Spartan: Total Warrior

Spartan: Total Warrior is a 2005 hack and slash game for GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. Developed by Creative Assembly and published by Sega, it was released on all platforms in October. It is a spin-off of the Total War series.

The game tells an ahistorical story focusing on the "Spartan", a Spartan warrior fighting alongside his Greek allies against the invading Roman Empire. An orphan with no knowledge of his true identity, Spartan is secretly guided by Ares, who has promised him aid during the conflict, and information as to his identity after it. In return, Spartan must help Ares achieve an unspecified revenge on someone.

Total Warrior is the only installment in the Total War series to have been released for video game consoles rather than PCs or Macs. It was the first Total War game published by Sega. The game originated in an examination of whether or not it would be possible to make a "true" Total War game work on a console. When Creative Assembly realised it would not, they decided to go in a different direction; making an action game within the traditions of the series, but one that would push console hardware to its limits.

The game was well received, with critics praising the combat mechanics, game engine, controls, and, especially, the game's sense of scale. Common points of criticism included a high difficulty level, unfair boss battles, and repetitive combat. Some critics also found the game to be something of a glorified button-masher.