Deadliest Warrior: The Game is a 1-on-1 3d fighting game based on the TV show of the same name.
As previously stated, this game plays most similarly to the game Bushido Blade, which was on the PS1. Like Bushido Blade, this game eschews flashy combos, crazy fireballs, or even being able to jump in favor of a quick, brutal fighting style that can see matches ended within a second if someone lands a solid hit to the head.
In Deadliest Warrior: The Game, you select one of eight different warriors from history, like a Spartan or a Ninja, and face off against your opponent in somewhat large, 3d environments where only your skill, your weapons and armor, and a bit of luck will help you survive! Each character possesses a close-quarters weapons (sword, knife, etc.), a mid-range weapon (pike, axe, etc.), and a long-range weapon (pistol, spear, etc.). Along with your armor, these basically determine how you should fight to make the most of your character. For example, the Knight is very slow, but has amazing armor and is armed with a sword and shield for close confrontations, a halberd for keeping enemies away, and a crossbow for taking out opponents at range. Trying to get close and keep the pressure on is almost impossible with such a slow character, so whittling away at their health while staying defensive with your shield up is a good strategy. Of course, even the best laid plans can go awry, as getting an arrow in the eye will kill you immediately, no matter how much health you have left. Additionally, limbs can become injured or even severed, forcing you to switch to a one-handed weapon (in the case of an injured or severed arm).
So, with these basic features out of the way, you can play this game in several different modes. In Arcade mode, your fighter is pitted against all the characters in the game, one after the other. In Practice mode, you can try out all the different fighters and learn their respective strengths and weaknesses. In Battle mode, you can play a single battle against an opponent of your choice. You can also take the game online in Player or Ranked matches and can even play Ranked Tournaments, which are basically a succession of Ranked matches against players at the same Tournament rank that you are. Additionally, in Arcade mode you can unlock more weapons and armor for the character you are playing to add some additional tactical considerations to the game.
However, not all is well in this bloody duel to the death. Firstly, their are some rather obvious character imbalances. Most notably, the Ninja is almost unbeatable in the right hands, a fact made obvious from the number of people using this character online. Speaking of online, their are some major issues with connecting to matches. It is rare to try fewer than 5 times before successfully joining a game, causing unnecessary irritation and waiting between matches. Although not necessarily a drawback, some people will probably hate the slow, defensive pace of this game and be frustrated by the likelihood of having a lucky swing decapitate you, regardless of who has more health.
So there you have it folks, a 3d fighting game that forces a certain amount of strategy and consideration for defense. Not a flashy game by any means, but will probably find fans amongst those who remember Bushido Blade fondly, or any gamer looking for a very brutal and bloody take on the fighting genre that favors realism over cheap combos and fireballs.