Bloodgrounds: Preview of a Brutal Tactician You Must Try

Bloodgrounds is not just a game of tactics and strategy, but your personal journey into pain, revenge, and the construction of a personal empire, where every gladiator can become a legend… or fall forever, with the same brutality that occurred in ancient times, although in this case, the creative freedom taken by the developers is very open.

Blood and Glory

As I mentioned initially, the title blends turn-based tactical combat with deep city management, set in a fantasy world inspired by ancient Rome. The protagonist is a former gladiator slave who, after gaining freedom, becomes a wealthy patron determined to take revenge on Emperor Dammas II, responsible for his father's death and his stolen youth. The narrative unfolds around this thirst for justice, as the player leads a group of gladiators through deadly arenas, facing fantastic enemies and trying to gain the favor of the public.

The management component takes place in the coastal city of Marevento, which can be expanded and upgraded between battles. Building structures, unlocking new facilities, and evolving them over time is crucial for improving your team's capabilities – did someone say Darkest Dungeon? (but only for this part). Each building has a specific function: some allow you to train gladiators, others to equip them with powerful weapons and items, and still others offer divine abilities or sabotage opportunities through agreements with local criminals. The city thus becomes a nerve center for strategic preparation, which is not only valid on the battlefield but also outside the arena, where it takes on an even more crucial importance, even more so than the lives of those who will (almost certainly) die.

Gameplay is based on grid-based turn-based combat, where each gladiator belongs to a class with unique abilities. You can use action points to move, attack, cast spells, set traps, or use items like potions and magic scrolls. The environment itself can be tactically exploited, and the audience plays an active role: satisfying their requests during combat can lead to valuable rewards. A distinctive mechanic is the ability to show mercy or kill a defeated enemy: sparing them makes them recruitable, while executing them increases public favor.

Visually, Bloodgrounds adopts detailed and atmospheric pixel art, with arenas adorned with flaming torches, crucified bodies, and scenarios that evoke a decadent and brutal world. Each combat is accompanied by a clear interface that distinguishes movement points from action points, and the character animations, though stylized, convey the weight and ferocity of the clashes. The details and quality of the animations are so high that it's a pleasure to watch, even just what can happen by moving or doing certain things, compared to others. Defeat is always around the corner, but your goal – and here I'm invoking Darkest Dungeon again – is to grow your area, so you can recruit and improve your champions more and more.
For an early access title, it presents itself quite well and has excellent numbers on its side. We'll see if it manages to mitigate the latest balance issues.