The Church in the Darkness ™
The Church in the Darkness ™
Game
Game2026
Gods of Sand
Developer Achenar Studios
Train gladiators. Manage a ludus. Fight in the arenas. Conquer the tower. Gods of Sand is a gladiator manager with intense turn-based combat, inspired by the Swords and Sandals series, in a dark and unforgiving setting. From the Steam store page
164 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Oct 9, 2026 · last updated Oct 9, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
79
LovedLoved
128 positive · 35 negative
95% range 72–84%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 128 | 35 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 1 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
229 of 278 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
78% recommend · 133 yes, 37 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 170 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (663 of 761 positive).
Players praise the game's nostalgic resemblance to Swords and Sandals. [1][2][3] Some players note the game was abandoned for a long time but recently received an update. [4][5][6] Several players report game-breaking bugs and unfinished content. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [8]
TLDR; I've had this game on my wishlist for a while, only bought it recently when 0.4 was released a few days ago. Kinda disappointed. I'd give it a 4/10 for now and recommend adding it to your Wishlist. Wait and watch the progress. The longer review.. PROS: - You manage your ludus and your gladiators, making some money along the way. It's a simple concept and it is fun.. for a while. - Combat has some nice blood …
- [10]
I am a 45 yo father, probably one of the oldest people playing this game. I am a single farther to my Son, who is 14 now. My son got this game for Christmas in 2021 from his uncle, so we installed it on his computer and he started playing. By the end of the week he had 24 hours on this game. This was horrible for me, as it was already hard for me to find ways to spend time with my son, as he is always out with his …
- [1]
Remember that newgrounds game called swords and sandals that we all sucked at? (Yes, you did suck, stop trying to lie for clout online.) And you finally got to a certain point only to be met with you having to do some ♥♥♥♥ nobody was ever going to do to keep playing? Yea. This is a 1:1 recreation of that exact nostalgic experience. You finally learn how to be good, because you're now an adult with a fully developed …
- [5]
edit: As per @dev comment, after two years without an update, the game has finally left early access! As a gesture of good faith, I'm changing my review to positive since I haven't yet had time to test the state of the game after 1.0 I'm really glad this wasn't abandoned after all Unfinished and abandoned. Just look at this game's steam forum and you'll know its state. It was such a promising game, but …
- [2]
one of the very few good gladiator games and the fighting system reminds me of "swords and sandals" :)
Summarised from 27 of the 171 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Gods of Sand talk about nostalgic Swords and Sandals feel; those who didn't talk about game-breaking bugs and UI issues. Which matters more to you?
Reactions
60 of 164 · most liked firstTLDR; I've had this game on my wishlist for a while, only bought it recently when 0.4 was released a few days ago. Kinda disappointed. I'd give it a 4/10 for now and recommend adding it to your Wishlist. Wait and watch the progress. The longer review.. PROS: - You manage your ludus and your gladiators, making some money along the way. It's a simple concept and it is fun.. for a while. - Combat has some nice blood particle effects, though it doesn't even come close to Domina level of…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am a 45 yo father, probably one of the oldest people playing this game. I am a single farther to my Son, who is 14 now. My son got this game for Christmas in 2021 from his uncle, so we installed it on his computer and he started playing. By the end of the week he had 24 hours on this game. This was horrible for me, as it was already hard for me to find ways to spend time with my son, as he is always out with his friends or just watching YouTube. So I decided to make a Steam account and get…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Sadly this game was abandoned. DO NOT BUY!!!!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played this game for unspeakable hours, building up my gladiator and making it to the final boss. This final boss turns out to be a literal clone of my character, and by sheer RNG chance, I lost. But unlike the other times I lost, this literally killed him, resulting in all that time I spent equating to nothing. You can't be serious. This has to be one of the dumbest game designs I have ever played, and seemingly hellbent on causing disappointment. I even skipped a day to see if there was a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game is really fun for what's there, managing your gladiators and training them into champions feels great. However, the game has not received an update in a year and a half now. If you're okay buying a probably abandoned game that has a great framework but isn't totally complete, go ahead and spring for this. Otherwise I wouldn't bother until the dev actually gets back to updating this, if that ever happens.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Remember that newgrounds game called swords and sandals that we all sucked at? (Yes, you did suck, stop trying to lie for clout online.) And you finally got to a certain point only to be met with you having to do some ♥♥♥♥ nobody was ever going to do to keep playing? Yea. This is a 1:1 recreation of that exact nostalgic experience. You finally learn how to be good, because you're now an adult with a fully developed brain, you get far enough, and it's the end of early access. 10/10 I wouldn't…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →No updates, seems abandoned
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've played a number of similar games. Promising basics, challenging bosses, balancing tweaks required with regard to the money/rewards. It's been a dead project for about two years, though, so don't expect it to change.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game abandoned. This game is by no means complete and honestly I am really disappointed. Updates were going strong until suddenly they weren't and the game was never completed.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really like the idea here i am a huge fan of these types of games. But please dear reader, put this in your wish list and let it cook a few months at least. a ton of game breaking bugs that will completely ruin your hour long play through. annoying ones. like stats that are supposes to be 6/30 but instead says -374246365/5632146 and you have no idea what your stats really are and gold that goes from 206 to 10005146658 over night but you still run out of it becouse its not accurate. i cant not…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →About 9 hours to complete. For the price-tag, its absoluteley worth it. I had great fun throughout, but most of all, this game really shows the potential of the developers! I don't know if more content will be added, besides the Tower + modes, but if anything like the following would end up in this, or a sequel, I would GOTY that game: - Customizable gladiators - Quests with branching paths - MORE base management - Hire different "staff" to your Ludus - Team up fights - More gear But I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty neat game thus far: however, the game claims I have a pirated version of the product (bought on Steam), and I am unable to continue my game for some reason. I'm not sure if the two are linked, but I'd enjoy being able to continue my game, regardless of the reasoning. Either way, I quite enjoyed this product before that unfortunate issue!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It is quite a fun game; I would recommend it if you like this type of game. About it being abandoned, it was true for a little while, but the developer has just come out with a new update, has taken accountability, and has released a very heartfelt apology, which is rare to see. Overall, I would git it a (8.5/10)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →one of the very few good gladiator games and the fighting system reminds me of "swords and sandals" :)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TLDR: Its almost there, still needs alot of work and some mechanics make 0 sense. The game is almost good. its fun at first, but then it gets real boring real fast. the contracts make 0 sense. i feel like it was just added in with 0 thought. you can be sent on a mission for 9 days, to only make 100 coin with a chance to die, when you can do an arena and make the same 100 coin in a few days. with basically 0 chance to die. the spear/polearm weapons are just way too strong. which... sure,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →you can pet the dog
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →edit: As per @dev comment, after two years without an update, the game has finally left early access! As a gesture of good faith, I'm changing my review to positive since I haven't yet had time to test the state of the game after 1.0 I'm really glad this wasn't abandoned after all Unfinished and abandoned. Just look at this game's steam forum and you'll know its state. It was such a promising game, but unfortunatelly has a lot of game breaking bugs and doesn't have an end. Devs write once in a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I grew up with "Swords and Sandals" so, for me, it's almost mandatory to recommend a game like "Gods of Sand". It looks so promising and it's on sale right now! What are you waiting for 😉? store.steampowered.com/app/1431230/... #indiegames #turnbased #pixelgraphics #rome
positive · AI labelView post →abandoned i think...
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →as you can see I love this game, A LOT, if you like commanding/Controlling units to fight for you and get money(not real) you would Probably like this game I'd also like the devs to make like 2-3 quailty of life changes, but devs keep going this is amazing!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →please make online!!!!!! it would be so awesome to be able to challenge your buddies gladiators like send them to there ludus like the challenger comes or making another part to the board showing other online players ludus and there gladiators and challenge one of them. Super dope game!!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's like Swords and Sandals with less personality and less combat feedback, I had some fun with it until I decided to go play Swords and Sandals 2 again, and then just didn't feel the need to keep playing this. If it costs a dollar it could be fun but I personally wouldn't be bothered to buy to at full price. If I could give games a "neutral" review instead of getting boxed into a recommended or not recommended category, this would get the neutral rating.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Grow a gladiator, get cocky, gladiator die, excelent game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A good and fun game that needs more work to streamline some of the more tedious parts. I plan on finishing the game but there is excess downtime in the game that feels out of place. On it's face you technically manage the gladiators but the management aspect is fairly lite. I would like to see that part fleshed out more so instead of HAVING to do every fight manually (for the most part) I could make those automatic and spend more time doing the managing part if I decided to. My strongest…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Gods of Sand is an amazing game. It's a pixel turn-based fighting game. You have to train, buy, and hear up your gladiators and send them out to arenas. There are also the occasional event where you are given a scenario and have to respond. If you are considering this game but do not want to buy it yet, I recommend watching the DangerouslyFunny video on YouTube regarding this game. It's called "Forcing Idiots to Fight For Profit". Thank you for reading this review and I will now go back to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good so far, early access so... buy at your own risk
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Still has potential but it doesn't feel like a finished game yet. Has room for many improvements.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It took the devs a long time to finish, more than promised. But the game is fine, and in the end finished as promised. So I change this negative review to positve. I feel like it is the fair thing to do. I can recommend it with good faith now!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →stay away. you may ask (as i would), why consider my opinion when theres so many good reviews and it seems like it is something very fitting for me? the answer, although you may be correct in your answer to those questions, is those things are missing the point. they are huge misdirects. the truth is, there is much less meat on this bone than the trailers indicate. and secondly, even with what i just wrote, they are unacceptably slow to put any substance, even with their being so very little…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I will leave this cat here, so that everybody who passes by can pet it and give it a thumbs up and awards ／＞ フ | _ _ l ／` ミ＿xノ / | / ヽ ﾉ │ | | | ／￣| | | | | (￣ヽ＿_ヽ_)__) ＼二つ
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The gameplay is extremely repetitive and rudimentary, especially the combat, and there's not much strategy to the combat so far. I can't recommend this in its current state. Luckily it's in early access and might improve as development continues but for the time being it's a no.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Sadly, no. The idea and premise is great, and the atmosphere of gladiatorial fights is captured right. The graphics, even though heavily stylized to look like the game was mad in the early 90s, look good and have nifty little details. However, the game is very barebones, even for the early access, and even if they add more content, the underlying mechanics are too simplistic to be good.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Love gladiator games but this gets boring pretty fast. It needs more content
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For the price, I can't say I wouldn't recommend it but at the same time, it still feels like there's so much more they could've done. the endgame content is lacking and still feels unfinished and rushed but the devs has a pretty reasonable explanation. Unfortunately it also means there likely wont be anything done about the current state of the game. was still a fun time sink but just wish there was more to it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →like the game so far, noticed an BUG with 3440x1440 resolution, after losing tutorial match you cannot clik to continue, button is off screen, got past it changing resolution to 2560x1440. hopefully ui gets fixes. And training intelligence makes it go negative numbers?
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The update is arrived, can't wait to play it again. Thank you for not abandoning.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Man see gladiator, Man happy
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →good but must be updated
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's a simple, yet fun game. Train your gladiators and buy better gear as you progress through the arenas to create the ultimate warrior.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Play this game at your leisure, the difficulty ramps up quite a bit in the second arena. The fun level goes to zero when you lose every match.... Expect your gladiators to lose quite frequently.... hopefully this game finds a balance... because when its fair its fun... but its not fair.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Be extremely careful with “New Game.” I mildly enjoyed Gods of Sand for quite a while, although by the end the combination of permadeath and the long sequence of battles had started to become a slog. What finally ended the game for me, however, was the save system. I accidentally clicked New Game instead of Continue. There was no meaningful confirmation asking whether I really wanted to erase/overwrite my existing progress. I immediately force-quit when the new game began, but it was…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Slow, boring. Not for me.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cool little game. If you're craving something similar to SnS its a good pick, as it's kinda similar but with more of emphasis on building correctly and managing resources.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A good idea that had 2 things kill it for me. First, why is there a confirmation when you go to/from town? It is like getting a "are you sure?" popup when you want to open a menu. Secondly and much worse, the auto resolve. Fights I can't possible lose are a 75% auto resolve. And since you have 2 fights in order to win, you lose constantly in fights where there was no possibility of defeat if you played it manually. Makes the game a complete and total slog.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Gods of Sand, developed and published by Achenar Studios, is a gladiator management RPG that leans heavily into strategy, consequence, and long-term planning rather than spectacle or accessibility. It presents a harsh, systems-driven experience where every decision—whether in combat or in the management of your ludus—carries weight. Instead of offering power fantasies or rapid progression, the game builds its identity around slow growth, calculated risk, and the constant threat of losing…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very good game. the game just got its first update since 2024, and it s even more fun than when i first played it
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i havent played this game in 800 years... you should though...
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Obviously in Alpha but the game lacks subsistence it becomes boring and repetitive after the first couple hours. Couple things that would make the game better. 1. Improving Contracts - They don't really matter, why send your gladiator on a 3-7 day long contract when you could just send him into an arena everyday to earn you 3 times the amount of money. 2. Simulated Fights - The Win percentages are terrible, not sure how they are calculated. For example, if the game calculates that I have…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Sword and Sandals nostalgia, but with more mechanics and management
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I initially left a rather salty review right before this. Early access has me salty these days but we all know the risks of EA when we make the purchase. The devs last announcement (5 months ago) was their plans to add a bunch of content but to add it all at once for balancing sake. Understandable. It's been far longer than expected but it seems they're planning to drop a big update in the coming weeks. Seraphs Last Stand was developed to completion and was a blast to play and for only $1.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →you can buy people, 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is simple and a little grindy, but there is fun to be had managing your stable of gladiators. Random events keep you on your toes. There are a number of different gladiator builds to try out of the skill tree, but the sheer number of combats means that combat will get stale regardless. If you like roman arena management games, this one will do.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is more of a neutral rating. While I enjoyed the core idea and certain aspects of the game, I did not appreciate the progression, i.e. mid game it's just grind and painful waiting through loading screens, while end game felt interesting, but underwhelming given the time investment (I just quickly rammed through all the bosses and that was it...)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun, easy game, worth it on sale w/o a question.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very brutal and unforgiving. Even when being careful the rng can still destroy you.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So i started a new game cos old save cant stard today i wanted to play and guess what i can only start new game agien.... broken
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Gods of Sand is a pretty game that is very easy to play but hard to finish. One versus one turn based combat is always simple, especially when positioning is minimal and there are no traps or environmental hazards. I like it in this game because it is not mentally demanding and fun to watch. It's a great game to slowly grind through fights and kill some time and enemies. I played for around 20 hours and I have not finished the campaign yet, I still need to grind more to beat some of the bosses.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Worth $5. Does what it says on the tin. Game has some UX flaws and the writing contains several spelling/grammar issues, but you're not playing the game for the writing. If you like this game, the free "Gladiator Manager" (Mobile, PC w/ Google Play Games app) is the best game of this genre I've played, and Domina (PC) is also good. I've only put an hour into it, but some non-obvious tips: - You only need one set of good equipment because you can un-equip and transfer gear between fights. -…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So much Muscles i like that and the game is fine for that cash :) Bravo Like Sid Meiers Pirates fight but better HarHar ;)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →fun to build busted builds
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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