games

'Spartacus' fights onto consoles

Ubisoft has announced the upcoming release of 'Spartacus Legends', a fighting game that will immerse users in the visceral world created by the popular 'Spartacus' TV series produced and distributed by Starz Entertainment.

'Spartacus Legends' is a unique gaming experience based on popular characters from the international hit series and arrives early in 2013.

Gamers will experience primeval gladiator moments, from training inside the ludus to brutal battles in the arena, all while striving to become a legend.

Featuring thousands of ruthless weapon combinations and a robust skill system, 'Spartacus Legends' delivers a variety of tools for gamers to customize their gladiators and dismember their foes. Gamers will be able to fight as Spartacus, Crixus or one of their own created gladiators as they battle with friends offline or in online multiplayer to join the ranks on the worldwide leaderboards.

Liam McIntyre, who plays the titular character in the series, has been very involved with the 'Spartacus Legends' team. In addition to allowing his likeness and voice to be featured, Liam, a big gamer himself, played early builds of the game and provided his creative feedback throughout the development process.

The 'Spartacus' franchise ('Gods of the Arena', Blood and Sand', and 'Vengeance') airs in more than 150 countries and has been translated into 15 languages. In the United States, viewership for the show has grown with each season and is one of the highest rated cable series, with more than six million viewers watching each episode.

The upcoming final season, 'Spartacus: War of the Damned', sees the return of Liam McIntyre (Spartacus), Manu Bennett (Crixus), Dustin Clare (Gannicus), Dan Feuerriegel (Agron), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (Naevia) and Ellen Hollman (Saxa). They are joined by Todd Lasance in the role of Gaius Julius Caesar, along with Simon Merrells as Marcus Crassus.