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 gameplay that allows players to build and train their own stable of gladiators.
- The game has 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, adding new features and balancing.
- Combat is entirely text-based and lacks visual representation, making it feel repetitive and less engaging.
- The game can become too easy once players understand the mechanics, leading to a lack of challenge in the later stages.
- There is a steep learning curve for new players, and the interface can be clunky and unintuitive at times.
- gameplay146 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Age of Gladiators" is engaging and addictive once players grasp its mechanics, offering a mix of resource management and strategic decision-making. While the initial challenge is rewarding, many players find the gameplay becomes repetitive after a few hours, with some mechanics feeling shallow and poorly explained. Overall, it provides a solid core experience for fans of management games, 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 has enough substance and mechanics to give you that 'one more turn' feel, helped enormously by a well-cultivated gladiator being killed out of nowhere and the desire for swift retribution that ensues.”
“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 game is painfully shallow in its mechanics and wastes so much potential.”
- graphics138 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-themed title. Overall, while the visuals are not a strong point, the gameplay and strategy elements have kept some players engaged 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.”
“Beautiful artwork, theme fits the era.”
“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.”
“I had high hopes for this game, but the lack of any combat visuals was a huge disappointment.”
- music60 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 7 % 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. Although there are mentions of good tracks and a fitting atmosphere, many players express disappointment over the limited soundtrack, often resorting to external music for a better experience. Overall, while the music is appreciated by some, it is seen as a weak point by others due to its lack of diversity and frequency of repetition.
“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.”
“Sound: the game's background music is a long hum of war drums and sets the mood perfectly for the game.”
“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.”
- grinding46 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and slow, particularly in the early stages and towards the endgame, where players often feel stuck in repetitive tasks. While some find the grind addictive, many reviewers express frustration with the unbalanced mechanics and unrealistic costs that exacerbate the tedium, making it less enjoyable overall. Ultimately, the game appeals to those who enjoy management and RPG elements, but it may not be suitable for players who dislike grinding.
“The need to pay attention to income versus expenditures is present, but it is handled in such a way that it is not tedious.”
“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.”
“Unfortunately, once you actually start playing it the facade collapses and the tedious underlying mechanics are laid bare.”
- replayability38 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 gameplay options that enhance replay value, while others find it lacking in replayability after the initial experience. Several users noted that once the learning curve is overcome, the desire to replay diminishes, although some still appreciate the depth and challenge it offers. Overall, the game's replayability seems to depend significantly on individual player preferences and play styles.
“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 are several gameplay elements you can either turn on or off to adjust the gameplay to your liking.”
“An amazing text sim, especially for the low price, it has tons of replayability and is quite a challenging and unforgiving game (especially on ironman mode).”
“I will probably never play this game again; it was an okay game, but it has no replayability.”
“Very little replayability.”
“Lacks replayability.”
- story30 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story in "Age of Gladiators" is minimal and largely player-driven, focusing on managing a stable of gladiators in violent matches for fame and fortune. While there are no significant narrative developments or immersive elements, players can create their own stories through attachment to their fighters and the occasional random events. Overall, the game offers a light storytelling experience that encourages imagination rather than providing a structured narrative.
“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.”
- stability10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its stability, with many users reporting it as nearly bug-free and well-polished. While a few players noted minor bugs, the consensus is that the game functions reliably and surpasses many others in terms of technical performance.
“It's bug free.”
“By forgoing early access and offering us a nearly bug-free game, you have surpassed many others.”
“It's not buggy or half-finished.”
“It's a little buggy at the moment but for the most part it works well and gives a good challenge.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a surprising emotional investment in the game, feeling a genuine connection to their characters and experiences, such as mourning the loss of a beloved fighter. Despite the game's lack of depth and ease, moments of triumph and defeat evoke strong feelings, making the gameplay memorable. Overall, while the game may not warrant full price, it offers an engaging emotional journey through its simple mechanics.
“When it all clicked, I genuinely felt like I was conquering Rome. I shed a tear when I lost my 8-0 fighter early on, and I nearly quit, but the other fighters rallied and led us on a charge.”
“I enjoyed knocking out some easy achievements and getting emotionally invested in a set of numbers with a name.”
“I shed a tear when I lost my 8-0 fighter early on, and I nearly quit, but the other fighters rallied and led us on a charge.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % 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 praised, there is a strong desire for future improvements in atmospheric design to enhance player engagement.
“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/atmosphere to the game.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization aspect of the game is enhanced by the ability to purchase armor and weapons, which provide performance bonuses to fighters. This feature allows players to gain a competitive edge in challenging matches, making strategic upgrades an important part of gameplay.
“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.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with the game's monetization, suggesting that the presence of in-game purchases would significantly detract from the experience, making it even more irritating.
“The only way this game could be even more irritating is if it had in-game purchases and repeatedly kicked you in the teeth.”
“The only way this game could be even more irritating is if it had in-game purchases and repeatedly kicked you in the teeth.”
