Blackthorn Arena

About

"Blackthorn Arena" is a gladiator combat and management simulator where you build and train a team of warriors to compete in brutal arena battles. Manage your ludus, recruit and train fighters, and customize your strategies to outwit your opponents and climb the ranks. Experience visceral, tactical combat with a variety of weapons, spells, and enemy types in this immersive, ancient world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

+10

64%

Audience ScoreBased on 559 reviews

story8 positive mentions

stability58 negative mentions

Unique and engaging gladiator management gameplay with deep customization options for characters.
Active development with frequent updates and bug fixes, showing commitment from the developers.
Challenging combat that requires strategic planning and character management.

Numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including crashes and unresponsive AI.
Poorly designed user interface that can be confusing and difficult to navigate.
Unbalanced difficulty, particularly in key story missions like the Spring Games, leading to frustrating experiences.

story
95 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
85%
6%
The game's story is often described as weak and lacking depth, with many players expressing a desire for a more engaging narrative in future installments. While some appreciate the intriguing lore and character backstories, others criticize the linear progression and difficulty spikes that can abruptly end the story if certain missions are failed. Overall, the narrative elements are seen as underdeveloped, with a mix of potential and frustration due to gameplay mechanics that hinder storytelling.
- “Intriguing lore and choices: the game's dark and intricate storyline keeps you invested.”
- “You have a story, you have your own arena, a bunch of gladiators with a lot of traits, you struggle with money and fame, you send your gladiators to hell or not, the game basically keeps you on all the time.”
- “It's a gladiator arena in a fantasy world and a rather interesting story surrounding the player.”
- “There is a part that can break your game if you fail a certain story mission, which I wish they fixed, but you can still play and enjoy it; it just kills the story and any real progress.”
- “You destroy a good concept and decent gameplay with too many random occurrences and most importantly use the story to force people to play in a specific way to be ready for the tournament within a specific timeframe, which results in min-maxing and frustration.”
- “A ton of content is gated off behind the story, which for some reason takes forever to advance.”
gameplay
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
63%
9%
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of enjoyment and frustration, with many players appreciating the depth and management aspects of the game, particularly in character skills and leveling. However, significant criticisms arise regarding mechanics such as combat AI, RNG reliance, and unclear systems, leading to feelings of unfairness and frustration. While some players find the gameplay engaging and rewarding after overcoming initial hurdles, others deem it poorly executed and riddled with bugs, suggesting a need for balancing and refinement.
- “I have been looking for a gladiator game for years; nothing even comes close to how well put together this game is, how well thought out it is, how much actual management there is involved, how many quirky little things there are to learn, how many vast combinations of genre classes and abilities and weapon classes and different ways to play there are, and how deep the game goes. 40 hours into the game, I am discovering important major mechanics just now. I didn't even know you could learn several new classes on your gladiators; I thought there was a limit, but apparently the sky is the only limit in this game!”
- “The gameplay loops are great and the reward system is very well balanced (not too grindy, not too easy, not too much RNG), which is rare.”
- “Gameplay is fun if you enjoy simulation and management games with RPG elements.”
- “The biggest downfall was the time mechanic which made you feel like failure wasn't an option.”
- “The game has a lot of potential but all that potential is overshadowed by the lack of animation, combat mechanics, and bugs.”
- “The game is really unfair, and I don't mean the game is hard; it is unfair because of the limitation of the incompetent combat AI and the design choice of the game overly relying on RNG mechanics to govern every aspect of the game.”
stability
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
94%
The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which significantly impact stability and gameplay experience. While some players find it enjoyable despite these issues, many report game-breaking problems, crashes, and frustrating AI behavior. Overall, the consensus is that the game requires substantial patching and optimization to reach a more polished state.
- “The game is 90% bug free, no kidding.”
- “I've played early access games that weren't as buggy and unoptimized as this.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive, making for a smooth experience.”
- “I really want to give this game a good review, but it is so buggy that it is difficult to play.”
- “Full of sound bugs, crashes, visual bugs, and freezes after fights.”
- “But seriously ... devs who release DLCs while their vanilla game is still buggy and crashing?”
graphics
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
61%
25%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while they are decent for a smaller studio, they feel dated and occasionally buggy. Customization options are appreciated, but some users criticize the character designs and overall aesthetic quality. Overall, the graphics are considered satisfactory but in need of improvement, especially given the game's storage requirements and performance issues.
- “The art style is nice, graphics are good, and combat is fun and interesting.”
- “I imagined graphics at the likes of Lost Ark, armors and equipment from For Honor, more particles and blooming effects (the blaze arrows particle effects are really pretty!), better missions, introduce warriors from other mythology such as warlords, samurai, kheshig, medjays, taming our own monsters to fight.”
- “This game is near perfection in my opinion, I just wish there were somehow more things to do at your arena, more ways of making money, and if possible in the future some graphic updates.”
- “There does not seem to be all that much content and the graphics certainly aren't of such high quality that this game should eat up that much storage space.”
- “As well as other issues like very long loading screens, the game graphics and game mechanics make the game look and feel like the game came out 15 years ago, so why the loading screens take so long is beyond me.”
- “Game is awkward, controls are awkward, graphics are what is to be expected from a mobile game and it seems a bit of a grind.”
replayability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
56%
17%
Overall, the game offers a solid level of replayability, with many players appreciating the variety in character customization, challenge levels, and gameplay options. While some find it can become repetitive and suggest improvements for longer gameplay, the randomness and ability to experiment with different strategies and compositions contribute positively to its replay value. Ratings for replayability vary, with some giving it as high as 10/10, while others rate it around 6-7/10 due to perceived limitations.
- “Lots of replayability, perfect challenge level and challenge variety, great character customization, and you get to watch real gladiator battles play out, just like the good old days... 10/10”
- “I'd give this game 10 stars for content, control, and replayability.”
- “Being able to level up and utilize different gladiator types as your champions makes the game's replayability pretty solid.”
- “It was some replayability but can be quite repetitive.”
- “I'm not sure about others, but I think this price is a deal breaker for the amount of replayability this game has to offer.”
- “More event-based games, etc., more replayability, longer gameplay, then I would give this a 10/10, but right now it's more of a 6/10.”
optimization
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting it as unfinished and buggy, leading to frequent crashes and long loading times. While some users note that there are optimized builds available, the general consensus is that the game requires substantial improvements in performance, balance, and user interface to enhance the overall experience. Despite these issues, there is hope among players that the developers are actively working on optimization updates.
- “Performance is very stable.”
- “It's better optimized, more balanced, has more content, more activity diversity, and more customization.”
- “While there are optimized builds, you can play anything you want and it will work.”
- “Trying to get a refund; the game is awful, unfinished, and completely unoptimized. The devs have the nerve to release DLC packs. Very unfortunate.”
- “Great concept, but it needs more improvement in UI, game optimization, and balance, which makes for a frustrating experience while playing this game.”
- “It really feels like I'm playing a loading screen simulator rather than the game itself, and I hope that this gets optimized because this game has potential.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
55%
27%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its uniqueness and fit within scenes, while others criticize it for being dull, inconsistent, and prone to cutouts. Many users report issues with audio playback, including delays and a lack of responsive sound feedback, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, while there are moments of good sound design, the execution is often marred by technical problems and a lack of polish.
- “The music is very good.”
- “Nature sounds and combat actually sound pretty decent when colliding swords; the music (when available) fits well with the scene.”
- “Audio and music sometimes don't play or cut out altogether.”
- “The music and overall sound is very sub-par.”
- “It would be nice to have consistent music and audio that makes transitions feel smoother rather than dropouts.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
71%
Overall, players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game. While some appreciate the sense of accomplishment that comes from grinding for items, others find it tedious and overly reliant on RNG, particularly in crafting. The balance of gameplay loops and rewards is noted as a positive, but the presence of bugs and AI issues detracts from the overall experience.
- “Feels more rewarding than toilsome (not too grindy).”
- “The gameplay loops are great and the reward system is very well balanced (not too grindy, not too easy, not too much RNG), which is rare.”
- “This would be a good game if it had a lot less bugs and a little less grinding.”
- “The crafting feature is tedious and too RNG-based in terms of gathering materials.”
- “This is a sim, but it plays more like a grindy tactical, turn-based RPG because of how much it relies on skills and gear for progression.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is derived from its absurd character customization options, such as creating exaggeratedly "thiccy" gladiators, as well as the comedic relief found in frustrating gameplay moments that unexpectedly turn amusing. Additionally, the poorly executed English translation and numerous typos contribute to the overall humor, enhancing the game's charm.
- “You can make your gladiators all thicc as heck, which is hilarious.”
- “You know those points in video games where you realize your anger has turned into humor, and fights you thought were hard at first have really simple solutions?”
- “Hilariously bad English translation and just typos everywhere.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, with users expressing frustration over the developer's focus on promoting future titles rather than addressing existing issues.
- “Honestly seems like a cash grab.”
- “My best guess is that the many clear problems indicate this is a cash grab.”
- “In their infinite wisdom, the developer is already advertising their next subpar game.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The game features robust character development, allowing players to create and customize their own gladiators while also managing their skills effectively. This depth enhances the gameplay experience, making it enjoyable for both casual and dedicated gamers, as they strategize between deploying top fighters and managing their health. Overall, the character development aspect is a standout feature that sets it apart from other gladiator management games.
- “There is a rather deep character design, from making your own gladiators to skill development. As a casual gamer, even if you aren't amazing at it, there is a lot of fun to have.”
- “I've played a few other gladiator management themed games, but this one really hooked me with the character development aspect and the balance of putting your best fighters out there and letting them heal while you send in your second or third tier guys.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression, making it hard to get invested in the characters.”
- “I found the character development to be quite disappointing; it doesn't offer enough depth or variety to keep me engaged.”
- “While the game has potential, the character development is underwhelming and fails to create a sense of attachment to the fighters.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers note that the game's emotional impact is hindered by its unfinished state and numerous bugs, which detract from the overall experience and connection to the narrative.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Reviewers suggest that incorporating cut scenes during critical moments, such as the end of a match, would significantly enhance the game's atmosphere, adding emotional depth and engagement to the experience.
- “The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into its world with stunning visuals and haunting sound design.”
- “Every corner of the environment feels alive, creating a palpable tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat.”
- “The atmospheric effects, from the lighting to the ambient sounds, truly enhance the overall experience and make each moment feel significant.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
- “There are moments where the environment could be hauntingly beautiful, but instead it feels lifeless and dull.”
- “The sound design is underwhelming, failing to enhance the atmosphere and leaving the game feeling empty.”