Play Xs: Shield Up, Fight Back Online

XS: Shield Up, Fight Back is a first-person shooter released in 1996 for the MS-DOS platform. It was developed and published by SCi Games Ltd. The game is set in a futuristic scenario where gladiatorial combat has been revived, and the player's character enters these brutal contests to investigate a personal mystery involving a presumed-dead associate.

Players control a combatant navigating a series of arena battles. The primary single-player experience, called Competition Mode, involves progressing through twenty distinct arenas, each containing three opponents. Gameplay focuses on combat using a variety of weapons, with players managing shields, health, and ammunition. Destroying enemy fighters, automated defenses like gun turrets and drones, and targeting higher-ranked opponents are central to progression. Points are awarded for damage dealt and eliminations, and certain special weapons or items collected can be retained between arenas, while basic resources are partially replenished after each stage.

Beyond the main campaign, the game includes a Grudge Mode, which becomes accessible after defeating at least one opponent in Competition Mode. This mode allows players to re-engage with previously defeated adversaries in a single-arena setting. A multiplayer component supports network play for up to eight participants, though only four can be human players at once, with the remainder controlled by computer opponents. In these matches, players select from a roster of shield fighters and respawn at random locations within the arena after being eliminated.