Deadliest Warrior: The Game

Overview

Deadliest Warrior: The Game is a 3D fighting game developed and published by Pipeworks for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation 3 via PlayStation Network. It's based on the Spike TV show Deadliest Warrior, where information on historical or modern weaponry are used to determine which of two warriors is the "deadliest". The game focuses primarily on historical warriors and weaponry from the first season. The game was released for the Xbox Live Arcade on July 14, 2010, at the price of 800 msp ($10), and then for the PlayStation Network on October 5, 2010 for $10. The sequel, Deadliest Warrior: Legends, was released a year later, focusing on specific individuals (such as Vlad the Impaler and Alexander the Great) while including new game modes and mechanics. Having a save file of this game grants you extra weapons in Deadliest Warrior: Legends.
 
The game comes with eight characters and five stages (with the Fight Lab from the show being an unlockable stage). Each character comes with three weapons (short-ranged, mid-ranged, and long-ranged) and an armor set, each with alternate weapons/armor that must be unlocked via the arcade mode. A downloadable content pack, sold for $5 (400 msp), was released for the PlayStation Network on February 22, 2011 and the Xbox Live Marketplace on February 24, 2011. This pack includes three new characters, each with new weapons and armor, a new game mode (Skirmish Mode), new taunts for all characters, and the inclusion of a replay system. (A free version of this pack was available, so players without the pack can fight against the new characters online).
 
The Xbox Live Arcade version contains two unlockable avatar awards:

• Samurai Outfit - Complete any fighter's campaign.
• Samurai Helmet - Complete all fighters' campaigns on the Deadliest difficulty.

The Xbox Live Marketplace also sells costumes (helmets, armor, and both) and shield props for avatars related to other characters from the game, including the alternate versions of the Knight and the Samurai.

Gameplay

Similar to the Bushido Blade franchise, the length of fights in this game can be short (due to the great damage done by most attacks) or long (due to the freedom of movement around the stage).
 

The control scheme uses three buttons for melee attack (high, mid, and low), one button for projectile attacks, one button for a "signature move" attack (such as a shield bash or a crouched horizontal slice), one button for switching melee weapons (between short-ranged and mid-ranged), and one button for taunting. The left control stick moves the fighter around the arena while the right control stick is used for a quick dodge maneuver. The left and right triggers are used to block.
 
The core melee of this game revolves around stringing combos of two-to-four melee attacks. By combining blocking and the right melee button (mimicking the opponent's attack button) at the right time causes the player to parry. Each player has a "stamina bar" along with their health bar which depletes while guarding and attacking. Attempting to attack with a depleted stamina bar causes the attack to be slow and open for counter-attack. Blocking or parrying with a depleted stamina bar causes a guard break, which leaves you open for counter-attacks.
 
Certain attacks, if landed on an enemy, can hinder their movement, reduce their attack and defense capabilities, or can instantly kill them. Fighters who lose an arm can still fight (similar to Time Killers and BloodStorm), however they slowly bleed out. Each fighter also has a unique finishing move animation, similar to fatalities from the Mortal Kombat franchise. These "finishing blows" are done by doing the character's special weapon attack (a two-button combination) when the opponent is at critical health.
 

Game Modes

The game features a traditional arcade mode, where the player must defeat all eight warriors in succession. This is the only mode that allows you to unlock the alternate weapons and armor for each character. After the second battle, you play a minigame called "Target", where you must cut down pig carcasses from hooks. If you succeed, you unlock the alternate short-ranged weapon. The fifth battle is always a mirror match, and winning that earns you the alternate armor set. After the seventh battle, you play another minigame called "Slice", which is a short fight where each hit can result in the loss of a limb. If you succeed, you unlock the alternate mid-ranged weapon. Beating the game with that character unlocks its alternate long-ranged weapon.
 

After beating the game with all characters, you unlock Challenge mode, which is a set of special modes. The "Target" and "Slice" modes are selectable, as well as both a survival mode and a unique mix of survival mode and "Slice". (called "Survival Slice") After beating ten opponents in survival mode, you unlock the Fight Lab stage.
 
The game also features both local and online multiplayer modes, including an online asynchronous tournament mode (in similar vein to Street Fighter IV's championship mode). Both ranked and tournament matches attribute to a "battle rating" system for each gamertag similar to the Elo rating system. (most commonly used in chess)

Deadliest Warrior: The Game also features cheat codes, which is done from the title screen, that change major gameplay mechanics in any offline game mode (and cannot be used online or to get achievements and unlockables). These include God Mode for either player (which gives them infinite life and resistance to dismemberments), Sudden Death Mode (in which both players start with critical health), Slice Mode (similar to the "Slice" and "Survival Slice" challenge modes, where each hit has a very high chance of dismemberment), and a unique Zombie Mode, where players have infinite life and can survive decapitations and most dismemberments (the only way to win is to amputate both legs). These cheats can be combined, creating unique experiences such as Zombie Slice Mode.

Characters

The eight characters included in the game are from season one of the TV show with the exception of the Roman Centurion (which is season two). The roster is split into three categories: Champion, Guerilla, and Berserker. Champions are well-armored and have a good balance of offense and defense. Guerillas and Berserkers are unarmored and rely either on rapid attacks (Berserkers) or evasive maneuvers (Guerillas).
 
After online polls on Spike TV's official website to help determine which warriors might show up as Downloadable Content (which included the Aztec Jaguar, Zande, Rajput, Shaolin Monk, Persian Immortal, Gladiator, Maori, and the Celtic Warrior, as well as specific warriors like William Wallace, Attila the Hun, Sun Tzu, and Vlad the Impaler), they released three warriors for $5 (400 msp) on February 22, 2011 for the PlayStation Network version and February 24, 2011 for the Xbox Live Arcade version: Shaolin Monk, Zande Warrior, and Rajput.
 

Apache

Warrior Type: Guerilla

Short-ranged Weapons:

• Stone War Knife
• Iron War Knife
  

Mid-ranged Weapons:

• Iron Blade Tomahawks
• Horse Jaw Tomahawks
  

Long-ranged Weapons:

• Bow (Iron Arrows)
• Bow (Poisoned Arrows)
  

Special Weapon:

• War Club

Armor Types:

• Hand Paint
• War Paint
  

 

Centurion

Warrior Type: Champion

Short-ranged Weapons:

• Gladius
• Spatha
  

Mid-ranged Weapons: 

• Lancea
• Hasta

Long-ranged Weapons:

• Plumbata
• Pilum
  

Special Weapon:  

• Falx

Armor Types:

• Lorica Segmentata
• Lorica Hamata
  

 

Knight

Warrior Type: Champion

Short-ranged Weapons:

• Broadsword
• Mace
  

Mid-ranged Weapons:

• Poleaxe
• Halberd
  

Long-ranged Weapons:

• Light Crossbow
• Heavy Crossbow
  

Special Weapon:  

• Morning Star

Armor Types:

• Maximillian Fullplate
• Coat of Plates
  

 

Ninja

Warrior Type: Guerilla

Short-ranged Weapons:

• Ninjato
• Wakizashi
  

Mid-ranged Weapons:

• Kusarigama
• Kyoketsu Shogi
  

Long-ranged Weapons:

• Shuriken
• Blow Gun

Special Weapon: 

• Black Egg

Armor Types:

• Shinobi Shozoku
• Tatami-Do
  

  

Pirate

Warrior Type: Berserker

Short-ranged Weapons:

• Cutlass
• Dagger
  

Mid-ranged Weapons:

• Boarding Pike
• Pike
  

Long-ranged Weapons:

• Flintlock Pistol
• Blunderbuss
  

Special Weapon:  

• Grenado

 Armor Types:

• Leather Coat
• Privateer Jacket
  

Rajput (DLC)

Warrior Type: Berserker

Short-ranged Weapons: 

• Khanda
• Gruj

Mid-ranged Weapons: 

• Tabar
• Bhuj

Long-ranged Weapons: 

• Chakram
• Quoit

Special Weapon: 

• Katar

Armor Types: 

• Coat of 10,000 Nails
• Chahar-Aina

Samurai

Warrior Type: Champion

Short-ranged Weapons:

• Katana
  
• Nodachi
  

Mid-ranged Weapons:

• Yari
• Naginata
  

Long-ranged Weapons:

• Yumi (Hankyu)
• Yumi (Daikyu)
  

Special Weapon:  

• Kanabo

 Armor Types:

• Do-maru Armor
• Nimaido Armor
  

 

Shaolin Monk (DLC)

Warrior Type: Guerilla

Short-ranged Weapons: 

• Jian
• Dao

Mid-ranged Weapons: 

• Hook Swords
• Chicken Sickles

Long-ranged Weapons 

• Flying Knife
• Sleeve Arrow

Special Weapon:  

• Emei Piercers

Armor Types:

• Monk Robes
• Buddhist Robes

Spartan

Warrior Type: Champion

Short-ranged Weapons:

• Xiphos
• Xyele
  

Mid-ranged Weapons:

• Dory
• Sarissa
  

Long-ranged Weapons:

• Light Javelin
• Heavy Javelin
  

Special Weapon:  

• Falcata

 Armor Types:

• Bronze Cuirass
• Linothorax
  

  

Viking

Warrior Type: Berserker

Short-ranged Weapons:

• Viking Longsword
• Skeggox
  

Mid-ranged Weapons:

• Viking Great Axe
• Atgeir
  

Long-ranged Weapons:

• Spear
• Double Spear Throw
  

Special Weapon:  

• Langsax

Armor Types:

• Chainmail
• Lamellar Armor

 

Zande Warrior (DLC)

Warrior Type: Guerilla

Short-ranged Weapons: 

• Makraka
• Zande Fighting Knife

Mid-ranged Weapons: 

• Light Makrigga
• Heavy Makrigga

Long-ranged Weapons 

• Kpinga
• Botto and Pima

Special Weapon:  

• Zande Sword

Armor Types: 

• Zande Battle Wear
• Ceremonial Headress