TGS 2024 | "Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero"
The masterminds behind the Disgaea franchise are now diving deep into their back catalog for the return of Phantom Brave. Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is only the second chapter in the franchise, even though its first game has gotten many releases and expansions. On the Tokyo Game Show floor, I was able to experience what its battle system will deliver. Although the entire demo was only available in Japanese, I was surprised to see how both easy and fun the gameplay was!
After setting up your players’ positions, the battle commences in a turn-based style. You can move and attack your enemies, just as you would in the Disgaea series. On top of the main attacks, you use the Confine system to possess items on the map. However, the real fun is when you can have main character Marona partner up with another character on the board (called “Confriend”), which can unleash new attacks on the enemies.
Once I figured out how the system worked, I dove deep into the fight to hopefully gain the victory. Like a good game of chess, each character had to be moved in a precise way in order to gain the advantage. Sometimes it took a bit of luck, other times a proper strategy to damage or completely wipe out an enemy’s health. Many times I found success, other times…not so much.
It was when I was able to Confriend Marona and her spirit friend Ash when the real fun commenced! One by one I started knocking out enemies with super-powered attacks, each one showcased with adorably explosive animation. The real shocker came when I saw the combined heroes jump the line and get multiple turns in this form. Considering I thought I was going to lose the battle, this was a lucky break for me!
Right as soon as my timer was about to go off, I managed to gain the win! Although I am new to the Phantom Brave series, The Lost Hero dragged me right into world of Ivoire with great ease. Not only are the RPG mechanics fun and challenging, but the visuals are true trademark NIS cuteness. If you dug the adventures of Etna and King Laharl, then you will no doubt enjoy what Marona and her spirit friends have got lined up!
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero arrives on PS5 and Switch on January 2025, with a PC release later in the Spring.
