This game features two story options, one for beginners and one for the more Advanced. The stories in both are great, though in this game - as a gladiator game ought to be - the battles will be what drives you. I truly enjoyed the battles in this game in a way that is hard to explain, because it is so much different than how I normally feel about them. The story engaged me into really feeling like I was just a young gladiator, who had no idea what he was up against. Another thing that enhanced my care in battle was that I truly felt that the characters were mine. Story-wise, it can be great when a game feeds you each of your characters (Fire Emblem), but sometimes it is nice to have to go "shopping" for allies. You truly get the feeling that you earned them... that they didn't just happen to join up, and there is no fear of a story arch causing them to leave. if you are on the fence about getting this game, just remember it's about GLADIATORS!