Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero Review

I have a strong affection for Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs). The quirky personalities and structured narratives appeal to me greatly, while their consistent efforts to introduce distinct leveling and advancement mechanics are something I deeply appreciate.

Having played numerous role-playing games either made or inspired by Japan, I’ve grown accustomed to certain peculiarities and clichés that might deter some gamers.

However, if there’s one trope I’m getting increasingly tired of, it’s child characters.

It turned out that I needed to be prepared for a change in perspective, as Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero presents two young protagonists. To appreciate the game fully without letting my prior opinions influence me, I had to stay open-minded – quite a challenge, I must say.

In the past, I’ve played the original Phantom Brave game, and now I remember that our heroine is a 13-year-old character named Marona. She’s joined by Ash, a phantom who can only talk to Marona. Ash serves as both her protector and guide, helping Marona navigate through her innocence.

In the role of an enthusiastic fan, here’s how I might rephrase it: “Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero” is a sequel that unfolds six months after its original storyline, and it presents us with Apricot, a pirate girl who’s younger than Marona! While her exact age isn’t disclosed, I’d estimate she’s about 10 years old.

To determine if this game is worth investing your time, or understand why these children prefer not going to school, stay tuned for more information.

Phantoms and Pirates

In Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero, the central theme revolves around the concept of spectral beings known as phantoms once more. However, this story delves into the notion that deceased individuals transform into these phantoms when they continue to hold on to unresolved emotions and persist in the world.

In this world, some people form friendships with Marona, while others are mistreated and transform into terrifying creatures. The story unfolds in an innovative pirate environment, brimming with thrilling adventures and magnificent crews.

The action commences, and Marona finds herself under assault by the formidable Shipwreck Fleet – a band of phantom vessels. In this turmoil, she loses Ash and is cast adrift on an island. This isolated land is ruled by the Argento Pirate Crew who take advantage of the stranded girl.

With assistance from the ghostly Apricot, Marona manages to persuade the pirates to join her in searching for Ash, while they too look for Captain Argento. It turns out that Captain Argento is Apricot’s father, and it has been five years since he went missing – a timeframe identical to that of Apricot’s death.

Preparing for a potentially emotional rollercoaster ride as the game sets its story with a deceased child. The concept could have brought a weighty theme to life, but Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero opts for a surprisingly casual and carefree approach, which sometimes detracts from the overall gaming experience.

In summary, there are heartfelt scenes and witty conversations, yet throughout, the narrative tends to emphasize the importance of friendship as a driving force behind the unwavering hopefulness of the young main characters.

Grown-up figures frequently advise the girls to be careful or not trust suspicious characters, acting as voices of reason. However, Marona and Apricot are persistent in their belief that anything can be achieved, even the seemingly impossible. They hold fast to the idea that everything will resolve itself in time, and they often extend aid to the most wicked antagonists.

As a gamer, I found that the storyline and dialogue in Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero didn’t quite grab me like other aspects of the game did. Often, conversations felt lengthy and redundant, with characters repeating information that had just been shared or Apricot responding dramatically to our group’s choices.

In this rephrased version: The storyline often follows the whims of the children, without any proper development or key moments that advance the narrative. It’s interesting to note that in JRPGs, enemies turning into allies is a common trope. When done effectively and with a convincing explanation, it can create a stunning payoff. However, if it feels unrealistic, it could potentially ruin the entire plotline.

The relationship between the main characters, who tackle every challenge with affection, concern, and conversation, gives the story a somewhat foreseeable feel. In its endeavor to be unique, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero sometimes comes across as monotonous or overly bloated to increase gameplay duration.

Over time, I found myself growing weary as I kept vanquishing adversaries, but realized they weren’t the genuine ones – maybe duplicates, illusions, or counterfeits – all for the sake of extending the gameplay.

Deep Themes Amidst a Shallow Execution

The narrative flow of the story left me underwhelmed and at times elicited deep sighs from me. Nippon Ichi games have a reputation for featuring a visual novel-style structure, including scenes that depict stationary character portraits.

This structure doesn’t pose an issue individually, yet it increases the game’s reliance on powerful voice acting and engaging dialogue compared to games featuring active cinematics.

Refreshingly, they chose to rehire the first voice artists for Marona and Ash, following a 20-year hiatus. However, their return couldn’t compensate for the lack of enthusiasm in the acting.

In simpler terms, the sound level fluctuates irregularly, making key points less effective and somewhat dulling the overall impact of the scene. It’s worth noting that this issue might not be due to the voice actors’ performance but rather a problem with inconsistent audio management.

Unfortunately, the story and dialogue in Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero were not particularly captivating aspects of the game. Many conversations are lengthy and redundant, often featuring characters repeating what others have just said. Moreover, Apricot’s reactions to the group’s decisions seem excessive, which can contradict the logic behind her being chosen as captain by the same crew members.

Essentially, if immersive storylines, imaginative narratives, unexpected plot developments, and intriguing characters are what you’re after in RPGs, then you might find Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero less satisfying.

Anything Goes in Tactical Combat

If you’re seeking a strategic role-playing game packed with extraordinary customization options, perpetual advancement, and exciting, albeit nonsensical loot, then congratulations! You’ve found the perfect spot. The gameplay of Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero takes an exhilarating turn towards the unconventional. Even if you’re not well-versed in NIS games, get ready for a wild ride.

In the game Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero, you’ll notice that the gameplay is quite similar to its original version. Combat takes place on a specific battlefield where characters can move around freely according to their Movement attribute. Additionally, they can utilize different abilities based on their character class or weapon they’re carrying.

One unique aspect of “The Lost Hero” differentiates it from other strategy RPGs: Marona is initially the sole combatant in the field. However, she can summon allies by employing the Confine command, which allows her to select an object on the map, such as weapons like swords or unusual items such as a palm tree, and subsequently choose an ally to assist her.

Each ghost possesses a unique Disappearance trait that indicates the number of rounds it can be active before vanishing permanently from the scene. This encouragement led me to create a variety of characters rather than relying on a select few, and also forced me to adjust my game strategy in numerous situations.

You can only call a certain number of specters simultaneously, but this limit resets when they are eliminated by obstacles instead of by enemy combat.

At times, a spectral entity might come to permanently possess an object, which can then be utilized as a tool in battle. In certain instances, objects on the battlefield may be connected to others or to adversaries, providing bonuses or penalties, thereby introducing another strategic dimension to the conflict.

Each weapon comes with distinct capabilities and benefits, with an axe boasting skills that inflict damage proportional to the wielder’s Health Points (HP) and Attack points, whereas a molten rock utilizes the Defense attribute.

In a 3D setting, battles offer a wider scope for creativity due to the increased tactical flexibility compared to grid-based systems. This architecture supports a diverse range of abilities, including those with circular, triangular, and rectangular areas of impact, among others.

Often in my gaming adventures with Phantom Brave, I discovered myself making a tough choice: sacrificing an ally to eliminate multiple foes for the greater good. Compared to some grid-based JRPGs, this game’s tactical style offers me more flexibility and room for strategic improvisation during combat.

Everything is a Piece of Equipment

In my perspective as an ardent fan, what truly sets Phanton Brave: The Lost Hero apart is its unique weapon system – each ally can wield just one item as their weapon, making every choice count significantly.

Each weapon offers its own distinct set of skills and advantages. For instance, an axe could possess capabilities that inflict damage proportional to the wielder’s Health Points (HP) and Attack power, whereas a molten rock might leverage the user’s Defense attribute.

In some classes, they focus on specific types of weaponry, which is evident through their passive abilities. However, it’s important to note that it’s absolutely possible to conquer the ultimate foe using an unlikely item such as a cactus, just like I managed to do so.

I found myself captivated by the unrestricted customization featured in “Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero”. It allows you to choose between specializing in a particular class or crafting your own character by acquiring scrolls, which impart passive abilities.

In this world, there are characters that include humans categorized into roles such as Warriors, Mages, and Archers, along with monsters and beings with animal traits who possess special skills. If you prefer flexibility in your character, you can eventually undergo awakening or reincarnation, allowing you to transform a human class into that of a mushroom monster, thereby gaining proficiency in both.

In “Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero,” the highest character level is an impressive 9999. However, achieving this maximum level isn’t essential to win the game; even level 100 may suffice. But for players who enjoy grinding, there’s ample opportunity to keep leveling up beyond that point.

The follow-up offers recurring dungeons with varying layouts, each containing numerous levels. Clearing these dungeons provides strong weapons as rewards and titles that bestow fixed bonus percentages on units and equipment. This is where I elevated two of my key characters beyond 3000, preparing them to face the extra challenges presented in the post-game.

The Island of Operations

Marona’s band of pirates resides on Skullrock Island, offering a variety of amenities such as the Store, Repair, Quests, and Combination areas.

As you call upon various character classes, new amenities become accessible, each with their unique traits. The Store functions as anticipated, whereas Salvage dispatches explorers to gather miscellaneous items at intervals or between stages.

As a gamer, I find myself immersed in a world where each gameplay element seamlessly connects, offering me an unprecedented level of flexibility when crafting my character. There’s a dash of unpredictability that keeps things exciting, allowing the game to veer from one phase to another unexpectedly.

My approach involved arming Apricot with a weapon that had the maximum Attack attribute, at the cost of her Health Points (HP) and Defense. Leveraging the new Confriend mechanism, Marona could then combine with a phantom, allowing multiple consecutive turns. This way, the protagonist would adopt the superior attribute between the two characters, turning into an incredibly powerful 13-year-old combatant.

During my gameplay, the challenge significantly lessened because I came up with an unique strategy based on the resources I discovered along the way. This approach might vary drastically from what others would use.

In contrast to traditional RPGs that offer exploration, the strategic RPG titled “Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero” focuses more on gameplay rather than wandering around. Instead of traversing regions on foot, you command your pirate ship to travel between islands. However, the interaction within these areas is minimal, as moving to a new stage merely requires pressing a button.

Every fight scene within a story level remains constant, offering the same adversaries, loot, and layout. If you’re seeking variety, you’ll need to keep revisiting the dungeons.

Essentially, “Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero” delivers enjoyable tactical play with an abundance of distinctive customization options that are rarely found in games beyond the NIS collection.

Is it possible that you’re going to tell me a character has increased their Health Points (HP) by using a unique swordfish? If you delight in advancement and pushing the boundaries with extraordinarily powerful characters, you’ll discover plenty of opportunities for exploration and experimentation within these realms.

Charming and Humble Presentation

Regarding its visual appeal, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero leans towards simplicity. The characters during gameplay are adorably designed in a chibi style, though they don’t stand out exceptionally. However, the artwork accompanying the cutscenes is delightful and skillfully captures each character’s unique personality.

As I progress and unveil stronger abilities, my combat animations become increasingly dynamic. While they may not reach the flamboyant heights of the ones in the Disgaea series, they effectively demonstrate the might of each strike.

In a simpler, conversational tone: Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero maintains NIS’s distinctive art style, yet doesn’t bring too many new ideas to the table. It seems like it was made with fewer resources compared to their more well-known series, but it still holds up to its promises.

One standout aspect of this strategic role-playing game is its captivating soundtrack, a pleasant surprise indeed. With approximately twenty distinct compositions, each track perfectly complements the scene it accompanies, heightening the ambiance and drawing players further into the game world.

One of my preferred themes resides on Skullrock Island, offering an airy, seashore ambiance that seems to echo the imaginary realm of pirates where children might play pretend.

It was noted earlier that the voice acting fell short for me, but since I didn’t get to check the Japanese version, if you prefer it, you might not have the same concerns. Moreover, a delightful aspect for me, as a fan of Knights of the Zodiac, is how certain characters shout their abilities during cutscenes – a feature that you might appreciate too.

Closing Thoughts:

A game that gets a sequel after 20 years is quite an accomplishment, particularly when it comes from a smaller segment of a company’s portfolio. Phantom Brave has often been perceived as a spin-off of the Disgaea series rather than a standalone Nippon Ichi Software title. Despite this, the game possessed its own distinct charm, unusual elements, and endearing characters. The sequel, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero, further develops the mechanics of the original. It presents innovative ways to utilize the phantoms’ peculiarities in tactical combat and also offers new means to enhance and advance characters. However, a weak and overly juvenile storyline might deter players who aren’t fond of grinding to extreme levels, which could lead to another long break or even the end of the series if favor is given to NIS’s more celebrated tactical RPGs.

2025-01-23 16:09