Gladius
- July 11, 2003 00:00 AM PST
Console-RPG combat done with PC-RPG flair. Does it work?
When the average person hears the word "gladiator," two things generally come to mind: Russell Crowe and really weird fraternity initiations. LucasArts will attempt to do something about this with Gladius, an original combination of console-style RPG gameplay and PC-style theatrical realism.The Xbox and GameCube preview versions (the game will also hit the PS2 at the same time) revealed a game that, despite the gritty exterior, plays a lot like the arena sections in the Arc the Lad series. Instead of felling slothlings and having pointless conversations with villagers, though, you progress the story by fighting in tournaments, hiring recruits for your army, and gradually building your name as a warrior. Battles work like Arc's except with more tactical freedom�you can plan out your moves far in advance, and the local geography can also be used to your advantage.
