ARENA Complete Walkthrough + Achievements!

Complete walkthrough plus achievements.

Basics

You can't win without knowing these! First of all you need to set up controls to your liking so go to Options from main menu, adjust settings to your liking and choose Controller option. Make sure all actions have been assigned to a key. When you're done with options it's time to start the game and fight. First of all you need to choose a barbarian, you have 6 to pick from (8 if you have DLC characters):

Strength: High
Reach: Medium
Attack Speed: Medium
Move Speed: Medium
Special Attack: series of sword swings that ends with a vertical cut.


Strength: Medium
Reach: Medium
Attack Speed: Fast
Move Speed: Fast
Special Attack: jumps over her enemy and flips cutting the enemy below with blade


Strength: High
Reach: Long
Attack Speed: Medium
Move Speed: Slow
Special Attack: raises his axe and does strong smashing attack


Strength: Low
Reach: Short
Attack Speed: Very Fast
Move Speed: Fast
Special Attack: jumps forward spinning with her dagger and axe in front of her


Strength: High
Reach: Short
Attack Speed: Medium
Move Speed: Medium
Special Attack: spins around with his mace and moves forward


Strength: Low
Reach: Long
Attack Speed: Slow
Move Speed: Fast
Special Attack: lunges forward and spins her halberd.


(not available in the base game, added by Deathbringer DLC)
Strength: High
Reach: Long
Attack Speed: Medium
Move Speed: Medium
Special Attack: performs upward slash flying up in the air then lands with a ground slam.


(not available in the base game, added by She-Red DLC)
Strength: Low
Reach: Medium
Attack Speed: Medium
Move Speed: Medium
Special Attack: jumps forward spinning with her sword.
She-Red is the only playable character equipped with a shield. Shield allows her to block attacks either from above or from below just like Amazon does, however, she can only do that while she's not attacking.
https://youtu.be/G0ZDQ3Y3Sq0

Health gets drained as you get hit, when it's depleted you die. Health can be restored with healing potion, some health (depends on chosen difficulty) also gets restored after you win a fight.

Stamina gets drained as you perform attacks no matter if they connect or not. When stamina is depleted your character will perform a desperate attack and take a moment to catch breath (it makes your character defenseless for a moment). Stamina regenerates on it's own when you don't perform any moves.

Power bar fills as you do damage to an enemy, when the bar is full your character can perform their special attack which drains all the power bar and significant amount of stamina.

Notice the time between your and enemy's health bars. At difficulty 1 you have 1 hour to complete the game, at difficulty 3 you only will have 40 minutes. If you're out of credits you can exchange 10 minutes for one but be careful, if you won't make it in time all will be lost!

All characters have similar set of moves except from special:


Unlisted Moves:

Forward + Forward + Fast Attack = Slide with Upward Slash

Fast Attack + Strong Attack (Full Power Bar) = Special Attack

Parry = Parry all incoming attacks from above

Down + Parry = Parry all attack coming from below
(watch for marker over enemy to prepare proper parry move!)

[Successful Parry] + Fast attack = Counter Attack

[Successful Parry] + Strong Attack = Alternative Counter Attack
(screen will flash white when you successfully perfom Counter Attack, screen will flash red if enemy is doing so, Alternative Counter Attack doesn't work against some opponents).

Consumables
Fights are not exactly fair as spectators throw some items into arena for fighters to use!

Health Potion: a red vial that restores some health to the one who picks it up.

Fire Rune: a red rune on a stone plate boosts damage.

Gold Coin: it's rare! It gives you extra credit if you pick it up but your opponent will try to steal it first!

Explosive Liquid: don't mix it up with health potion. Vial of explosive liquid is thick and has a skull on it, explodes after few seconds and possibly blows someone's legs off.

Walkthrough, Part 1

You start the fight with one of the opponents:

Mantis
This barbarian is armed with two scythe blade attached to his arms and spiked helmet. He cannot perform a special attack. Mantis uses headbutt instead of kick, if headbutt is blocked it does no damage but unbalnces player, otherwise it deals damage. Alternative (Strong) counter cannot be used against this opponent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkN6333Q_Xo

Berserker
A tall barbarian armed with an axe. He cannot perform a special attack. His attacks are slow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgM7c8G-UhY

Amazon
A woman armed with long spear and shield. She cannot perform a special attack. Spear provides her with extra long attacks. Shield provides constant block, no matter what amazon is doing, however she can only protect her upper or lower body but not both at any given time. She can perform flying attack. She never uses her scitimar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWF5N4CqrlU

Barbarian Brothers
Both brothers fight you at the same time. Barbarian brothers use the same fighting style as Rahaan and can perform series of slashes. Brothers cannot perform a special attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uLC4ihOWGg

When you defeat your first opponent you must go to the next arena but be careful - most of the time the corridor has a deadly trap!

Your second opponent is picked randomly from the previous list except for the opponent defeated in the first fight.

After going though the corridor you will find yourself either at the bridge or in front of a pool or in the front of stairs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMXSLGm_3ds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3XU8x7bBhs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5UstyH1Z3Y

If you survive it, you'll see a cutscene and will have to fight one of the barbarians (Rahaan, Sheyna, Sion, Ayla, Mombata or Xula), however it's never a mirror match.
You cannot use Strong Counter Attack against any of them. Any of them can use a special attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQlWeIIEyUA

In the next fight you'll meet one of the following opponents:

Sabertooth Black Tigers
No items will be dropped in this fight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8VytP9y1VE

Zombie Sisters
Constantly regenerate health. Can grab and bite to deal massive damage and restore their health.
Can use poisonous vomit that deals damage ~75% of total health and inflict poison that deals small damage over time. Must be dismembered, otherwise keep fighting with zero health. Items drop until the second zombie appears.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_MZa_nXEtM

Walkthrough, Part 2

Witch
Witch doesn't have a special move. Witch can (and will) summon a tentacle to assist her. Tentacle has a screen-wide area of attack and can entangle those who come too close giving Witch the time to attack a defenseless barbarian. If a tentacle is slain Witch can summon a new one. Witch can be kept alive if the finishing blow didn't cause dismemberment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiuqOcMtmec

After the fight you'll get in trouble again, Fire Pit, Boulder Run or Run For Your Life awaits you:

Fire Pit
You need to press right to jump to a rope when it swings towards you, be quick - you can't hang long on a rope as it burns, keep jumping from rope to rope until you reach the exit. If you play as Sheyna or Ayla be extra careful with timing or you'll see what happens when you don't catch the rope!
Note: Since patch 1.6.4 There's also an indicator that helps to get the timing right. The video below was made earlier and doesn't have it. I'll update it as soon as i'll get to the fire pit again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcKvLmnlLkM

Boulder Run
Stones and dart traps are placed randomly in the hall, every boulder run is different!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ2jC1Cd0sY

Run For Your Life
Introduced in patch 1.6.6 this mini-game makes you run through the hall from triceratops, it takes a lot button clicking to keep it up and this time you'll see other contestants too, sadly, they all fail it.
https://youtu.be/iMLqGMyz1qQ

The next fight is against either T-Rex (easy mode) or Great Apes (Hard Mode):

T-Rex
T-Rex can bite, swipe with tail and charge. Charge attack is announced with roar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDTn3B1077c

Great Apes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gHnvirwaTo

Survived this far? Good! Now is the time for the most exciting fight in the whole game.

Kahn-Dread
Kahn-Dread slowly regenerates health - running from him will get you nowhere!
Kahn-Dread can parry almost every your attack and he will counter attack!
Kahn-Dread can perform a special attack and you can't parry that!
You can't just die to replay this fight, Kahn-Dread won't let you!
Losing this fight denies you good ending!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw8SzItWXlQ

If you won the fight against Kahn-Dread you gonna meet with Giant Serpent.
Giant Serpent's bite is poisonous.
Getting too close to the Giant Serpent is asking to be eaten alive as it bites you for 50% health.
Giant Serpent can do multiple bites in a quick succession so you can't even get up.
If you hit a the serpent it'll try to hold you with it's tail to have enough time to bite you.
The serpent can use it's tail to shove you away.
After the fight with the Giant Serpent your health will not be restored!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZhk_4n0m60

If you lose the fight against Kahn-Dread then you'll meet the Jailor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc47GegbF0k

Either way, you'll end up in the dungeon, since 1.6.0 it changes everytime you enter it, so if you haven't met the Jailor yet then search for him and kill any guards that stand in your way, kill him and take the key he drops on death. With the key obtained look for the Xodan's torture chamber - when you'll see stairs going downwards and a mummified body chained to the wall then you're going in the right direction. When you saved Xodan look for the exit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjMDPZu16aY

If you already killed the Jailor when he tried to torture you then you won't be able to find the key, search for the exit right away.

Going up the stairs you'll exit the dungeon and enter the palace, if you killed Kahn-Dread earlier then only guards will stand in your way, if not - he'll be waiting for you in the end, don't lose this time!

Walkthrough, Part 3

The last door will lead you to the sacrificial chamber where Zordax waits for eclipse to complete the ritual and sacrifice Yanah, don't let him do it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAwNYaFzZ4k

Now you can sit back and relax! If you saved Xodax, then prepare those Red and Cyan 3D glasses, you'll need them!

Traps! Part 1

As you walk from one arena to another you can encounter deadly traps... or not!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcKcNLYkbFI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK9mwTaYHZM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF1WelNdRmM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnTLREMHZFk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dYCk-meZqk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifJ-SY9u8iU

Traps! Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr4hiOZ3Lk0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRik2pkI0Wk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM2JM0xEQvo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6zI-wksMKg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKUhvFvOJjc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ0fnrHYs1g
https://youtu.be/jbHTxJoM5us

Achievements!

PARRY! Ha ha ha!
Win a fight without parry!
The easiest would be fight against zombies, but pretty much anything at difficulty 1 will do.

SLASH SLASH SLASH
Perform a 10-hit combo with any enemy!
Just don't let them interrupt you, zombies again will be an awesome for this achievement as they can't parry or dodge or anything.

SLASH FURY
Perform a 20-hit combo with any enemy!
Just keep slashing, don't stop!

UNTOUCHABLE
Win a fight without getting hit!
Berserker will do just fine for this achievement. You can parry. If you'll get hit but heal yourself to full with health potions it won't count!

THE DESTROYER
Kill Kahn-Dread the Destroyer!
If you have any intention to complete the game you'll get it sooner or later.

DEFEAT THAT DAMN SORCERER
Defeat the sorcerer Zordax!
Same as above, you'll meet him and just have to defeat him in fight, it's okay that he'll walk away after it.

SERPENT SLAYER
Kill the giant serpent!
You need to defeat Kahn-Dread the first time you meet him to get to the serpent.

TORTURE IS ALWAYS WRONG
Rescue Xodan from the torture chamber!
You need to defeat Kahn-Dread, kill Giant Serpent and then find and kill Jailor, take his key and find Xodan torture chamber.

SPECIAL MOVEMENT
Do a Special Move 30 times!
Pretty much as achievement description says.

HOW DARE YOU TAKE IT BACK
Perform 30 Counterattacks!
Only attacks with Strong Counter Attack counts towards this achievement. You can do it in one fight against Berserker if you let him take health potions and won't do combos.

THE BUTCHER
Dismember 100 enemies!
Dungeon guards will make it happen though arena combatants count too. Heads, arms, legs, whatever, just keep hacking and slashing and cutting! Takes a while, about five full playthoughs if you'll end up chopping everyone to pieces.

GOBLIN OMELETTE
Kill that damn goblin!
For this achievement you need to lose the first time you meet Kahn-Dread and then meet him again in the palace. Let Kahn-Dread do his special attack (and yes, you'll need to take some beating for that) and enjoy the cutscene! It doesn't matter if you die or not, you'll get the achievement anyway. Alternatively, if you play as Sion or Deathbringer just do the special attack yourself!
Sadly, obtaining this achievement means that Xodan will die.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHuA6TS66Pk

THE BARBARIAN
End the game as Rahaan


THE WARRIOR PRINCESS
End the game as Sheyna


THE BERSERKER
End the game as Sion


THE SAVAGE GIRL
End the game as Ayla


THE TERRIBLE
End the game as Mombata


THE AMAZON
End the game as Xula


SHE-RED
End the game as She-Red


To get these achievements you must save Xodan and defeat Zordax!

THE DEATHBRINGER
End the game as the Deathbringer
To get this achievement you must find and personally finish off Xodan and then defeat Zordax.

[sng-ign]

Great guide. Again, I hate this game so, so much.

[WildCat]

Hey, Z!
1 - You need to counter with strong attacks, if you can't seem to get a strong counter attack to work then try it against a different opponent.
2 - i don't have another account to try and tell you, i guess you'll have to find it out on your own!

[Z]

I have 2 questions.
1- For the HOW DARE YOU TAKE IT BACK achievement, do you need to counter with strong attack or to block strong ones ?

2- Can I do THE BUTCHER achivement in versus battle rather than the story mode ?

Thanks !

[WildCat]

As promised, updated the guide with the latest info!

[WildCat]

It's been a while, a DLC and a couple of patches came out. I plan to update the guide with the latest info soon.
It can be tricky to jump over spike traps with large characters like Sion and you must be running to perform a long enough jump and time it right. Sometimes the game may glitch and ignore input so i usually double tap the jump key to make sure it'll work.

[Nana's Biscuits]

I can't jump the single spike trap, did anything get changed after you made this guide ?

[WildCat]

Not much else to tell. You need to jump when the next rope is the closest to you as it swings back and forth. People mostly fail the jump from the first to the second rope because it's the longest - just watch carefully. One guy reported on forums that low framerate can cause you to fail even if you seemingly do everything right.

[PhenixDraco]

any tips on how to time the ropes on arena fire pit traps? because for me its very random

[metis]

thx

[Hämärän matkamies]

Yeah, it makes sense. :)