Gladius VR

About

"Gladius VR" is a pulse-pounding sword fighting game set in ancient Rome, where you'll choose your weapons, train against various enemies, and battle for your freedom in the colosseum. With support for ten different enemies, four locomotion options, and an energy system for special moves, you'll hone your combat skills and experience intense, immersive action. Ranged combat fans can also take advantage of the bow and arrow for a different challenge.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

+16

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 225 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

stability12 negative mentions

The game offers an immersive gladiatorial experience with a great atmosphere and engaging swordplay mechanics.
The variety of weapons, enemies, and combat scenarios keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting.
The developer is actively updating the game and listening to community feedback, showing commitment to improvement.

The game suffers from janky animations and hit detection issues, making combat feel less satisfying.
There are several bugs and glitches, including collision-related issues and AI behavior that can detract from the experience.
The campaign is short and can feel anticlimactic, with much of the content locked behind repetitive grinding.

gameplay
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
64%
11%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its smooth mechanics and cinematic atmosphere, particularly in sword fighting, while others criticize the repetitive grinding and lack of engaging crowd mechanics. Many players find the combat mechanics satisfactory but note issues with physics and overall polish, leading to a less enjoyable experience. Recent updates have improved animations and gameplay dynamics, but some still feel the game lacks depth and variety, making it less appealing compared to other titles in the genre.
- “Nice mechanics, good cinematic atmosphere, really nice sword fight, better than Blade & Sorcery hands down.”
- “The gameplay is just amazing.”
- “Gladius has seen a very significant gameplay update recently with patch 1.10 and now I can wholeheartedly recommend this game to anyone who is looking for a decent sword fighting game (plus it has a bow & arrow part as well!).”
- “Also, I don't like how most of the game is locked behind grinding in the same arena over and over again, with no crowd mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is pretty horrendous.”
- “I have had games like Gorn and Blade & Sorcery since their release, and while I want to like this game, 10 minutes into the tutorial and opening gameplay, it was immediately apparent that the physics (while the dev claims they have been reworked) are terrible and make me not even want to play.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the art style, detailed textures, and lighting effects, especially on higher-end hardware. While many find the visuals decent for a budget title, others note that the overall polish and clarity can be lacking, particularly in certain areas and menus. Overall, the graphics are considered good but not groundbreaking, with some players feeling that the gameplay does not fully match the visual quality.
- “The graphics are pretty nice, the art style is just right, and the musical score is very good.”
- “As I booted up the game, I was immediately impressed by the graphics—detailed textures and beautiful lighting and fire effects—and thereby realized that this is a high-quality game.”
- “The graphics are great as well as the sound.”
- “I could live with weaker visuals, but the gameplay doesn't do it justice.”
- “It looked okay, but I wasn't sold on the graphics.”
- “Visuals - initially, before messing with the settings, I found it rather rough and unclear/harsh in the armory/market.”
story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The game's story revolves around the gladiatorial theme, but it is criticized for being underdeveloped and lacking polish, with some missions feeling broken or janky. While players appreciate the immersive experience of stepping into a gladiator's role, they note that the narrative is minimal and still in progress, with hopes for future improvements and additional content. Overall, the story mode offers a fun but flawed experience that could benefit from further refinement.
- “It's a great one so far, it has a great story to it with more in the works. The devs are still very much at work to make it a pinnacle of design.”
- “There are a few janky physics here and there, and some of the 'colosseum' pseudo-story levels feel broken, but it overall does a fabulous job of making you feel like you're really under the helmet in your favorite gladiator show or movie.”
- “This game tries to put you in the shoes of a gladiator with several unlockable weapons, missions with various enemies, and 3 difficulty settings per mission.”
- “It's basically blade and sorcery with a very janky campaign; some of the story missions need a lot of polish.”
- “There are a few janky physics here and there, and some of the 'colosseum' pseudo-story levels feel broken (looking at you, day 4).”
- “- no real story yet”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as freezing screens and hit detection issues. However, some users note that these problems are not game-breaking and that the developers are actively working on improvements. Overall, while the game is described as fun, its stability remains a significant concern for many players.
- “This game is a messy, buggy hell.”
- “Long loading times with a frozen, buggy screen in between loading.”
- “This game freezes up whenever I load a match.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
18%
27%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and cinematic qualities, effectively transporting players to a Roman arena filled with a variety of enemies and weapons. Reviewers appreciate the dark and mysterious ambiance, the engaging central hub, and the overall sense of place, although some note that the unrealistic combat mechanics slightly detract from the experience. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, enhancing the game's appeal despite minor imperfections.
- “The game creates a pretty good atmosphere as if you're in the arena.”
- “Absolutely love the Roman setting and atmosphere, the enemy and weapon variety, and the mods!”
- “The combat feels good, the atmosphere of the environment is immersive and believable.”
- “The atmosphere was dark and mysterious; the weapon selection possibilities seemed to be more than I could ever imagine (most are locked now during development or can be unlocked as you level up).”
- “To make it simple, you may think of it as a GORN with less crazy physics, but with a better atmosphere, more content, more realistic... and actual gladiators!”
- “+ intimidating and later hero-like atmosphere.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The optimization of the game receives mixed reviews; while some players praise its smooth VR performance and noticeable improvements with upgraded equipment, others report significant performance issues that render the game unplayable on certain hardware. Overall, the game's potential is highlighted by its engaging combat mechanics, but optimization concerns need to be addressed for a more consistent experience.
- “Exciting and gripping action with smooth VR performance.”
- “You earn money for your performance in the arena (I recommend the 'endless' mode on gladiator difficulty), which you can then use to upgrade your equipment.”
- “There are a ton of weapons, shields, and helmets to choose from, and better equipment makes a noticeable difference when it comes to your performance.”
- “The poor performance in the game makes it virtually unplayable.”
- “If the performance issues are improved, I may reconsider, but until then I cannot recommend this game.”
- “Performance, AI tactics and defense, sound depth and accuracy in combat, and deeper combat involvement (stabbing, dismemberment, and shield slams) all shine as beacons of light that will really make this game shine.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting that repetitive battles in the same arena can feel tedious, especially without engaging crowd mechanics. The movement system, particularly the reliance on trackpad controls, adds to the combat's dissatisfaction, making it challenging to effectively engage enemies. Additionally, the inability to adjust character height further complicates combat, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
- “I don't like how most of the game is locked behind grinding in the same arena over and over again, with no crowd mechanics.”
- “Archers are tedious, constantly back-peddling on you.”
- “It makes the combat a bit tedious when trying to bash/stagger the enemy with a shield or swing at them with a weapon while trying to strafe or charge at them.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely derived from its amusing bugs and unexpected moments, often leading to a "so bad it's good" experience. Players find the comedic elements entertaining, particularly instances like weapons flying off during combat, making it a lighthearted, if flawed, gaming experience.
- “The bugs in this game are usually funny and not game-breaking.”
- “Some moments of 'really, that happened?' but again, usually funny, not frustrating.”
- “Hilarious the first two times when your sword flies off mid-fight.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Players appreciate the game's replayability due to the combination of a campaign mode and sandbox options, allowing for varied gameplay experiences. Additionally, the ability to unlock weapons and helmets by completing challenges in the arena further enhances the incentive to replay.
- “I love that there is a campaign as well as sandbox options, which greatly enhance the game's replayability!”
- “I discovered while exploring the training area a collection of weapons and helmets that can be unlocked by completing different challenges in the arena, adding significant replay value to the game.”
- “I discovered upon exploring the training area a collection of weapons and helmets that can be unlocked by beating different challenges in the arena, which does give the game some replay value.”
- “After completing the main story, I found little incentive to replay the game, as the side quests felt repetitive and uninspired.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences in the gameplay makes it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect has led to disappointment among users, as they feel the combat experience does not live up to the expectations set by promotional materials.
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is highly praised, with reviewers noting that the musical score is very good and complements the overall aesthetic effectively.
- “The graphics are pretty nice, the art style is just right, and the musical score is very good.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a strong emotional connection to the game, often feeling intense heartbreak and vulnerability when faced with challenging scenarios, akin to the dramatic experiences of characters in epic films like "Gladiator."
- “I visualized myself like Russell Crowe in Gladiator, but eventually, when the first tiger or the first barbarian came towards me, I felt my heart breaking!”