Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero Reviews
This long-awaited sequel’s story is filled with adorable characters and combat that is both solid and designed to be busted open make it a great return for Marona in Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero.
While the story lacks the narrative depth of its predecessor, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a sequel that knows what it is good at, and leans into it, delivering a sharper and more refined experience.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is packed with content and provides about 10 hours plus many more for the completionists. Despite its negatives, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is the sequel that fans have been waiting for, which has been worth it.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero certainly isn’t a terrible sequel. As mentioned earlier, NIS’ usage of familiar concepts from the first game should make this offering a worthwhile treat for long-time fans. Sadly, those who are relative newcomers to the series might be turned off by the campaign structure and overall progression.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a game that I have no trouble saying is better than its predecessor, yet I’m left with the sense that it’s not as much of an upgrade as it ought to be. I have no complaints with the story and feel it is about as good as a sequel to the original should have been. While in terms of gameplay, it offers up some varied systems that allows for player freedom and fun improvisation that provides dynamic play, it’s also undoubtedly cumbersome. Game speed is slow and the way it completely eschews quality of life features means that a lot of time is spent tediously fiddling with menus rather than engaging with the meat of its strategy elements. Its tutorialization is equally as clumsy, and coupled with its high difficulty, it means I can only really recommend this to highly dedicated SRPG players. A charming game with rich mechanics, to be certain, but you’ll have to wade through some weeds to fully grasp the fun.
[...]Marona's, Ash's and Apricot's adventure is yet another worthy entry in Nippon Ichi Software's catalogue and a memorable experience for fans of the company or those who like a borderline experimental touch to the tactical RPG genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
This is truly a tactical RPG that you can play any way you like. You decide which Phantoms to take into battle, how to deploy them, which equipment to use and more. Now, that is true for more games like this, but the sheer number of possibilities is quite something. Add the gridless battlefield to that and the special abilities Marona has, and you’ll have many hours of gaming fun with Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a good sequel to a beloved series that introduces a lot of good ideas. Still, it's a game that falls flat in its storytelling, going a bit too over the top, resulting in something that is hard to get engaged with.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero offers a refreshing take on the SRPG genre with its unique gridless combat and deep customization. While the slow pacing and complex systems may deter newcomers, fans of tactical games will revel in its rewarding gameplay and intricate strategies.
All and all, I had a pretty good time with Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero. The story and characters are great, and the music is very fitting for the game, overall. If you are a fan of other NIS strategy titles, picking this up is a no brainer at $59.99 price tag, you’re gonna find a lot to love here. This is a good entry point for newcomers as well since the story is self contained and you really need no knowledge of the previous game to have a good time here. Now if you will excuse me, I have some more random levels to attend to.
The Lost Hero is a honorable sequel that doesn't limit itself to the past and wants to offer to the player something refreshing while keeping it faithful to the original. It's a title that innovates in its systems and abuses them in the right way; it's especially challenging enough for SRPG fans, but also accessible in the same manner for those who aren't as keen in the genre. Its story is equally accessible, offering a simple narrative, but well structured and tight with a colorful and fun cast.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero manages to bring many iconic ideas from the previous game, such as the confinement system, while also injecting new life and ideas to make the formula even more refined and appealing to the new generation of players.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
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.