Logged in the PSN store to check the weekly update; VLR is free for Vita; so when I get a Vita in like 5 years I'll be able to play that for free! Hurray. Anyway this game was plastered all over the store and is a free to play fighting game I guess? I'm hoping it'll be as awesomely bad as Deadliest Warrior, but was curious if anyone had checked it out yet to confirm these suspicions.

A fighting game based on the STARZ TV show. What could possibly go wrong?

Apparently it is broken right now because you cant recruit anyone. The devs are working on a fix.

@mr_misery: Bummer, gonna download it in anticipation then.

@turkalurch: and your gladiator can die if the person you're fighting online rage quits.

@mr_misery: damn, that's unfortunate. Hopefully they change that, seems like that could be abused a little too much.

Speaking of things that don't make sense...

The Spartacus board game.

It's -really- good.

Hmmm this game actually seems vaguely well made, also the loading screen tips are pretty sweet: "The Ludus is but pregnant whore. See her fed and she will split open with champions." Combat seems to be somewhere between shallow and deep but it does have a pretty nifty camera angle and lack of overly garish UI; music is not bad as well.

I did have an online match that was close but neither side quit out so it wound up working out okay, guess I'll just stick to offline for the time being. My gladiator's name is "Ernust" which is probably the best name possible, Ernust goes to the Coliseum!

The devs have said the bugs are only affecting the PS3 version because Sony released an early build of the game. I guess I'll delete it and wait for the right game to be released. I'm getting these updates from their Facebook.

http://www.giantbomb.com/shadow-of-rome/3030-5704/

If it is anything like Shadows of Rome as far as raw combat, with it's simple but complex battle system (kinda like Dark Souls)I am pretty much sold, but I am going to wait for some coverage, hopefully a Quicklook .

They fixed the PS3 version. If you have the recruit glitch, delete the game a redownload it from the store. Other than that headache I think this game is really fun especially if you love the show.

You can get Uplay points from playing this which are occasionally useful in random Ubisoft games, and also the Uplay rewards for this game are insanely broken, even more broken then the stuff you have to pay for.

Pretty decent actually. Online a a bit laggy, but hopefully that will sort itself out. Waiting to recruit a hammer dude, this sword and shield bullshit is cramping my style.

Dual daggers is my favourite style so far. However, the Australian version of the game is censored (no blood spray or executions) despite having an R18+ rating for "High impact bloody violence" so there may have been a mistake when uploading the file to the Xbox Live Marketplace.

looks cool. im gonna dl it in the next couple days, ill let you duders know how it goes.

Personally I think it is a shame it is a free to play game, as the constant server checking and pausing while switching menus really drags the fun down.

It seems like the Deadliest Warrior game done slightly less comically. I am never going to buy 'gold' in this, but I probably would have paid $10 - 15 for some dumb gladiator fighting if they could smooth out the experience.

The multiplayer is just unplayable where I am. Completely laggy. I got into my first game and a guy was repeatedly grabbing me and chest stabbing me despite me not blocking at all. Second match and a guy with a trident was mashing X and hitting me from all the way across the stage.

Single player is pretty fun though. The executions are absolutely savage if you can get them.

I am actually super surprised with this game. It's not bad, and the idea of permadeath if you do really really bad is kinda cool. I couldn't find any multipler matches when i tried though. Also two handed sword is OP.

@betadave1877: Two handed sword is slightly OP, but fuck me the Trident is absurd. Can't do anything about it.

Now they seemed to have cleaned up the server side, at least from the matches I've played it plays kinda cool. My main gladiator just the crowd cheering when his arm was cut off, so 400 silver later I'm now rocking a savage looking swordsman.

I'd still have preferred to pay money for it and not rely on their service, but hey ho.

Enjoying the game, but I can't ANYONE on XLBA. I have had 4 fights in two days. The rest of the time it just sits in queue and never finds a match. Anyone have this problem? Other than that, it's fun. I have two fighters with different styles (sword/shield, and Two-Handed Sword). The Two-Handed Sword seems overpowering in early matches. I have dominated CPU fighters 20 levels above my fighter and crushed the one XBLA I got to face. I look forward to see what this can become if anyone else plays it. I hope they add the ability to see other matches. I'd love to see high level matches with the threat of perma-death on the line... Oh, yea that would be Xbox One's Twitch TV functionality. Well, I hope that add something like that for the 360 too.

@electricgypsy72: Most people are avoiding playing online at the moment because of a bug that penalizes both players when one rage quits instead of just the player that is in the wrong causing legit players to lose their gladiators.

Yea I started playing this the other day when it launched. Haven't played it since but I'm redownloading for the fixed version. It's pretty darn good. Brutal as hell. Can't wait to play some more with the fixed version.

I was surprised at how good this game is. I was expecting a mess. Not sure how this is a free to play game, and Motorbike is a $15.

I'm shocked that this game is as good as it is. It's janky but it is free. One issue I'm having is sync in online matches, I'll look like I'm landing hits but nothing is happening to the other model, anyone else or is it just comcast internet failing?

For a free game it holds up pretty well, and it relatively well. The scaling on some of the enemies is a bit absurd as I quickly went from pretty easy to mind-numbingly hard the minute you run into the first boss.

I think I'm at the point where they want me to pay money to speed things up, or else I'm in for a long grind for money and fame to get equipment that might even the odds a little.

I actually do like this. Even cooler for the devs to send players a gift for trying the game upon release.

I... I... I really like this game, you guys. It's pretty great. I ALMOST beat that Spartan boss in the second area, but he came back and killed my double sword guy. Now I'm sad...

If a Legendary gladiator dies you don't get the option to revive them. Instead, you have to re-purchase them for their original price when they show up in the recruitment pool.

Just a heads up for anyone planning on getting a Legend with gold.

I want a Quick Look Redux with Vinny at the helm, I am sry that video was harsh as hell that they put up.

My impressions (PS3):

- So this game eventually becomes a pay to win once you unlock blues at lvl 15-16 which can ONLY be purchased with gold.

- Online is touch and go, had a mix of laggy fights and decent fights.

- Game is pretty shallow with zero story.

- Once you 100% each zone (defeating each Boss), the game just resets all the previously defeated areas with no variation and levels them up.

- Not bad for a free game but I'd gladly pay some money for a more worthwhile experience.

- Hammer special move (X + Square) is bugged with invulnerability frames where your attack will hit without you taking damage. Good way to cheese Bosses early on. (For the record I beat Krixus, Spartacus, and Oenomaus legit with the Long Spear).

Playing the game now. It's a bit shitty. What I really hate are the constant splash screens for "Spartacus Legends" just for switching to a different sub-menu.