Spartacus Legends

a game by | Kung Fu Factory, LLC |
Platform: | XBox 360 (2013) |
Editor Rating: | 5.3/10, based on 3 reviews, 2 reviews are shown |
User Rating: | 7.5/10 - 15 votes |
Rate this game: | |
See also: | Download Fighting Games |
There are not many really successful games based on movies and TV series. More often than not, such projects only appeal to fans of the source material. Or acquire a relatively small, but loyal fanbase. Spartacus Legends became such a project. And now more about what the game is. And what type of the users it can please.
The Colosseum is waiting for its heroes
Spartacus Legends is a mixture of arcade and fighting game. The game is based on the American TV series, which was broadcasted on the cable channel Starz. The project was released in the summer of 2013. American studio Kung Fu Factory, which had a hand in the creation of WWE Champions and Mortal Kombat: Unchained, was responsible for its development. Distribution and promotion was handled by Ubisoft Publishing.
Initially the game was released on Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles. It was distributed on the Free-to-play model. Critics are not too warmly received for the game. But among users who are fans of the Spartacus series, it was received quite warmly. Even in spite of the poor accordance to the source material and the lack of external similarity of some characters with their prototypes.
Let there be a fight!
Like the action of the multipart film of the same name, the events of the game take place in the Roman Republic in the I century B.C. Under the leadership of Spartacus, a major slave revolt erupts. However, in prehistory, the Romans are at war with representatives of other nations. In particular these are the Getae tribes.
Spartacus, like a number of his comrades, was of the Thracians, whom the Roman legate considered traitors and deserters. After being captured by his former allies, the protagonist of the saga was forced to fight in the arena as a gladiator.
In Spartacus Legends, users have a choice of several representatives of each of the warring nations. All fighters have a unique set of blows and use different edged weapons and armor.
Depending on the mode, players can fight in the arena or outside of it. In story missions you can fight several opponents under the control of AI simultaneously. In multiplayer battles in the arena, the number of combat participants is limited.
Advantages and disadvantages
Fans of the original series loved Spartacus Legends for several interesting solutions. These are:
- Following the well-known plot with its original twists and turns
- A wide choice of weapons and ammunition
- The ability to play as beloved characters
The disadvantages of the game are its frankly weak graphics and inaccurate physics. Characters and weapons during combat behave unpredictably and sometimes outright strange. Although some fans of arcade fighting games are attracted by such things even today.
Spartacus Legends had every chance to become a real hit. At least due to the unusual mixture of genres and interesting "TV" setting. However, the game turned out to be frankly weak. Perhaps in the future the developers will return to it and release a worthy remake. But while the arcade will please only true fans of the series and connoisseurs of battles in the Roman setting.
Download Spartacus Legends

System requirements:
- PC compatible
- Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
Game Reviews
Just like the ancient days of combat that this game recreates, Spartacus Legends is a brutal and bloody spectacle. Facing off against other warriors in fatal battles, your strength and endurance will be tested, as will your ability to master multiple weapon styles. Traveling from location to location, it’s your job to become the best warrior of the pit and hopefully rise up to the Colosseum, proving your status as a top Roman fighter. Though it has a few issues, Spartacus Legends is a solid fighter, especially for gamers who like a bit of extra blood.
Main Game Features
- Dozens of characters
- Unlock and upgrade weapons
- Story mode and online play
Story
As you might've guessed, Spartacus Legends is based on the television show, Spartacus, and puts players directly in the shoes of a slave-turned-warrior in the Roman Empire. Across numerous battles, you must test your strength against a series of fighters, until you are forced to fight the best warrior in the region. Luckily, you're not alone, as you can recruit a small army of warriors to pick from, and you'll need all the variety you can muster. Starting off as a meager fighter with very little skill, you bounce around the map screen, battling fighters in your search for glory.
Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot of narrative to speak of in the main campaign mode. During your quest, you travel between various districts, each with their own legends to beat, but there's not much else to speak of. You'll encounter memorable characters from the show, which is a nice touch, but there's not a whole lot of story reasoning for doing so. Voice acting is minimal, except for the fight commentator, but they get repetitive after just a few matches. Though the action is intense, the lack of storytelling is disappointing, especially with how good the original television show was.
Gameplay
Spartacus Legends makes up for its lack of story with some solid fighting, opening up a lot of customization to the player. Once you've created your team of gladiators, you can improve their skills by leveling them up in battle, increasing strength, health, and more. You can also upgrade your weapon or buy a new one, with several different weapon types to consider. For example, you can equip a sword and shield for extra defense, or go for an all-out-attack with dual wielded daggers. Perks can also be equipped on your fighters, granting them extra passive boosts. Either way, the fighting is gory as it should be, inspired by the likes of Mortal Kombat and Colosseum: Road to Freedom.
In addition to the main campaign, you can also battle opponents online, but there aren't a lot of options available. Unfortunately, you cannot battle your friends or join any lobbies, but can only fight against random opponents through online matchmaking. Additionally, if any of your soldiers die in battle, you'll have to pay gold coins to resurrect them, which can take a long time to collect. Since coins and other currencies can be bought with real money, it feels particularly unfair when tough enemies defeat you, as though the game wants you to lose. However, if you level up your gladiators enough and fight smart, you should be able to amass a decent pouch of coins.
Conclusion
Spartacus Legends is a decent fighting game that features memorable characters and locations from the show, but it fails to produce a thrilling story. Instead, you're left with enjoyable but occasionally tough combat, made better by a varied selection of ancient weapons.
Despite the obnoxious microtransactions and lackluster online play, Spartacus Legends does offer a good dose of gladiator action.
Pros
- Bloody fighting
- Good variety of weapons
- Fun progression
Cons
- Lacks polish
- In-game timers make you wait
- Way too many microtransactions