Age of Gladiators Reforged

The bugs are horrible, sometimes assigning stat points doesn't register, but you still spend the skill point. Assigning boss perks to lower moral loss on small purses has the opposite effect, same with purse and bet sizes. I've ended up not using perks for this reason. Shame, I loved the original, it had a couple of bad bugs but at least it was functional.

[h3]RANKING:[/h3] [table] [tr] [td] [h3][strike]AVOID | FLAWED[/strike] | [b]MAYBE[/b] | [strike]WORTHWHILE | COMPELLING | UNMISSABLE [/strike] [/h3] [/td] [/tr] [/table] [h3]SYNOPSIS:[/h3] [table] [tr] [th][b]ASSESSMENT:[/b][/th] [/tr] [tr] [td] Age of Gladiators Reforged (AoGR) is an engaging game of gladiatorial themed management, requiring imagination to get the best out of it. Number crunching and wide if shallow strategy generates a short and repetitive game loop, with a clicker-like feel and stab of addictiveness. Its hard to tell what differences exist between this version and the 2016 release, without ever playing that version. AoGR is well polished though, but could do with expanding its existing features, adding a few more arenas and having the camp and fights represented by some more, nicely drawn 2D visuals. At this moment due to its limitations and no thrills production, AoGR rates a strong [b]MAYBE[/b] only. [/td] [/tr] [/table] [table] [tr] [td][b]STATUS:[/b][/td] [td]This seems a 'more' polished re-release/remake of the previous incarnation. Though some bugs since its release have been attended to, some minor ones persist. The dev remains active if slow to respond [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]APPEAL:[/b][/td] [td]It's attraction lies in bringing the management of a gladiator stable to life, albeit in a low tech. way. Anyone who played the original version will probably have already experienced most of what this version has to offer [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]VALUE:[/b][/td] [td]The full retail price is as fair as it is indicative of the game and its contents [/td] [/tr] [/table] [quote=]Key provided by the developer through my curator [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/40556040-The-Irregular-Gamer/][b]THE IRREGULAR GAMER[/b] [/url] | Click to follow and receive updates for reviews of a similar nature[/quote] [i]More info below....[/i] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3060840071 [h3]OBSERVATIONS:[/h3] ► AoGR's PREMISE does a fair job of simulating the management of a gladiator stable in the era of ancient Rome. Its primary focus is the strategy of selecting and customising fighters for fighting in the arena and the managing associated finances. ► The CAMPAIGN is short with the central aim of fighting in arenas across 4x regions to eventually reach the mighty Colosseum in Rome. At least there are two ways to approach this; the first, winning enough fights and earning enough gold. Alternatively by putting the 3x bosses arrayed against the player out of business, by killing all their fighters. ► The GUI can feel like studying a spreadsheet at times. Though it is well laid out and partitioned. The only real disappointment is the lack of 2D images or animations for certain features such as: a side on arena view of fights and a visual representation of the stable/camp. Additional visuals would make for a sweeter experience. ► Balancing FINANCES runs parallel to managing assets and resources. Ways of gaining gold can feel limited as it's mainly gained through winning and betting on fights. Betting against your own gladiator is a nice touch. Otherwise income comes from exhibition encounters or side missions which don't trigger nearly enough during a game. Being able to render staff services or sell equipment would have added a little extra to this feature. ► STABLE MANAGEMENT is a constant, if low key element that needs periodic attention only. The option of building a gilded cage or a tightly controlled prison regime allows at least two types of play style. This was another feature that could have done with some 2D visual treatment. More attributes to extend its influence across the game would have been welcome. ► STAFF management is too basic. Essentially a question of hiring and firing. They provide token feedback to certain actions taken by the player or add a % value to healing, repairing equipment or training depending on their role. Scouts are useful in that they provide pointers on hiring prospective fighters. Events that should affect staff are need to be added, a most basic one being deaths or retirement. ► CHARACTER LEVELLING is one of the mainstays of the game. It involves investing in your basic range of combat related stats with points earned from training and fighting in the arena. Enriching this is a well considered expertise system that gives fighters certain qualities that trigger events in combat. Flair, rage, blockers, dodging, killers and a handful or special traits add some much needed flavour to how players want to generate their stable of fighters. ► COMBAT makes use of an engaging if minimalistic auto-battling system, that describes key events of the fight with text. These are quite numerous and provide a considerable amount of flavour that creates a decent atmosphere. Could really do with a side-on animated 2D rendition of the fight. Lots more could be added to this central element; perhaps even the chance to bribe officials, to cause surprise events during combats. ► ARENA FIGHTS can lack enough frequency resulting in untold pressures on the stable's coffers. Even more peculiar is that only one gladiator can fight per day, as fights do not occur every day. It looks like this is a deliberate design decision. ► SIDE QUESTS are sorely under-utilised, but would bring much needed alleviation from the constant grind of planning for upcoming tournaments and levelling fighters. These just do not trigger near enough times during a game. ► Use of WEAPONS and ARMOUR is very simplistic. Seems strange that there is no indication as to which items are most efficient to use for a particular fighter. Bought from the MARKET which only supplies a basic selection. Unwanted items cannot be sold, only discarded. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3061154129 [h3]COMPLEXITY[/h3] 🔶 ACCESSIBILITY - Great game design and some good GUI layout will enable players to understand the game pretty sharply. It does have a short set of tutorials every time a new screen/window is opened at the beginning as well. It also holds some very thorough tooltips. 🔶 DIFFICULTY - Not difficult at all. Careful players should overcome the arenas pretty quickly. The only real tasks are acquiring the money to pass onto the next region without getting to bored of the grind and the repetitive gameplay. 🔶 BALANCE - Overall the mix of recruits, staff and enemy combatants to fight is quite generous towards the player. However, there aren't nearly enough fight events as there should be per month. Some months even when sponsoring have too few. By mid game its possible to have so much gold as to have more than will ever be needed. [h3]STAYING POWER[/h3] 🟨 REPLAY VALUE - The game could be replayed as it has numerous dynamic factors, but the heavy repetitive nature of gameplay affects it. More so given the lack of flavour providing events that could be included but sadly are not. 🟨 LONGEVITY - There is very little to warrant replaying the game for a second (or more) time(s). Perhaps if any achievements were missed. [h3]PRODUCTION:[/h3] 🟣 QUALITY - There were a few v. minor bugs, but most of the issues were QoL related. Some of these were features that did not feel expanded enough to meet their potential. ** SEE FULL REVIEW ** 🟣 STABILITY - No crashes experienced. 🟣 STEAM - Achievements. Cloud saving. No controller support. 🟣 OPTIMISATION - FPS fluctuates near 60FPS throughout the game. [table][tr] [td]For more [b]DETAILED INFO[/b] check out the:[/td] [td][h1][url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/TheIrregularGamer/discussions/0/3875970367306296195/]Full Review[/url][/h1][/td] [/tr][/table] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3060977529 [table] [tr] [td][b]REVIEWED WITH:[/b][/td] [td]Game Build v1.2.3 INTEL i5 6600 3.3GHz, 8GB RAM, GTX970 @ 1GB 1920x1080 windowed, EVO850 SSD, Speedlink XEOX Pro Analog Gamepad [/td] [/tr] [/table] [quote=]Thank you for reading[/quote]