5 minute read
Blackthorn Arena
Blackthorn Arena A GLADIATOR’S HEAVEN Article By Rhys Boulton (@TheMumblinGamer)
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In video games, you probably managed a lot of different things from spaceships to prisons, but have you ever managed a gladiator arena? The right answer is no, but you might have wanted to now you can with Blackthorn. Developed by PersonaeGame Studios, a great name for a game studio! I must say. It’s the first game from the studio and for a first game, it’s great. The developer at PersonaeGame’s was also speaking to a professional writer to make sure that the story is enjoyable for players. It should be noted that the game is in early access currently, meaning that even though the game is enjoyable now, it should only get better with time. You play as a merchant which has bought one of the few remaining arenas in a land called the Freelands using all your money. The areas were ones known for its arenas but after the split of the seven kingdoms, only a few remain. The slaves and gladiators which once resided in the arena were either given their freedom or exiled from the land. There are only ten arenas that remain. A fractured shell of their former glory. You follow an heir of the old family arena; Blackthorn and with the purchase of this arena, you plan to restore glory and honour to your family name as they once had. The Blackthorn name had one of the most popular arenas’ around. People would come from all over the seven
kingdoms to watch the slaves fight humans and monsters alike. You seek to restore this fame that was lost after the split of the kingdoms. In a mythical world where monsters from Centaurs to Minotaurs and many more mythical beasts that your gladiators can fight and bring in the crowds from all around. One thing humans don’t like seeing, their kind losing to a beast-like Minotaurs. Keep that in mind when you are planning your next big event. The detail put into the game is great with the states of each slave you buy to change into a gladiator could impact you in the future. As when you train the slaves up to fight other gladiators from other arenas they could easily be defeated if you picked a weaker slave to fight for you. The game is in 3D, mostly set in different arenas as you are training and running your arena as well as giving orders to your gladiators within battles. This game has amazing depth for the studio’s first game which is in early access. The graphics in this game are amazing, especially considering that this is their first game. It makes you excited about what they will be doing in the future! A lot of effort has been put into this game with the detail of the many monsters which all look completely different and unique making the different fights feel fresh and not repetitive. Also, there are so many different details put into the gladiators look, states and weapons. They’ve made nearly 200 pieces of amor to customise your champion of the arena, so chooses wisely. Blackthorn is a management game at its core, but it doesn’t seem like any other management game out there. Simulating running a gladiator arena feels like something very new and fresh. The game has an RPG element as you must pick which slaves you want to train to become your new gladiator so make sure you pick the right one. Picking the wrong slave can become costly and if they die, you’ll have to pay for a replacement, and no one wants to spend more money on a gladiator than necessary. Although the game has a heavy focus on managing your arena, you’ll also be controlling the gladiators, so I really wouldn’t get attached to your gladiators as they are expendable while you aren’t. As you progress through the game, you’ll go through different arenas taking them back in the name of Blackthorn, but remember, it won’t be easy as the more you conquer, the higher the risk as the other arena owners will want your head. The only way you’ll conquer all ten arenas in the land of Freeland is to defeat all the champions of the many arenas and that won’t be a small task.
PersonaeGame Studios has put a lot of depth and attention for detail in the especially being such a small studio with a lot of attention to detail with the different weapon types from sword to axe. The attention to detail and time it must have taken to make 200 items different isn’t easy. There’re also 100 different combat skills to learn to build a unique fighter that caters to your choice as a boss when you're controlling your gladiators. You might even have to focus on certain skills on that certain slave due to personal strengths and weaknesses. The game mixes up RPG and strategy elements making this a very enjoyable game with a lot of variety in gameplay. One minute you can be training your gladiator, the next fighting an 8-foot Cyclops, this game ensures that you're never going to get bored. Make sure you do train because if one of your gladiators dies there’s no coming back. There is one bad thing about this game. But I do understand why they didn’t do this, and it is fair enough reason. It would have been good if you could have picked out of a couple of areas but it's understandable why they didn’t do that as it would take a lot of time to add this element and for a small company’s first game it is understandable. Maybe it could be added in the future in a sequel or even could happen through early access. This doesn’t take away the enjoyability as the depth put into the stats of every gladiator, weapon, armour makes the game fresh. A game you could easily put a lot of hours into and you wouldn’t regret a single second of it.
“The career of a gladiator is cruel and gory.”
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