Gladiator Pits III is a pure PK mud, designed to test player skill in terms of both pre-battle preparation and on-the-spot reflexes, as well as the ability to adapt quickly to new situations. There is no character advancement - every character is on equal footing - and so it is purely a test of player ingenuity.

The basic concept is fairly straightforward, although the mud may take some getting used to for those not already familiar with Gladiator Pits II. Context-sensitive hints and informative helpfiles are available, and most players should find themselves ready for their first fight within a few minutes of connecting.

Knowing how to fight however, is a long way from mastering combat. With 25 fighting styles and well over 500 fighting techniques, there is no lack of things to learn. Dozens of different weapons and pieces of armour are available, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Eight different stats indicate the strengths and weaknesses of each gladiator, but it's up to the player to decide the allocation of those stats.

The mud also uses a coordinate-based system, which allows players a great deal of flexibility in terms of movement. The same system also handles weapon lengths and missile ranges in combat.

The combat system itself is non-automated, and is geared more towards the fantastic than the realistic, drawing inspiration from anime along with movies like 'The Matrix' and 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'. Each gladiator has three fighting locations which need to be combined in order to fight effectively - 'left hand', 'right hand', and 'feet' (which also represents overall body posture). Each location has its own set of commands and techniques, depending on the weapon and fighting style used.

With such a trully awing and thought-provoking combat system, pk is fast paced against the training mobs and even more so against fellow players! Come join the battles! Will you be the victor or the fallen?