Recent reviews by ✟Estonian Forester✟

The Steam review system has truly failed Gladius. The nearly mixed reviews don't reflect a lackluster game, but a polarizing one. To put it succintly: this is a brilliantly designed strategy game undermined by its unavoidable lack of larger-than-life moments.


Complaint #1
Outside of Gladius the 40K setting is delightfully over the top. Orks don't incrementally fight or move. They bellow war cries and blow themselves up with oversized guns. Space Marines don't gradually defeat enemies, they shout "He who stands with me shall be my brother!" As they die gloriously in the service of the their beloved Emperor.

Yet in Gladius, the very nature of the well designed strategic gameplay inadvertently works against conveying that larger-than-life flavor. The absence of the audio barks and viseral interactive animations found in Dawn of War is keenly felt. And the action that is conveyed is both gradual and viewed from afar.

The gradualism and incremental nature of combat and movement create a clever and challenging strategy game, but by their very nature mute the bombastic decisiveness of the 40K setting.

The result is an experience that feels muted and stifled when compared to many other 40K titles. Yet in fairness keep in mind, this game was made by a small studio that simply can't match the production budget of many other 40K based games.


Complaint #2
Some claim the game is out of balance, but this simply isn't true. It is just cleverly designed to actually challenge players, forcing them to adapt their strategy and tactics. Each faction and unit type presents a unique threat.

Necrons aren't overpowered. They just counter high HP units better than any other faction and demand you develop efficient focus fire, line of battle and pursuit tactics. Otherwise, that isolated, lascannon armed Predator tank that served you well battling Ork Killer Kans, is going to struggle when it is ambushed in a forest by Necron Warriors.


YMMV Complaint #3
Some complain about bugs, but the game has been rock solid for me and I've encountered zero issues. Perhaps those complaints are the exception or legacy issues from eariler builds?


Praise #1
Once you get past the stifled 40K presentation shock, you'll realize this is a finely tuned and brilliantly designed strategy game for those with the patience to enjoy it. All your choices matter and there is a lot to master and explore.

This game has been crafted to truly reward retreat and regroup versus unit spam. Combined arms, hit and run, pursuit, evasion, delaying actions, and more all elegantly and natural emerge during play.

The elegant combat system and special abilities achieves a surprising amount of unit variety. And the addition of resources and buildings gives context to every decision; amping up the angst and intensity of every battle and deployment.


Praise #2
The AI is truly impressive compared to its genre peers. It understands how to expand, retreat, regroup, focus fire, and secure objectives. It isn't perfect, or equal to an expert player, but it is good enough to challenge such a player. Provided that player is willing to accept the asymetrical challenge of fighting a multi-front war with wandering monsters stomping about.


40K Fans' Praise #3
Once you get past the stifled setting presentation shock, you'll find there is an epic amount of 40K goodness to enjoy. The audio and graphics successfully invoke much of the glory and grandeur of the setting. The UI is clean, accessible and feels polished. In short, if steak matters more to you than sizzle, there is ton of 40K-based fun to be had.