Pixel Gladiator is a super tough blend of hardcore 2D side scrolling shooting and tower defense that sees you attempting to fend off hordes of Lovecraftian monsters and upgrading your arsenal with all manner of badass upgrades, from turrets to mechs.
Set in the distant future, Pixel Gladiator sees you playing a contestant on a top-rated TV show that has you fighting for your life on an inhospitable alien planet. The main game mode is Survival, that sees you fighting to protect the core of your base from the freaky Cthulu-esque deadly waves of aliens that charge at you from both directions.
You earn cash from each kill (if it’s within a certain perimeter), which you can use to purchase upgrades for your base and weaponry. There are a LOT of different upgrades that you can choose from, including walls, turrets, drones, powerful new guns and even a mech suit that you can pilot. Many of these defenses can be upgraded several times with the cash you earn, transforming your little base into a mighty fortress, but it’s no walk in the park earning that cash in the first place…
Pixel Gladiator really is tough as nails. The first four waves can usually be taken down easily enough, but after that all bets are off. This is mainly thanks to the game’s randomly generated waves of enemies, large difficulty spikes and the deadly boss battles that pop up every 10 waves. Your defenses will fend off some of the aliens, but their sheer weight of numbers can often overpower you and leave your defenses in tatters.
It’s a fast, frantic and fun game that will crush you again and again, but you’ll keep coming back for more thanks to it’s addictive alien-blasting gameplay. The grimy pixel art visuals and synth soundtrack are also excellent, adding a cool 80’s futuristic vibe, as well as building a deep sense of dread for the horrors to come. Life is tough on this hostile alien planet but it sure makes for a fun game!
We have 50 Pixel Gladiator Steam Early Access keys to give away! To enter, just carry out any of the actions in the widget below, any action earns an entry into the raffle. Winners will be notified on the 1st of August. Good luck!
Tip: The walls don’t just keep the hordes out, you can build turrets on them too!
Check Out a Gameplay Video of Pixel Gladiator Here