Blackthorn Arena (2020)

Developer: PersonaeGame Studio
Publisher: Light Up Games
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Indie, RPG, Simulation, Strategy
Rating: 3.4 of 5, 3,779 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 36 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

Managing a gladiator arena feels like a tense, strategic grind where every decision matters and one mistake can mean permadeath.

managementtacticalpunishingatmosphericsandboxstrategicdifficultimmersive

What players say

Players praise the gladiator management loop and depth, but a controversial remake that required jumping through hoops to obtain soured many. Some find it hard to run or buggy, and others note the lack of narrative.

Screenshots

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This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.