Naginata in action!

Ed Roman, CEO of Ghostfire Games, has just sent over the latest video of their upcoming WiiWare fighter Rage of the Gladiator in action.

You can check out Naginata in all of his Ninja glory and get another taste of what you can expect from this unique WiiWare fighting title.

Below is a snippet of information that accompanied the video, which gives some background into the character and just below it you can check out the brand new Naginata gameplay video.

Naginata's Story

After being abandoned by his parents, Naginata grew up on the streets of Avalance. His childhood was tough and painful, and he quickly became a known street thug. Then one day, at the age of 18 he was discovered by a monk named Master Yee, who recognized his fighting prowess. The monk gave Naginata the opportunity to turn his life around and practice martial arts. Together they journeyed to a hidden and prestigious school named Ottokawa, deep in the northeast mountains. But Naginata's upbringing was his downfall. His morals were not centered, and he pillaged the school after he had learned all there was to gain. He now is a mercenary for hire, assassinating for a living. And someone has hired him to assassinate you today, in the arena.

Naginata's Video

Naginata is a fierce opponent, trained in the martial arts. As such, he often employs the use of spinning and flying kicks, as shown in this video. One of his favorite moves is to throw burning ninja stars at you, and you must dodge these stars.

Naginata also has some tricks up his sleeve, as he can use dark magic at will. One thing he likes to do is disappear in a puff of smoke, and then re-appear and slash you. While fighting him, you must listen for his sounds to know when to dodge his incoming attack.

Another interesting move shown in this video is his “bladestorm” attack. Naginata can split into multiple clones and attack you in spinning fashion. This attack must be either jumped or blocked, but you won’t know which one until the last moment, just before it hits you.

We'll have more information on Rage of the Gladiator as it becomes available, as well as a full review when the game hits the WiiWare service.

[source youtube.com]