Shadow of Rome

Capcoms Keiji Inafune knows action hes the man behind Mega Mans energy blasts and Samanosukes (you know, the Onimusha guy) swordstrokes but what does he know about history? Prepare for an interactive field trip: Inafunes next PlayStation 2 game, Shadow of Rome, kicks it really old-school, as in ancient Rome with heroic gladiators, epic violence, and, well, lots of togas.

Why gladiators? Inafune answers, What defines an action game is one person fighting another. With gladiators, this actually was a game for them the gladiators were really the first models for an action game. At its core, Shadow of Rome offers intense 3D action/adventure gameplay not too far removed from that of Onimusha. Youll brandish fine Roman steel rather than samurai swords, but youll still spill tons of gore as you slice limbs (and even hindquarters) off your enemies.

Besides straightforward arm-chopping combat, Agrippa, the games star gladiator, will also participate in high-stakes chariot races (as dangerous as the famously morbid one in Ben-Hur) and scenarios in which he can use catapults to destroy fortresses. In addition to controlling the studly Russell Crowe-wannabe, you also play Octavius, his stealthy buddy (who, oddly enough, looks exactly like Owen Wilson in a toga). While Agrippa rocks the colosseum, Octavius sneaks around disguised as a guard in order to locate intel on Agrippas imprisoned father.

Of course, this isnt the only Caesar salad period piece to surface lately, but unlike its competition, Shadow of Rome proudly offers only realistically Roman arena action. Inafune comments, I remember in another game, you are a gladiator and you fight against a dragon. What is that? What does an ancient Roman gladiator have to do with fighting a dragon? A gladiator fights another man.