About Arena Games, from BoardGameGeek:
ARENA is a tactical combat game where each player controls a unique gladiator fighting in a modular arena filled with traps, objects, and special effects. The goal is to survive, gain popularity, and rise as the ultimate champion.
Each player begins with:
• a gladiator with unique strengths and weaknesses,
• a personal deck of 8 actions cards,
• 10 popularity points to spend before the match (items, training, blessings, traps…).
What does a player do on their turn?
A turn follows this structure:
1) Initiative – Players secretly choose a card; highest initiative acts first.
2) Draw back to 4 cards – Players refill their hand.
3) Player actions – On their turn, a player may:
• Move (using one or more cards),
• Attack (damage, range, push, stun, debuff, etc.),
• Buy new cards by sacrificing cards from their hand (Eventus, Dolus, Items, Training).
Players can also defend at any time by playing cards, even during opponents'turns.
Arena and Traps
The arena is made of tiles where players can place effects (rats, lightning, mud, healing, secret passages…).
Any gladiator stepping on the tile triggers the effect.
End of the game
A match ends when:
• only one gladiator remains alive, or
• a scenario objective is completed.
How to win
Players win by:
• being the last gladiator standing,
• completing the scenario objective,
• or, in some modes, having the highest popularity.
ARENA features asymmetric gladiators, evolving decks, tactical movement, persistent experience points, and a wide variety of traps, objects, and special techniques.
-description from designer
