Age of Gladiators
- February 25, 2016
- Creative Storm Entertainment
- 11h median play time
Get on Steam"Age of Gladiators" is a turn-based strategy game set in the world of gladiatorial combat. As a lanista, you'll train, equip, and manage a stable of fighters, competing in increasingly challenging arenas to earn fame and fortune. With a variety of character classes, weapons, and upgrades to choose from, each playthrough offers new strategies and opportunities. Master the art of combat and politics to survive in this brutal and brutal world.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging management mechanics that allow players to build and develop their own gladiator school.
- The game offers a unique setting and theme, appealing to fans of ancient Rome and gladiatorial combat.
- The developer is responsive to community feedback and actively updates the game, enhancing the overall experience.
- The combat system is purely text-based and lacks visual representation, making fights feel dull and repetitive.
- There is a steep learning curve, and the game can become unbalanced, leading to a snowball effect where early successes make later gameplay too easy.
- Limited customization options for gladiators and a lack of depth in the overall gameplay can lead to a feeling of repetitiveness.
- gameplay73 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is engaging and addictive, particularly once players grasp the mechanics, which involve resource management and strategic gladiator development. While the initial challenge can be rewarding, many players find the gameplay becomes repetitive over time, with some mechanics feeling overly simplistic or opaque. Overall, it offers a solid core experience for fans of management and tycoon genres, though it may lack depth for those seeking more complexity.
“The game becomes really fun once you understand the mechanics.”
“Overall though, quite enjoyable for a good amount of time and all the mechanics work together nicely to present an interesting challenge initially.”
“It's a well polished game on the right side of challenging with good replay value as you have several different starting backgrounds which give different benefits and there's several gameplay elements you can either turn on or off to adjust the gameplay to your liking.”
“I played on the medium difficulty level, but even on it the game was challenging for the first 5 hours, then very repetitive gameplay began, and it remained that way until the end.”
“Unfortunately, once you actually start playing it, the facade collapses and the tedious underlying mechanics are laid bare.”
“The gameplay never changes and mainly consists of beating 3 bosses in each of the 4 areas of the game, which is done by killing all of their gladiators in combat (which usually takes several attempts per gladiator as the crowd will often vote in their favor).”
- graphics69 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the artwork is decent and fits the gladiator theme, it lacks depth and detail, particularly in combat visuals. The game is primarily text-based, featuring minimal graphical elements and no animations, which some players found disappointing, especially for a gladiator simulator. Overall, while the visuals are not a strong point, the engaging gameplay and strategy elements have kept some players entertained despite the graphical shortcomings.
“Visuals and music are spot on!”
“Very fun and addicting casual gladiator RPG simulator/management with beautiful art style and soundtrack.”
“The artwork is well done, the interface is functional, there is some great music in the background, and I never had it crash.”
“The graphics are sub-par.”
“The graphics are not fit for standard full HD resolution; the game has only one music theme, no animations, no depictions of the arenas and player facilities, just text and some simple graphical elements of the interface.”
“There is no graphical viewer for the actual gladiator bouts.”
- music30 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its immersive quality and ability to enhance the gaming experience, while others criticize its repetitiveness and lack of variety, noting that it can become monotonous. While many appreciate the soundtrack as pleasant and fitting, several users mention that it consists of only a few tracks, leading to a desire for more diversity. Overall, the music is described as decent but not exceptional, with some players opting to play their own music instead.
“Very fun and addicting casual gladiator RPG simulator/management with beautiful art-style and soundtrack.”
“Great game, and has a good soundtrack too.”
“The artwork is well done, the interface is functional, there is some great music in the background, and I never had it crash.”
“There's not a lot of variety in soundtracks, nor backgrounds, nor portraits.”
“The music doesn’t change often.”
“2-) Soundtrack: I'm not saying that it's bad, but it's so repetitive that it gets old quite easily.”
- grinding23 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- -9 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being slow, tedious, and repetitive, particularly as players progress towards the endgame. While some find the grind addictive, many reviewers express frustration with unbalanced mechanics and unrealistic costs that exacerbate the tedium. Overall, the game is seen as fun but ultimately suffers from a lack of polish and excessive grinding, making it less enjoyable for those who dislike repetitive gameplay.
“The need to pay attention to income versus expenditures is present, but it is handled in such a way that it is not tedious.”
“Grinding in this game feels rewarding, as each effort brings you closer to your goals.”
“The grind is balanced perfectly, making it enjoyable rather than a chore.”
“I find the game more tedious than enjoyable.”
“The economy and training mechanics basically ensure you'll be stuck for a long time just grinding in the most tedious way with your awful, glass-jawed gladiators before you can expect to have any serious fights - which, as I mentioned, aren't that great to begin with.”
“After a while I couldn't be bothered to even upgrade all of my gladiators because it had become so tedious to do so.”
- replayability19 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The reviews on replayability are mixed, with some players praising the game for its engaging mechanics and multiple starting options that enhance replay value, while others find it lacking in replayability after the initial playthrough. Overall, the game's replayability seems to depend on individual preferences and the enjoyment of its gameplay elements, with some noting a decline in interest after mastering the mechanics.
“A fun game and delightfully replayable.”
“It's a well polished game on the right side of challenging with good replay value as you have several different starting backgrounds which give different benefits and there's several gameplay elements you can either turn on or off to adjust the gameplay to your liking.”
“Surprisingly deep game with a high degree of replayability for the low cost.”
“I will probably never play this game again; it was an okay game, but it has no replayability.”
“Very little replayability.”
“Lacks replayability.”
- story15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The story in "Age of Gladiators" is minimal and largely player-driven, focusing on the management of gladiators and their battles rather than a structured narrative. While the game lacks significant context or immersive storytelling, players can create their own narratives through their attachment to fighters and the outcomes of matches. Overall, the experience is more about personal interpretation and imagination than a compelling storyline.
“The game's story is told entirely through your stable, battles in the arena, and through a mail system.”
“The story is mostly how you choose to interpret it, as - if you're like me - you'll get attached to your fighters and want only the best for them.”
“There are little storylines and quests that sometimes pop up to break the game up.”
“While there is almost no story or context beyond this, the game is surprisingly addictive and - most importantly - fun.”
“One song, no new backgrounds for changing cities, and no real story development make this immensely forgettable.”
“I mean, you have a certain goal to meet but there's not really a story to offer some immersion.”
- stability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is praised, with many users reporting a bug-free experience and no technical issues. However, a few players noted minor bugs, suggesting that while the game is largely stable, there are still some areas for improvement.
“It's not buggy or half-finished.”
“It's bug-free.”
“By forgoing early access and offering us a nearly bug-free game, you have surpassed many others.”
“It's a little buggy at the moment, but for the most part, it works well and provides a good challenge.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a surprising emotional investment in the game, feeling a genuine sense of triumph and loss despite its lack of depth and ease. Moments of victory and defeat evoke strong feelings, leading to tears and a sense of connection with the characters, even if the overall experience may not warrant a full-price purchase or replay.
“Sure, there's not a whole lot of depth to the game and it gets a little easy once you realize that dexterity is king, but when it all clicked, I genuinely felt like I was conquering Rome. I shed a tear when my 8-0 fighter was killed early on, and I nearly quit, but the other fighters rallied and led us on a charge.”
“I wouldn't get it at full price and probably won't play it again, but for what it's worth, I enjoyed knocking out some easy achievements and getting emotionally invested in a set of numbers with a name.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is criticized for being underutilized, with a lack of immersive graphics and a disjointed menu system that detracts from the overall experience. While the fundamental concepts are intriguing, the current execution fails to create a captivating environment.
“The fundamentals and concepts the game explores are really neat, and I hope one day this developer (or another inspired by this game) can take what is here, expand on it, and add some graphics and atmosphere to the game.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization aspect of the game is enhanced by the ability to purchase armor and weapons, which provide bonuses that improve fighters' performance, offering players a strategic edge in challenging matches.
“You have to purchase armor and weapons too, which add bonuses to your fighters' performance. This is a secondary benefit, but every bit helps when you're trying to squeeze out an advantage against your enemy in a tough match.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is viewed negatively, with users expressing frustration at the potential for in-game purchases to exacerbate their irritation with the gameplay experience.
“The only way this game could be even more irritating is if it had in-game purchases that repeatedly kicked you in the teeth.”
“The monetization model is so aggressive that it feels like the game is designed to squeeze every penny out of players.”
“I can't enjoy the game when it constantly pushes me to spend money on features that should be included for free.”
