GAME REVIEW | "Phantom Brave" Sequel Both Super Simple & Super Fun!
Over two decades have gone by since Nippon Ichi Software dropped its adventure game Phantom Brave. Even after all that time, the characters of Marona and Ash have stayed within the minds of fans across the globe. (In fact, they’ve even outranked some Disgaea characters in various popularity polls!) It’s because of this that — after all of this time — a sequel had finally been green-lit.
The good news about Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is, if you’ve never played the original, there’s a nice recap in the opening. You get caught up with Marona and Ash, who have earned the respect of those who thought they were weird. Now, they’re considered heroes across the land of Ivorie. However, when the Shipwreck Fleet attacks the duo, Marona finds herself separated from Ash, with no way of knowing if her Phantom pal is okay.
Enter Apricot, a young Phantom pirate girl who seeks to find her missing father. With two similar goals in hand, Marona and Apricot set off to visit the many lands of Ivorie and find out what exactly is going on. As they journey forward, they meet new allies, new enemies, and an interesting bunch of rapscallions that aim to cause more trouble for our heroes. Fortunately, Marona and Apricot aren’t the types of women who turn tail when danger arrives.
With every new chapter comes a new foe that could be turned into a friend. From the sarcastic first mate Rouen and the beautiful Queen Henna to the Onee-san-like pirate Mayfair, these new characters bring a plethora of extra muscle when the time comes to fight. However, before they’re riding-or-dying with Marona and Apricot, they’re first enemies that need to be taken down a notch. That’s where your other Phantoms come into play.
Players start out with a small selection of Phantoms that will aid Marona and Apricot in this fight. But as the story goes on, the roster has the ability to grow. From Fighters and Chefs to Strikers and…Old Men, the selection of Phantoms ready for your disposal is surprisingly vast. Once you get the crew you want, it’ll be time to hit the seas and fight. The surprisingly thing: it’s very simple how the battle system works.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a lot easier than Disgaea. Unlike the latter, the game has a more open-movement system rather than traversing from block-to-block. Depending on your character’s fight style or level will determine how much they can move, but you may be surprised to see that you will get a lot of ground covered. Where the strategy lies is how you Confine your party members.
Anything within Marona’s range can be used to call upon your party members. Trees, flowers, rocks, and even weaponry dropped by defeated enemies can be used to call new allies. On some occasions, you can even use weapons such as cannons and fans to Confine party members to, resulting in some explosive fun! Marona can even Confriend with a some of her more closer allies, resulting in some killer attacks from a combined duo! The key to a battle’s victory is to take out your opponents via knocking them out or pushing them overboard, the latter of which is loads of fun when you get it right!
The more you battle, the more you’ll be rewarded with treasures, new weapons, and various other goodies. And the fights don’t just happen in the main story. Side quests will help you earn currency and other treasures, whereas embarking on Dungeon Missions will get you some EXP, items, and some new titles to dub your characters with. For a game that hasn’t had a proper follow-up in 21 years, it’s astounding to see how much has been placed into it!
From a story perspective, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is thoroughly entertaining. Both Marona and Apricot are true cinnamon rolls who’ll warm your heart whenever they’re on-screen. Wolfman Rouen is humorous with his sarcastic wit, whereas Henna’s got that funny princess vibe that makes her forget that she’s not the true leader of the pack. However, even with its stellar storytelling, I can’t glaze over some of the subpar voice acting from the men’s side of things.
While the voice actresses for Marona, Apricot, and Henna are giving their all, the male counterparts are either simply okay or sound like they’re half-assing it. I don’t know what sort of direction the guy playing Ash was given, but I was kind of grateful to see he was pushed out of the story right in the beginning of the game. Rouen is the perhaps the only saving grace, with his one-liners and sarcastic attitude being a delight to hear. Nevertheless, it makes me wish I could pick and choose who is speaking English and who is voiced by the original Japanese voice actor.
On the Nintendo Switch version, the battles ran pretty smoothly. However, when there were more than about 15 characters on-screen (especially during some Dungeon battles), I noticed the action would start lagging, with the fighting looking choppy in places. It’s a noticeable flaw for a new game playing on what is now an eight-year old console, so there’s a chance these issues are non-existent on the PS5 version. Still, it wasn’t enough to take me out of the game.
If you’re looking for battles that are more fun than challenging, then Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero has your number. Watching these cute-looking chibi characters hack, slash, shoot, and explode one another is simply wonderful to watch unfold. Not only are they adorable to behold, but there’s something about getting an overboard or a one-hit kill that feels satisfying. With that being said, those looking for hardcore RPG fights might wanna either up the difficulty in the beginning or seek elsewhere, as both easy and normal mode aren’t exactly the biggest brain teasers.
PROS:
- Very fun story
- Great assortment of missions and side-quests
- Battles easy to tackle
CONS:
- Might be too easy for more hardcore RPG players
- English male voice-acting is subpar
- Some game lag on Switch version
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Even if you’re new to Phantom Brave, there’s a lot in The Lost Hero that will get you wanting to hit its mighty seas. Lots of missions, great side quests, and a plethora of lovable scamp make NIS’s latest RPG one of the most fun you’ll experience this year. Marona and Apricot may not be as tough as — say — Long John Silver or Captain Jack Sparrow, but Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero demonstrates the tenacity one has when they lead their journeys with great friends and a plethora of courage. Weigh the anchor and set the sails, because this is one pirate RPG that you don’t want to be plundered from your grasps!
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by NIS America. In stores January 30th! Reviewed on the Nintendo Switch.
