Gladius - LucasArts Goes FF Tactics?

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to the GameSpy preview of LucasArts' Gladius, a PS2/GameCube/Xbox "epic tactical RPG that'll have you building an army of gladiators, one axe swing at a time." There's also a new Gladius preview at RPGamer giving a combat overview: ".. [it] takes place on a standard, tactical-RPG square grid, but the graphics do a good job of hiding it... combat is turn-based, but.. using certain attacks on a foe necessitates the use of several action/arcade elements, such as combo attacks strung together by timed button-presses." They also comment on the unexpected genre choice: "American-developed as it may be, Gladius is a tactical RPG that takes its cue from the old favorites, while at the same time trying to expand the genre." Might this title improve on LucasArts' recent efforts?

Comments

Re:Look of Gladius?

[PainKilleR-CE]

I don't think people see it as a problem is a good game gets a good rating, regardless of it's marketing (although people might have a problem with the 'Sleeper Hits' never being 'Game of the Year Candidates' (ie great games never getting huge recognition because they didn't get the overhype-budget). The problem is that horrid games can get good or mediocre reviews if enough money is thrown at marketing.

People say they read reviews because they want to find out if a game is good. What they really mean, though, is that they want to find out if they're going to waste their money on a steaming turd. Any game that ranks from mediocre to good can be a good game worth your money if it happens to be a game that catches your interest when you play it, but if a game is bug-ridden, poorly designed, or just outright horrible, the marketing can save the reviews, but the people that buy it are going to be pissed.