you’re a fan of strategy RPGs and love a long battle across dusty plains and grassy hillsides, then this is the game you’ve been waiting for. If you think this isn’t your cup of tea, well, we suggest giving Gladius a chance. Don’t be afraid to try it out.

Preview by Craig Harwood