FlashStash

Anyone have it yet? I want to do a swap for one of my Toys R Us deal games.

FS

FlashStash

Alright, I'll offer my impressions!

I'd definitely recommend this for fans of FFT and Diseaga...it's a turned based strategy game set in arenas. There are many different battles to fight, I just completed all of the battles in the first city. Combat is done with a golf-game type 'swing system'; if you stop the cursor in the 'sweet spot' you are awarded extra damage. There are different types of swing meters for combo attacks, long range attacks, and skills (spells basically). As you gain experience, you get skill points which allow you to add new abilities to your characters. There are more skills than you will ever get skill points for, so you need to plan how you wish to upgrade each character.

The reviews are all over the map on this one, the lower scores seem to complain about the AI moving slowly and slow load times, but I'm not noticing either with the X-box version.

I'll be glad to answer any questions anyone has!

FS

Static Cling

Maybe video games are the way that we can unite conservatives and liberals in this deeply divisive time. It'd probably devolve into console-bashing, though.

Here's a cut-and-paste from a post of mine on another site:

I just got the Nordagh regional championship (the first one)... the actual championship fight was a freakin' breeze (3 Level 3's-4's) compared to other ones on the way to the championship. I'm really enjoying the game so far, although I don't know how I'll feel as I near the end of the game. The ways you can refit your party and each individual (including their stylish clothing) keep it fresh, though.

And I find that the swing meters keep me more involved in the battles... if I do it right, my characters deal out huge amounts of damage. But if they screw up, it's probably because I screwed up. That's more engaging to me than clicking "attack" and waiting to see what the computer churns up. "Miss?! You cheating son of a bitch!"

I turned off the vibration during battles, though... seems like there's only one reason it's used for, and that's to shake the hell out of your hands when you get hit. Thanks, I see it on the screen.

And sometimes I wish the AI would move it along sometimes. I was fighting a team of four in that "tree" arena in which you have to take a ramp up to the upper level of the arena. Half the team was satyrs who hung back by their monument. From the beginning of the match up until the time I ran them through, they both kept on using the "crowd pleaser." Over and over again. "Watch me dawnce, watch me dance!" (He changes accents halfway through.) The same "watch me drink and make a stupid expression" animation. OVER AND OVER AGAIN. It felt so good to kill them. Having a way to skip certain animations during battles would've been good. But overall, the actions and animations of the opponents are much more varied than that one battle.

FlashStash

Hehehe, well I have all 3 consoles, and never have felt theneed to console-bash, so we may have found the middle ground!

I haven't gotten to the "tree arena" you described, but it reminded me of a battle I fought when I was fighting these four female spellcasters and they kept casting the "steal" spell on each other and the crowd reaction kept going up...I'm thinking "Don't cheer, they're screwing over each other!"..I just moved to the second town and fought a couple of the battes against the wolves, and I have to admit I felt a bit uneasy as I'm hacking up these starved dogs and listening to them yelp with each blow...must be the bleeding heart liberal in me

FS

Groucho

I picked this up as part of the Toys R Us deal (Xbox Version). I'm really quite impressed. They've improved the battle interface quite a bit since the demo, and there's a lot to do.

My only complaint is that everything is a bit overwhelming, and there's a lot of micromanagment, especially as you build up your school. But so far, I'm really enjoying myself overall.

BigDave

I'll be picking Gladius up this evening. I'm glad to see that people are enjoying it. I was worried a bit from the reviews that are out there.

Static Cling

I'm kind of glad that they didn't expose us to every single unit, piece of weaponry, and affinity all at once. There was enough crap to deal with in Nordagh.
Yeah, the yelps are kind of unsettling.

Hey, kvrdave would love this game, wouldn't he?

I like getting two wolves to gang up on a target and using their pack attack... when one wolf scores a critical, every other wolf adjacent to the target gets a free hit. Pack Attack 2 (or whatever it's called) gives every adjacent wolf a free hit on every hit, critical or not... can't wait for that.

Groucho

While the reviews aren't terrible, I think that this game is being underrated. I think it may be that console reviewers are more accustomed to linear strategy games? Just a guess.

BTW, this game has a great in-game FAQ. Surprising to see in a console game, that's for sure.

Josh H

I think that's it exactly. It's not a game most console-only gamers are going to dig. It's a shame professional reviewers are bashing it for that reason if it is the case. They should review it for what it is, a slow, methodical strategy game, not giving it lower scores because that's not their cup of tea (nor mine).

nickdawgy

I thought about getting this. How is the replay value?

Static Cling

Good luck on finding someone who has already beaten this long-ass game. We'll let you know in a few months.

To me, the strategy, not the story, is why I'm playing. Yeah, Dark Lord this, brother and sister that, whatever. That's nice, but I'm playing because I like the gameplay. The gameplay might get tiring after a while, but they're thrown in so many customization options that it might not be for a long while.

nickdawgy

So you'd recommend it then?



If so, I might pick it up either today, or tomorrow when I pick up True Crime

Static Cling

Yeah, especially if you're trading in from the buy 2, get 1 free deal. You sure as heck won't finish it in one weekend.

Do Samnites really suck? I picked one up thinking that he was going to be my super-badass Heavy, but he's so freaking slow that he barely has time to do anything but die. They can bulldoze people and push them off their squares, but other than that, I don't see a redeeming value. Centurions seem to be a lot better.

nickdawgy

So I picked up a copy earlier, and tried it out. So far, I am not really impressed. Everything does seem very overwhelming, and I am lost in all the options and such. I just earned my talisman or whatever, so I have no idea what comes next, or what to do for that matter. As of now, I am regretting picking this game up, but I hope it gets better. Otherwise this one will out the door.

FlashStash

Did you play through each of the tutorial lessons? Yes, it can be a bit overwhelming if you've never played this style of game before. It's kind of like a chess game where you can choose and customize each piece individually.

One minor annoying thing, when you're placing your men in the arena, it would be nice if you could see the stats of the guy you are placing and your opponents when you pass over their arrow on the battlefield. I know you can click a button to see these stats, but it would be SO much easier placing the appropriate characters next to your opponents if this just appeared automatically.

FS

Giantrobo

FlashStash, based on your review I think I'll pick this one up.

Thanks

FlashStash

I don't know if I want the pressure!

Hope you like it!

FS

Static Cling

Give it time. Before each battle, an "Ask Usus" (he's your advisor) screen comes up with a frequently asked question and answer. I've learned plenty from just those screens alone.

You could also run through the tutorial again, or consult the FAQ in-game (it's an option in Orin's School, from the main menu of each town, right before you leave to the world map or right as you enter the town).

Basically, now that you have the regional talisman, you can travel around the region that you're in (Nordagh, if you're playing the barbarian woman character) to different cities. Each city has a tournament that you have to win... to qualify for each city tournament, you have to win league battles in that city. Once you win all the city tournaments in your region, the championship for the entire region unlocks. Win that regional championship, and you can progress to the next region.

I was lost for a while when I started playing, too. Just keep fighting the league battles that you qualify for (be sure to check the requirements of each battle... you might have to hire other gladiators) in each town, and you'll eventually get an idea of the "bigger picture."

Oh, and I just wanted to say that I love my polar bear. With the innate Raging Bear skill, he gets to counterattack each time someone strikes him, even in a Combo.

xmiyux

This game is beginning to sound more and more intriguing. Perhaps i'll see if i can find someone or someplace i can trade Knights of the Old Republic for it. Hrm, i do love a good turn based strategy game.

Is it comparable at all the the likes of Final Fantasy Tactics as a turn-based-strategy console game?

Groucho

Very much so. The big difference is that is an arcade element: when you do an attack, there is a timed meter where you have to hit the button as a little line travels down the bar. Like a golf game. That's just the basic attack. The more complicated the attack, the more complicated the little "mini-game" is to get it to fire off. Note that you can turn this element off if you want.

FlashStash

I'd say for the basics, yes, it is comparable...

OK, here's another "Doh!" moment in the game. I was upgrading a characters skills and purchased "Combo attack 2" and then I'm thinking, "Wait a minute, didn't I buy this for some other characters? Why don't I ever see it as an option in battles?" I forgot then when in battle selecting your moves, you have to scroll down on "Combo attack 1" to see "Combo attack 2"....DOH!

FS

xmiyux

This game is sounding more and more intriguing. When i first heard about it i was interested but some of the movies and the bad reviews scared me off. Perhaps i'll find it to rent this weekend and give it a shot.... squeeze in a little Gladius time between my hours playing the new Morrowind GOTY.

Static Cling

Hey, I actually completed a side quest today.

nickdawgy

I am probably going to get rid of this game after all. I should have kept the $53 credit Toys R Us gave me and not bought it, but I figured I'd try it out. I just put it up on eBay, maybe someone who likes it more then me will be happy with it

flashburn

Hey nickdawgy,
Just curious, what did you not like about it?