Phantom Breaker: Omnia Reviews
Phantom Breaker: Omnia brings the game to western countries for the first time. However, it also brings what seem to be vestiges of old and outdated game design that work against it. While the fighting mechanics might be easy to understand, every character feels like they play the same way and the combat is so unintuitive it feels like you're just in a button-mashing contest. It works as a novelty and not much else.
Phantom Breaker: Omnia isn't a bad fighting game. The fighting seems deep at first but quickly turns chaotic with plenty of moves that don't look like they connect and a roster that looks more generic than impressive. The presentation is OK with decent music and graphics that look a touch underwhelming. The modes are numerous, but those who will want to play online will be disappointed at the lack of rollback netcode. The Switch is already blessed with a bevy of solid fighting games, so the only reason to grab this one is if you really want all of the fighting games that the system has to offer.
When titles like Guilty Gear -Strive- and King of Fighters XV have set such high bars lately it's very difficult to accept anything less. While Phantom Breaker: Omnia has all the tools and look of the next big fighting game it doesn't quite have the feel. The lack of a playable tutorial certainly doesn't do it any favors either. I would imagine fans of the franchise will lap this title up and the crossover content could bring a few fresh eyes over, but as a fighting game in a genre that's made such a strong comeback over the last decade, it doesn't do much to differentiate from the cream of the crop or the more cult fighters such as Melty Blood or Arcana Heart.
It’s a shame that Phantom Breaker: Omnia doesn’t have rollback netcode, because that’s where most hardcore fighting game fans will perhaps be getting their fun out of it. There is still some joy to be had though, and for those who simply like to play against the CPU or another human via local versus, there’s very little to complain about. It may not be a property you’re familiar with, but if you’re a fighting game fan you’d be wise to check Phantom Breaker: Omnia out.
Phantom Breaker is an interesting fighter that finds a niche in a somewhat crowded genre. The use of character styles and chain-based combat gives the game its own identity and provides an additional layer of strategy in fights. The omission of a tutorial and move list is baffling and is a barrier to mastering mechanics. Characters are well crafted and their personalities are shared in the game’s story, however, the roster itself lacks variety. Despite its originality on the stage, some design issues halt Phantom Breaker: Omnia from competing with its competition.
Phantom Breaker: Omnia is a really interesting anime fighting game with an eclectic cast of characters, even if some of those characters’ art styles look strange and out of place. An interesting and easy-to-understand fighting system also means being able to specialize any given character with the game’s three systems and further boosting playstyle variety. Some might be taken aback by the simplicity of inputs, but there’s still plenty of strategy and mastery of characters to be had.
Nearly all praise comes with a caveat of some sort and it becomes clear that Omnia can't match up with the genre's best or even its own inspiration.
Despite lots of competition, fighting fans will no doubt enjoy this new game in the Phantom Breaker series. Although it doesn’t offer anything new, it has a wealth of options and if you want to complete the game 100%, this will take quite the amount of time. If you think you’ve played through all the fighters currently on offer, Phantom Breaker Omnia will give you an all new challenge!
Phantom Breaker: Omnia is fun and unique - and managing to be enjoyable both for veterans and newcomers alike is never easy, for a fighting game: yet, this one succeeds.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Phantom Breaker: Omnia is a breath of fresh air in the fighting game genre. It offers tons of playstyles and lowers the entry barrier with simple core mechanics, that offer complexity for those that want to learn it. The story is a bit lacking, but the voiced dialogue is a welcome addition despite the repetitive presentation.
Overall, my thoughts are simple, it’s a fun game. I learned a little bit more about this off-hand title that I first played in Japanese completely on the Xbox 360 and it payed off in the form of this new update. Fighting games don’t get much shine, maybe because of the reputation of the community up to this point, but disregarding all of that, this is another solid fighter to add.
Phantom Breaker: Omnia, while not affecting the greatest exponents of the fighting genre, represents a nice diversion.
Review in Italian | Read full review
At the end of the day, Phantom Breaker: Omnia is a good anime fighter. There are plenty of unique characters to choose from, and even a few special guests from other MAGES titles. I wasn’t really impressed with some of choices made with the subtitles, but this is a minor complaint that doesn’t really take much away from this one. Combat here is simple to pick up and play with enough depth to keep you interested for hours to come. There are plenty of modes to mess around with offline, as well as some online modes to take on your friends. If you’re a fan of anime style fighters, at the $39.99 price tag, you should probably give this one a go. I feel like there is enough meat here to keep you entertained for hours. If you are new to fighting games, this may be a good title to start with, since it isn’t overly complicated to play, but it is a lot of fun.
In the midst of all the amazing fighters one the market Phantom Breaker: Omnia could be this year's hidden gem as its unique approach to creating an original experience is just fantastic.
Solid and definitely have an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.
Though it is still somewhat lacking in the quality of life department, Phantom Breaker: Omnia is a game that is worth getting for fans of the genre. With a gameplay that offers simple inputs but many possibilities for combat, this game has a lot more to offer than it may seem at first.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Undoubtedly a game totally focused on its combat, both for novice and expert players, with small stories and Arcade modes to pass the time.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Phantom Breaker: Omnia is an "old school" fighting game that brings to the West a franchise that will delight all fans of Japanese anime.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Phantom Breaker: Omnia is a long-awaited release of a dormant niche fighting game franchise that many players will be jumping into for the very first time. It's the best first impression you'll get for this fighter, but it's also one that can be overwhelming and hard to sift through for those not completely ready for it.