Gladiatorial combat isa highly thematic part of historythat’s frequently used in creative media, most notably in films such asGladiator. Video games have also attempted to take multiple stabs at the theme over the years, including old games such asShadow Of Romeand even science-fiction takes such asRatchet: Gladiator.
Unfortunately, there haven’t been many stand-out gladiator games that have stood the test of time. Despite this, however, the gladiator theme has yet to die out. From visceral experiences such asWe Who Are About To Dieand fantasy games likeGladiator Guild Manager, all the way to VR games likeGORN, these are just a few excellent examples of gladiator-themed video games.
7Gladiator Guild Manager
Fantasy-Themed Gladiatorial Auto-Battler
Gladiator Guild Managertasks players with managing a roster of gladiators in brutal, bloody battles. Each of these fightstakes place in real time, with the ins-and-outs of battle happening automatically, as with allgames in the auto-battler genre. This results in an accessible but strategic experience that’s all about risk and reward, as well as efficient management.
There are all kinds of gladiators for players to hire, expanding their team as they progress through the game. The fantasy setting and theme allow for a wide variety of classes, which results in diverse fights across the game’s array of gladiatorial tournaments.
6Swords And Sandals: Immortals
Humorous Turn-Based Arena Battles
With roots inthe golden era of Flash games,Swords And Sandalsis a series of gladiator games known by many. The gameplay loop of these titles, while simple, is tremendously accessible and frequently addictive. The latest addition,Swords And Sandals: Immortals, is a great modernization of the classic series.
The gameplay mostly consists of players engaging in turn-based battles, choosing moves from a wheel of available options. The gladiator customization is also surprisingly deep, allowing players to customize not only their appearance but their starting stats. Furthermore, players can choose from a variety of classes, greatly impacting how their gladiator will perform in certain situations.
5Space Gladiators
Gladiator-Themed Roguelike… In Space!
Thisscience-fiction roguelikefeatures a hand-drawn aesthetic and overall style, developed by Blobfish, the developer behindBrotato.Space Gladiatorsputs players in the shoes of a space gladiator, battling enemies for the entertainment of aliens, who can frequently be seen cheering along in the background.
The game’s combat is weighty, revolving around dashing, attacking, and managing energy that can be used for abilities. Each run is also broken up by a variety of challenging arenas, which emphasize the gladiator theme.
4Mortal Glory 2
Turn-Based Tactics In Fantasy Arenas
This tactical roguelike puts players in control of a team of fantasy gladiators, each with their own unique abilities. The game’s grid-basedcombat is consistently tactical, and environmental hazards ensure players are kept on their toes at all times.
Mortal Glory 2gives players a great deal of customization over their party on each run, allowing them to equip characters with unique items and abilities, upgrading their stats along the way. Despite being a small-scale indie game,Mortal Glory 2’sroguelike structure and variety of fantasy races provides plenty of replay value for the relatively low asking price.
Clone Drone In The Danger Zoneis a science fiction gladiator game with avoxel-based art-styleand a variety of ways to play. The game features a story mode, an endless mode, and a variety of fun challenges to play through. Furthermore, the game evenfeatures a level editor.
The hack-and-slash combat ofClone Drone In The Danger Zoneis frequently satisfying, as each enemy robot — as well as the players themselves — can be dismembered. The game also features a variety of ways for players to upgrade their robot, resulting in a strategic and highly replayable hack-and-slash experience.
2GORN
Brutally Violent, Physics-Based VR Arena
Thisgreat VR gamefeatures brutal, bloody combat with a cartoon aesthetic that makes things feel a little more lighthearted than they otherwise would.GORN, published by Devolver Digital, is no more — and no less — than a gladiator simulator, delivering a visceral gladiatorial experience for VR.
GORN’scombat is driven by heavily simulated physics, resulting in a system that’s inherently weighty and satisfying to engage with. The game’s variety of weapons also help to keep things fresh for a good while before the violent monotony of its loop kicks in.
This action-packed roguelike puts players in the shoes of a gladiator, taking part in brutal and unforgiving battles with skilled combatants.We Who Are About To Dieuses a physics-based combat system that’s relatively tricky and hard to learn, but it can be rewarding for players that persevere through its initially rough difficulty curve.
We Who Are About To Diealso features permanent death, meaning that dying sends players back to the very start. However, the elements of random generation, variety of character backgrounds, deep career management, and modular equipment system result in an experience with a high amount of replay value.
