GLADIUM

About

Gladium is an action-packed game set in the Roman gladiatorial era, focusing on brutal boss fights and a progression system based on blood and gold. Experience fast-paced combat with dodging, parrying, and special attacks, while facing various enemy gladiators with unique behaviors. Upgrade your weapons, unlock new helmets and test your skills in the Endless Mode with online leaderboards.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 85 reviews

gameplay12 positive mentions

grinding10 negative mentions

The game features nice art and solid game mechanics, making it visually appealing and enjoyable to play.
It offers a challenging experience with fast-paced combat that encourages skill development and strategic thinking.
The gameplay is addictive, with a rewarding loop of fighting, upgrading, and returning to battle, which keeps players engaged.

The game suffers from frustrating hitbox issues and mechanics that can be difficult to understand, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
The resource management system is criticized for being tedious, as the same currency is required for both upgrades and retrying boss fights, making progression feel grindy.
There are reports of bugs and performance issues, including freezing and crashing, which detract from the overall gameplay experience.

gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
6%
19%
The gameplay is generally praised for its smooth mechanics, solid controls, and enjoyable combat, with a high skill cap and a large weapon selection that enhances replayability. However, some players noted issues such as unpleasant delays and confusing hitboxes that detract from the experience. Overall, while the game offers a fun and engaging loop, the addition of PvP and a friends list could elevate it further.
- “Game plays smooth, controls are solid and gameplay is really fun, perhaps a little grind, but fun.”
- “Already super good, simple game system, extremely high skill cap, graphics are great, combat is polished and enjoyable, it's super replayable, gameplay loop is great, large weapon selection. The only thing missing is PvP; once that is added along with something like a friends list for dueling specific people, then it will be perfect.”
- “Mechanics are simple and easy to pick up, and the difficulty also scales well.”
- “The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged for long periods.”
- “The controls are unresponsive at times, leading to frustrating moments during combat.”
- “The AI is predictable and doesn't provide a challenging experience, which diminishes the overall excitement of the gameplay.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, often detracting from the overall enjoyment. While the game offers thrilling boss encounters, the requirement to spend significant time grinding for resources between attempts can lead to exhaustion and diminished motivation to continue playing. Many reviewers express a desire for a more balanced approach to grinding, as it overshadows the game's otherwise engaging elements.
- “This game is probably the most annoying and tedious game I've ever played.”
- “I love the heart-pounding thrill the boss in question has... what I don't like is spending 20 minutes in between each fight grinding back up my blood points just for a simple attempt at the boss... I'm here for unforgiving, but how am I expected to learn the patterns of the boss if when I die to him I have to spend another half hour getting up enough points to even try again, only to be so exhausted by that point I don't even want to try to play...”
- “Overall, I think this game is super fun and I have no real issue with its difficulty or even its challenge or pace... I just wish it was less tedious with the 'grind for a try' bosses... that was literally the only reason I shelved this game until either I get a very specific masochistic day I want to dedicate 50 hours to grinding all the blood I could ever need, just to throw myself at that boss the way most every other souls-like game allows you to, or a major update comes out.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics of Gladium are praised for their polished and enjoyable art style, contributing to a fun and engaging gameplay experience. Players appreciate the tight controls and the high skill cap, which enhance the overall appeal of the game. However, some users note that the graphics may resemble those of other games, raising questions about originality.
- “Already super good, simple game system, extremely high skill cap, graphics are great, combat is polished and enjoyable, it's super replayable, gameplay loop is great, large weapon selection.”
- “Overall, very fun game, tight controls and art style!”
- “They share an art style.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The music in the game is described as hype and supportive of the gameplay, particularly with an epic metal feel during fights. However, it tends to become repetitive and tiring after a few listens, which detracts from the overall experience for some players.
- “The music is pretty hype, too.”
- “The first few times the soundtrack is supporting the fighting with an epic metal feel, good work on that track.”
- “Really simple and not challenging, the grinding factor is also a negative factor for me as well. If it hadn't been a Steam sale, I would not have bought this game at all. Also, the music is tiring after 3 listens.”
- “Edit: I forgot about the soundtrack!”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Players find the game highly replayable due to its polished combat, diverse weapon selection, and engaging gameplay loop. However, some express frustration with the grind required between boss attempts, which detracts from the natural replayability. The addition of PvP and a friends list for dueling could enhance the experience further.
- “Already super good, simple game system, extremely high skill cap, graphics are great, combat is polished and enjoyable, it's super replayable, gameplay loop is great, large weapon selection.”
- “I love this game; its principles and the fact that it is literally the first proper fight pit experience ever. It offers a unique feeling of being dragged through the mud and beaten brutally into the dirt.”
- “The gameplay loop is engaging and encourages players to return for more, making it a highly replayable experience.”
- “I just wish it had more natural replayability and less (seemingly) forced replay by making you grind in between attempts at the bosses, only to get more frustrated by those attempts to mindlessly grind.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is frequently criticized for its instability, with users reporting numerous bugs that significantly impact gameplay, particularly in the pits. Despite enjoying the overall experience, players find the technical issues to be a major drawback.
- “I enjoy this game, but by all hell it's a buggy mess, especially in the pits.”
- “However, it's buggy.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game lacks a significant story, but many players feel this absence is beneficial, allowing them to fully enjoy the gameplay experience. Overall, it is highly rated, with players expressing a desire to replay it despite the minimal narrative.
- “There really is no story behind it, but it's better if there isn't. To be honest, this game is really worth the price, and all in all, 10/10 would play and experience again if I could.”