The best out there right now.
GAMEPLAY: The gameplay is deceptively deep and invloving. The combination of using meter bars and button matching is well done and brings a nice change of pace to this genre. Gladius's gameplay is very addictive, as good games in this genre tend to be, and you'll easily spend over 80 - 90 hrs!! with it's gameplay. Now that, in anybodies book, is WOWSOME! I was going to rate it's gameplay at an 8.9 'great' score line but the fact that it's addictive quality will keep you come back for well over 100 hrs I had to give it a 'superb' rating of 9 but if online MP had been added it would have been and definate 10 as far as games in this genre go. The game does have MP (which is very good) but not online. The game does have an RPG like element to it - be it a very watered down element - and it's nice to see some thing different implemented in TBSs on consoles. It's a very nice touch. It has a story to it - actually two - has you get to play two different xracters on two different battle paths and they are both surprisingly done very well. I enjoyed the stories a lot. Other TBS story plots just seem to make me go "ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT GET ON WITH IT!" but this one was nice.
GRAPHICS: When judging this game with others in it's class I'll have to say it is the best looking hands down. The developers did some very incredible work with the, not just the graphics but, animations. This is a TBS game so don't expect to see jaw dropping animations but it's much better than any other games in it's class and as the game progress you'll notice more and more sweet little touches the developers have done with it. The battle arenas are very nicely done and varied, however, the crowd animations are very blah but hey, it's a TBS on a console so didn't really bother me but would love to see something better next time round.
SOUND:
Hey not much here but it's good. Has the game moves on you see the the music and voice overs get better and more varied but it's no MGS. It gets the job done. The voice acting in cutscenes are very good too.
VALUE:
I picked up this game for $10.00 and it's an obvious great deal. However, even if you picked this up for the regular price ( I think it was $39.99) It's still a great value game. I doubt you would regret buying this especially at the price it's at now.
REVIEWERS TILT:
When you play video games you want to be entertained and this game does that. The guys that worked on this game did an beautiful job and I would be truly disappointed if this was a one shot trick pony. It needs a sequel and I hope they bring it out on the PS3. If done on the PS2 again I would still definitly buy it. This is the best TBS game on the Playstation to date. It would be a sad thing indeed if the series ended here. I loved it and I'm sure you will too. If you're into TBSs this one's a no brainer. If you're not into TBSs but have thought of giving it a try then this game is the one to get your feet wet with.
Cheerio.