Gladius VR

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 206 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Gladius VR Game Cover
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"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.

  • PC
  • Virtual Reality
  • Windows
  • Oculus Quest
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 206 reviews
gameplay9 positive mentions
stability13 negative mentions
  • The game creates a great atmosphere, making players feel like real gladiators in an arena.
  • The combat can be fun and engaging, especially with friends, providing a good workout.
  • The developers are actively working on updates and improvements, showing commitment to enhancing the game.
  • The gameplay suffers from poor weapon handling and janky animations, leading to frustrating combat experiences.
  • There are numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with hit detection and weapons disappearing.
  • The game lacks polish compared to other VR titles, making it feel less immersive and more like a rough prototype.
  • gameplay36 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it horrendous due to poor mechanics and frustrating physics, while others appreciate the satisfactory melee combat and recent improvements in animations. Despite its potential, many feel that the game lacks polish and engaging mechanics, leading to a boring experience overall. However, recent updates have made strides in enhancing the gameplay, making it more enjoyable for some players.

    • “The attention to detail in its gameplay is amazing compared to other melee-focused games.”
    • “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 (+ has a bow & arrow part as well!).”
    • “The gameplay is pretty horrendous.”
    • “This is a horrible mechanic and has caused me many times to grab for a weapon while moving, only to see it suspended in mid-air a few steps away (while I'm being stabbed/smashed in the face, mind you) because I forgot to jiggle my hand a bit.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics18 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the art style and detailed textures, particularly on high-end hardware, while others find them merely decent or lacking polish in certain areas. Overall, the visuals are considered good for a budget title, but some players feel that the gameplay does not fully complement the graphical quality.

    • “I did not realize how much better the graphics and gameplay would be here!”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
  • story14 mentions

    The game's story is described as having potential but currently suffers from a lack of polish and coherence, with some missions feeling janky and incomplete. While players appreciate the immersive gladiator experience and the promise of future content, they note that the narrative elements are underdeveloped, particularly in the "colosseum" missions. Overall, the game offers a fun experience but requires further refinement to elevate its storytelling.

    • “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.”
    • “Collosseum: a set of cinematic missions, each harder than the other.”
    • “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.”
  • stability13 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting numerous glitches and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, such as freezing screens and wonky animations. However, some users note that these issues 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.”
    • “It just looked too early in development to be good, with wonky animations and lots of glitches.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The game is praised for its immersive and believable atmosphere, effectively capturing a Roman setting with a strong sense of place. Players appreciate the variety of enemies and weapons, as well as the central hub concept, which enhances the overall experience. However, some note that while the atmosphere is compelling, the unrealistic combat mechanics can detract from the immersion.

    • “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 game undoubtedly has atmosphere and a great sense of place and feel, but the unrealistic fighting, the core of the game, brings it back to earth.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    The optimization of the game receives mixed reviews; while some players praise its smooth VR performance and the noticeable impact of equipment upgrades on gameplay, others report significant performance issues that render the game unplayable, leading to refunds. Overall, the experience seems to vary greatly depending on individual hardware capabilities.

    • “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.”
    • “Also runs much better than most games I've played performance-wise.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of combat to be tedious, particularly due to movement mechanics that hinder effective engagement with enemies. Issues such as the inability to adjust character height and the frustrating behavior of archers contribute to a less satisfying experience, although some improvements were noted with alternative movement options like sprinting. Overall, there is a strong desire for adjustments to enhance combat fluidity and enjoyment.

    • “I would very much like to see an option to make the movement system follow the HMD, rather than the trackpad, because it makes the combat a bit tedious when either trying to bash/stagger the enemy with a shield or swing at them with a weapon in my left hand while trying to strafe or charge at them.”
    • “I like the ability to hold the weapons in a stabbing position, though again, with the movement system, it makes that tedious and just very unsatisfying.”
    • “Please...please add an option to scale my character's height. I'm kind of short for my age, and not being able to scale my character's height to the average adult height, which the enemies seem to be scaled to, makes the combat even more tedious.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely derived from its amusing bugs, which tend to be more entertaining than frustrating, creating a "so bad it's good" experience. Players find moments of unexpected hilarity, such as weapons flying off during combat, adding to the game's charm despite its broken feel.

    • “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.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    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 replay value.

    • “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 since the side quests felt repetitive and uninspired.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences in the gameplay makes it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect has led to disappointment among users, as they feel the combat experience does not live up to the expectations set by the advertisements, suggesting a disconnect between promotional content and actual gameplay.

  • music1 mentions

    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.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players report a deep emotional connection to the game, often feeling intense vulnerability and heartbreak 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!”
    • “The story's depth made me feel a range of emotions, from joy to sorrow, and I found myself truly invested in the characters' journeys.”
    • “Every choice I made had weight, and the emotional consequences left me reflecting on my decisions long after I finished playing.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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