Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a great follow-up to one of Nippon Ichi’s less-known titles. The gameplay additions and 3D style work well with what was enjoyable about the original game, and the new characters are a blast to follow. The amount of ways to power up may be a bit overwhelming, but there’s no shortage of fun to be had in this sequel.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero
Developer: Nippon Ichi Software
Price: $60
Platforms: PS4, PS5 (reviewed), Nintendo Switch, and PC
MonsterVine was provided with a PS5 code for review
I reviewed the original Phantom Brave back when it was re-released as part of the Prinny Presents NIS Classics package. I rather enjoyed the unique concept then and enjoyed it just as much when I previewed The Lost Hero at PAX last year. Now, with the full game before me, I’ve found it to be a delightful experience, if not a tad bit complex for the unprepared.
The main concept of Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is the same as the first – as Marona, you can confine the spirits of those who have passed on to different items, allowing them to fight for you. This can be anything from a rock to a gun, with most of the spirits you confine being custom characters. Different items provide different effects and boons to your characters, adding an extra layer of neat strategy to each map.
There’s an adequate level of challenge to the game, so I always felt like I was doing just well enough to progress. The new Confriend mechanic, which lets Marona fuse with an ally for a few continuous turns, is a fantastic addition that provides you with a new tool to take on tough stages with. Similarly, being able to confine allies into devices like fans, catapults, and cannons provides a whole new level of fun to combat, as you can devastate enemy teams with proper planning.
“I found these new allies to be a great bunch both in combat and in the story, as each one has an intriguing backstory that shows off both their distinct characteristics and Marona’s compassion.“
The mission-based structure of Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero works to its benefit, making it easy to play in bursts for as little or as long as you want. There’s also a ton to do back at Skullrock Island – your base in the game – in between stages. There are dungeons to explore, request missions to take on, and a remarkably deep number of upgrade systems.
These systems can feel a bit overwhelming at first, as there are quite a few ways to level up your characters and improve your weapons through titles, the juice bar, and more. For those more accustomed to straightforward progression systems – and even more seasoned RPG players – this can be a bit hard to wrap your head around, but the tutorials are handy and help it all make sense. It can feel a bit laborious to cover them all, but soon enough, you’ll be putting all your experience into juice and getting more than you could before.
The story of Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is filled with fun characters.
A good portion of the story, as you might expect from the title, doesn’t feature Ash, leaving Marona to find new allies to fill the character’s void. These new allies are a delightful bunch, from the loveable rogue Rouen to the determined youth Urumi. I found these new allies to be a great bunch both in combat and in the story, as each one has an intriguing backstory that shows off both their distinct characteristics and Marona’s compassion. The dialogue throughout is funny and occasionally moving, feeling like a worthy continuation of Marona and Ash’s story and a strong start for the rest of the cast.
The 3D models look good and serve as a suitable translation from the pixel art of the original Phantom Brave, and The Lost Hero does have a lot of fun special attack animations. The Confriend ones stand out in particular, with the designs of Marona’s fusions looking cool. The voice acting and music are stellar, with a few tracks immediately getting stuck in my head.
The Final Word
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a strong sequel to what was perhaps Nippon Ichi’s most unique title. The characters are charming, the gameplay is robust and tactical, and while the unlockable methods of powering up may be slightly overwhelming, newcomers should manage just fine playing through.
MonsterVine Rating: 4 out of 5 – Good
