Gladius goes gold

LucasArts gladiatorial RPG Gladius has gone gold, and will be available on PS2, Cube and Xbox in Europe from November 21st.

Since it's possible you haven't been paying attention (those other gladiatorial titles probably didn't help), Gladius follows the "grand saga" of young would-be heroes Ursula and Valens as they recruit a team of warriors from 16 classes - ranging from Imperial Legionary to the witches of the Galdr class - to fight in the coliseum. But rather than just hacking and slashing with a few faceless Romans biting at their heels, Ursula and Valens will have to develop and manage their little troop, building up experience and learning new skills before entering the lion's den.

LucasArts estimates there are over 30 hours of play in each of the game's two storylines, with some 20 battle arenas and 12 further locations. Combat relies upon an interesting-sounding arcade swing meter, which "enhances the power of attacks" (how nondescript), and successful battles will be celebrated with certificates and the approval of the Emperor. In short, Gladius looks set to keep players busy, and there should be more than a hundred customisable character types to unlock with over 400 weapons, helmets, shields and other accessories for ancient Barbie fans to tinker with.

In addition to the single player game, Gladius also features various multiplayer options, including a four-player cooperative mode, and, like all the best RPGs, players will be able to carry on building characters and exploring the game's four main territories long after the final battle.

We'll be bringing you our verdict on Gladius closer to the game's November 21st release.