Gladiator Guild Manager

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,240 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Gladiator Guild Manager Game Cover
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"Gladiator Guild Manager" is a strategy game where you build and manage a gladiator guild in an ancient Roman city. Train and equip your gladiators, manage finances, and compete in arenas to gain wealth and reputation. The game offers various battle tactics, a complex injury system, and historic events that challenge your management skills.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,240 reviews
story42 positive mentions
grinding46 negative mentions
  • Engaging gameplay with a variety of gladiator classes and strategies to explore.
  • Charming art style and humorous voice acting that adds personality to the game.
  • Active development with regular updates and community feedback being taken into account.
  • Currently lacks content, with a short campaign that can be completed in a few hours.
  • Repetitive gameplay loop that can become tedious over time, especially with manual unit placement for each battle.
  • Balancing issues with certain classes being significantly stronger than others, leading to less variety in viable strategies.
  • story191 mentions

    The game's story is generally considered decent but somewhat simplistic, with a light-hearted and humorous tone that engages players through quirky quests and fully voiced dialogue. While there are interesting faction dynamics and choices that can affect gameplay, many reviewers feel the narrative lacks depth and variety, leading to a repetitive experience as players progress. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay, which is more focused on leveling and combat rather than a compelling narrative.

    • “The story and events are engaging with a lot of fun dialogue.”
    • “The quests give the impression the game will flush out a story that never seems to happen.”
    • “The choice will affect the story and 'ending'.”
    • “The overall story right now is just kind of filler, and I feel it could be more fleshed out with time.”
    • “To be honest, the campaign mode feels more like a tutorial to me; real fun and replayability is in the tournament mode.”
    • “The game is missing its main questline/storyline, and I think it starts to show after a few hours.”
  • gameplay161 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a mix of creative mechanics and strategic elements, primarily revolving around managing gladiators in an auto-battler format. While many players appreciate the engaging core loop and humor, there are concerns about repetitiveness and a lack of depth, with most content providing around 5-10 hours of playtime. Overall, the game shows potential for improvement, particularly in expanding its mechanics and content to enhance replayability.

    • “The gameplay is very creative and interesting, and I love the different kinds of units you have to work with.”
    • “The gameplay loop is fun and the battles are quick, so it's easy to play while doing something else.”
    • “The core gameplay loop is very nice and has some shifts to it each playthrough to add some variety to each run, aside from using different gladiators (which there are plenty of).”
    • “The main problem is tedious gameplay, lack of useful features, and low attention to details from developers.”
    • “In its current state, you can expect approximately 5 hours of gameplay with less than a handful of 'you need to grind a smidge/know the game better' wipes.”
    • “Overall - good game, has potential, but the gameplay loop gets very repetitive after a few hours in.”
  • graphics72 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their vibrant and polished art style, with many users highlighting the detailed animations and charming character designs. The visuals are often described as cartoonish and reminiscent of classic games, contributing to an enjoyable and immersive experience. Overall, players appreciate the aesthetic quality and the effort put into the game's graphical presentation, despite some noting a simplistic or mobile-game feel.

    • “The graphics are detailed and attractive, and the sound effects are immersive and exciting.”
    • “The graphics and animations are very enjoyable.”
    • “Gladiator guild manager is a brilliantly crafted game with a unique blend of strategy and management, set in an engaging fantasy world with stunning graphics and diverse characters.”
    • “It's also got some very decent polish to it, and although the graphics might scream 'mobile game', there's a launcher that lets you select your resolution and all the artwork and animations are solid (even if the latter are pretty simplistic).”
    • “So upfront: extreme mobile feel, and the graphics look like they came straight from an Ironhide game.”
    • “No cool visuals of a village, just a menu with icons that evolve to get a bonus to XP.”
  • replayability52 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag. While some players appreciate the variety in hero types, difficulty settings, and the potential for future content updates, many feel that the short campaign and limited content currently available restrict replay value. However, features like randomized elements and different game modes do provide some incentive for multiple playthroughs, suggesting that with further development, the replayability could improve significantly.

    • “A charming game with lots of replayability; it receives regular content updates adding new things constantly.”
    • “The randomness option with the building/units at the start and the option for permadeath makes the replay value high!”
    • “My playthrough on hard was 19 hours, but if you want to do all the questlines and try out different builds/strategies or permadeath mode, it's got some replayability and should last a while.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game is short and can be completed in less than 6 hours, which can affect the replay value.”
    • “The content isn't as diverse as I hoped, which limits replayability (3-4 hours and you have seen most of the stuff).”
    • “After a few re-runs on different difficulties and settings, I can say that the replay value is relatively low at the moment.”
  • grinding47 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with players expressing frustration over the slow progression and lack of engaging content after the initial hours. Many reviews highlight the excessive micromanagement required for leveling up gladiators and the monotonous nature of battles, leading to a sense of boredom and diminished excitement. While some players find enjoyment in the game's concept, the overall sentiment is that the grind detracts significantly from the experience.

    • “I like how you can find gear as you play through battles and the shop, and that all characters can equip gear, but it's not tedious.”
    • “The grinding in this game feels rewarding, as every battle contributes to my character's growth and gear collection.”
    • “I appreciate the balance in grinding; it never feels like a chore, and I always look forward to the next upgrade.”
    • “Getting the members you want, or even just good ones, can be tedious and frustrating.”
    • “First couple of hours of the game are very fun, but then the game becomes imbalanced, very grindy. You start to lag behind because you try to level a bunch of different gladiators, and the only way you can do that is very tedious and slow.”
    • “Ultimately, I just ended up doing the same arena strategy for every single battle, and most of my time was spent tediously moving and setting priorities for my combo.”
  • humor41 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and effectiveness, with many players highlighting the funny dialogue, quirky quests, and engaging character interactions that keep the experience enjoyable. The writing and voice acting contribute significantly to the comedic tone, making players laugh and feel immersed in the story. While some found the humor to be simple or occasionally forced, the overall consensus is that it adds a delightful layer to the gameplay.

    • “The gritty humor and the characterization push you through the game as the funny elements keep coming.”
    • “Brilliant little game with a fantastic sense of humor.”
    • “The dialogue is funny and choices lead to different scenarios for passive buffs.”
  • music33 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its chill vibe and overall quality, while others find it repetitive and lacking in variety. Some highlight the soundtrack as a strong point that complements the game's aesthetics, though there are calls for more dynamic and diverse musical elements. Overall, while the music is generally well-received, it could benefit from additional variety to enhance the gaming experience.

    • “The game has great music and voice acting, and the gameplay is also good.”
    • “The music is fantastic.”
    • “All elements of it (its plot, story tone, art style, music, and aesthetics) get along wonderfully, and are neat!”
    • “Music is repetitive.”
    • “The only complaint I have about the whole game is the music.”
    • “The game sorely needs more music though; it got repetitive very fast.”
  • stability13 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, soft locks, and various bugs that disrupt gameplay. While some players have experienced a relatively smooth experience, many others face game-breaking issues that require frequent restarts, particularly during critical moments like battles and championship events. Overall, the game is considered quite buggy, necessitating urgent fixes and improvements before full release.

    • “I played this game on Steam Deck, and it runs great, but I wish I could increase the HUD size just a bit.”
    • “It's pretty much bug-free, which is nice.”
    • “Oh, and the game's a buggy mess; I've soft locked myself twice by selling items from the reward screen.”
    • “Even for early access, it is very buggy and has many game-breaking bugs.”
    • “Need to be fixed badly; it freezes over every fight, making you reset every championship, and you can't progress without waiting month after month to get all the wins without it crashing.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it runs smoothly on platforms like the Steam Deck and performs well for some users, others report poor performance for a 2D game, indicating that optimization strategies may need improvement.

    • “Works well on Steam Deck and runs smoothly.”
    • “Performance: ran great with no issues.”
    • “The game runs smoothly and looks good.”
    • “Grindy with simple optimization strategies.”
    • “Very bad performance for a 2D game.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players find the game emotionally engaging, particularly due to the strong connections formed with frequently used characters. However, there is a sense of disappointment when players are forced to part with these characters despite the emotional investment they have made.

    • “So there you have it – my heartwarming escapade through this game.”
    • “Remember that frequently used characters have a stronger emotional bond with the player, and it's disappointing that I have to sell them even though efforts have been put into them.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions, excessive waiting, and ads, distinguishing it from typical mobile auto battler games. Reviewers appreciate its development as a genuine effort rather than a cash grab, indicating a positive reception towards its monetization approach.

  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a relaxed and easy-going vibe, complemented by engaging gameplay and appealing graphics. Players appreciate the integration of leveling, stats, and items, which enhances the overall experience while incorporating small storylines.

    • “The game creates an easy-going atmosphere that complements the leveling, stats, and items beautifully.”
    • “The atmosphere is immersive, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.”
    • “The combination of gameplay, atmosphere, and graphics makes for a captivating experience.”
    • “While also bringing leveling, stats, items, and some small storylines, the atmosphere feels easy-going but lacks depth.”
    • “The gameplay and atmosphere are overshadowed by the lack of engaging graphics.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its depth and complexity, with players noting that characters evolve significantly throughout the story. Many reviews highlight the emotional arcs and personal growth of the characters, making them relatable and engaging. However, some players feel that certain characters could benefit from more backstory or resolution to enhance their overall impact.

    • “The character development in this game is incredibly deep, allowing players to truly connect with the characters and their journeys.”
    • “I love how the game allows for meaningful choices that impact character growth, making each decision feel significant.”
    • “The backstories of the characters are rich and well-crafted, adding layers to their personalities and making their arcs compelling.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way throughout the game.”
    • “The choices I made didn't seem to impact the characters' growth, leaving me feeling like my decisions were meaningless.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

7hMedian play time
17hAverage play time
3-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 29 analyzed playthroughs

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