Artificial Life’s new iPhone and iPod touch fighting game, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, is based on the upcoming Starz TV series by the same name, and just as its name describes, it features a whole lot of blood and sand.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand is a brutish and violent fighting game that may appeal to those of you who have enjoyed Gameloft’s Blades of Fury.  The game allows you to compete in a gladiator-style setting in a variety of ways, including via story mode, quick fight, challenge mode, or head-to-head multiplayer via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.  You are also able to tailor the game to fit your needs with three difficulty settings, different round durations, and amount of rounds.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand allows you to compete as one of eight characters, two of which are unlockable, that are controlled via on-screen buttons.  Besides the directional pad, there are three combat related buttons: a quick attack, block, and a strong attack.  Combos can be created with specific sequences of button taps, and a move list can be accessed via the pause menu, which can be a tad inconvenient, especially in the middle of a game.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand is now available in the App Store for $4.99.