E3 2009 Preview
Is there such a thing as a
third-person fighting game? Most people don’t think of the genre in that way. We
play either 3D fighting games (those that let you move around the environment)
or 2D fighting games. There aren’t any "third-person" fighting games because,
once you get into that territory, the game often drops the fighting aspect for a
more traditional action game.
Gladiator A.D. breaks the mold by
being an over-the-shoulder fighting game. There is a 2D, side-by-side element to
the combat, as the camera shifts between views depending on what’s going on. But
the primary view is just behind the shoulder of your gladiator. It’s an
interesting perspective that’ll definitely change the way you look at fighting
games.
Obviously though, if the game itself
wasn’t any good, no one would care. Without going hands-on, the verdict on
Gladiator A.D. will have to wait. However, if the fun derived from watching
the game is indicative of the final product, we are in for one heck of a
fighting game.
At the end of each battle, you’ll
have the opportunity to finish (kill) or humiliate your opponent. The kill
animations are gorgeously grotesque; body parts are sliced off like a hot knife
running through butter. Then, after ruining his victim by crippling him forever,
your gladiator deals one final blow — one swift slice across the neck, removing
the loser’s head. Blood splatters everywhere. Memories of Mortal Kombat come to
mind, and you start to wonder how long it will be before you can perform these
finishing moves.
Killing is a necessary part of being
a gladiator. It shows who’s boss and ensures that your opponent will not be able
to return to fight another day. Unfortunately, the crowd may not see it that
way, so it is best to humiliate — and spare the life of — some AI opponents.
Humiliation moves are as simple as a kick to the groin. Painful and embarrassing
but not quite life-threatening (the guy on the receiving end of this attack
might disagree). But you have to wonder: if someone were to humiliate you in
front of hundreds of spectators, would you be able to walk away? Or would you
hold a grudge and want revenge? Some gladiators will want exactly that. They’ll
eventually track you down and challenge you to a rematch. Amusingly, opponents
that are defeated twice do not have to be killed. You can humiliate him once
more, which could lead to another rematch. After that, who knows? If he keeps
coming back, it’s probably time to end it once and for all.
