Regardless of the character you choose, one thing is certain… you will fight. It is the quintessential factor that unites both storylines in glorious harmony. Gladius takes its cue from strategy RPG’s, allowing you to move your characters like chess pieces within the confines of the coliseum in an effort to cleanse the arena of the enemy. Each town offers up its fair share of opponents and contests and tournaments, each of which is necessary if you wish to advance in the ranks and move up into regional competitions. While the rivalry between schools may seem like an endless onslaught of combat, there are a number of side-quests that you can enter into as well, providing a bit of a relief from the daily rigors of coliseum battles. Those the missions really don’t provide much in the way of rewards, they are necessary if you wish to unlock certain secret encounters and league battles.