Blood & Glory

Blood & Glory
(Developed by Glu Mobile)
Available for: iOS, Android
Price: Free
Originally published: November

Touted by Glu Mobile as "the bloodiest, goriest swipe-and-slash fighting game" in the App Store, Blood & Glory more than lives up to the billing. A vividly cinematic celebration of gladiator savagery, its eye-popping graphics and stellar gameplay mechanics apply cutting-edge intelligence to completely mindless violence.

Blood & Glory puts gamers through a series of tournament-style gladiator battles emphasizing skill and strategy as well as brute strength--while survival is the primary goal, fighters also earn Invictus medals with flawless victories, bolstering their combat technique with special attacks and combination moves. Players also may acquire a complete arsenal of weapons and armor supplies designed to augment all fighting styles.

Blood & Glory closely resembles the smash Infinity Blade, but it's no mere rip-off. The graphics are impeccable, lending the game a sense of realism that grounds its over-the-top action. Glu's fidelity to historical detail is no less impressive, and further immerses gamers in Blood & Glory's virtual world. It's bloody good.