Phantom Trigger Reviews
Phantom Trigger certainly has the elements to be a good and unique game on its own, thanks to its unmatched atmosphere and combat system. However it quickly loses out due to the short term repetitiveness that quickly takes over, as well as to the lack of variety of its enemies and goals, which mean that ultimately the game's promises go unfulfilled.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The story is mysterious and cerebral, the pixel art evocative and opulent, and the combat system deep and versatile. With a more sophisticated upgrade framework and with more worthwhile RPG elements, it could take the next step towards greatness.
Sadly, Phantom Trigger is over as soon as it hits its stride. It takes only about 5 hours or so to play through, though this can be extended if you’re set on uncovering every little detail and pick-up. For $15, it’s not a bad deal, but Phantom Trigger is a unique and surreal experience – one I hoped would have lasted a little longer. If you’re a fan of Hyper Light Drifter, Kamiko, and other games of this little RPG sub genre, Phantom Trigger comes recommended.
It's one hell of a good time.
Phantom Trigger, at least the Switch version, should’ve been delayed.
Hi-bit visuals in an action-adventure game with RPG elements and alternate endings built by a team of two?! Need I say more?
Ultimately, Phantom Trigger lacks any new ideas out of its own, and fails to be more than a passing imitation of the classics that spawned this genre, or be visually appealing like its contemporaries.
Not only is Phantom Trigger agonising to play, but it is also really mind-numbingly boring. The game's cycle is just going through linear areas, being forced to fight, and then having to do a 'Simon Says' style memory game. There are some unremarkable boss battles, with no fun factor at all, all following a very similar formula. At about five hours, this kind of game doesn't seem long, but five hours for Phantom Trigger feels like real hard work. The only saving graces are some attempt at having some visual style and some interesting looking designs.
The story of blurred lines between life, death, and imagination is actually really interesting, and enough to keep the player enduring for a while in what is otherwise a simple grind and unfun combat system. While the story is compelling, eventually there is simply too little to keep players going through what is an incredibly frustrating dungeon crawler with little sense of progression and too frequent combat.
The enemies and objectives don't really change for the most part, but at least they give you a reasonable challenge. The game is perfectly fine with those looking for something quick and flashy, but don't expect something you will remember months from now. With 6 hours on the counter, it's over before you know it.
Phantom Trigger is definitely not for casual gamers, as it is obvious from the fact that the game starts on the Hard difficulty setting. If you're up for the challenge, you'll find a great looking action game with an interesting story and more than enough content to justify your purchase. But if you're easily frustated, you should definitely avoid this one since you're going to hate it.
Phantom Trigger is repetitive game and it's only redeeming qualities are nice graphical style and good music. Not nearly enough to recommend the game, unless you can't sleep. It will knock you out in a minute.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Developed by TeamBread and published by Tinybuild, Phantom Trigger is a Hack and Slash game with RPG touches that tells the story of Stan, a clerk who due to a rare disease must undergo an experimental treatment which causes his reality to be affected and is transported to a parallel world where he lives adventures in the skin of a character called the Stranger.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I found Phantom Trigger to be a challenging and distinct experience, mixing up some elements I appreciate in multiple titles with the action and nature of the boss battles, and giving me something to chew on for a while. While I normally don't go right back through to attack a game I just finished on a harder difficulty setting I did that here and the game hasn't disappointed. As I'd said I felt pretty good about myself being capable of facing everything the game could throw at me, but then hit World 4 and now I'm carefully trying to survive and progress… it's a tough one. The Arena mode seems to have potential but for the most part it also doesn't strike me as something everyone will want to replay once the main game has concluded. Since one of the things I'd wished for was for such a mode to exist to extend my play of Mr. Shifty I do greatly appreciate the added effort and opportunity to get some more out of the game now that I've mostly mastered the mechanics. While not everything in Phantom Trigger is perfect I'd say people looking for a meaty action challenge won't be disappointed given the difficulty it brings with both its varied enemies and creative bosses. The fact that it tells an interesting story along the way is just icing on the cake.
If you haven't seen or heard of the game, the team behind it describes it in the following way – "Phantom Trigger is a Hardcore Neon Slasher with RPG and Roguelike elements." That's a whole lot of different genres to fit in one game if you ask us.
An experience boiled down to its raw essentials, and then refined to the best those essentials have to offer, Phantom Trigger sits as an interesting and worthwhile experience.
If you are the type of person who could be locked in a room for twelve hours, content with nothing more than a fidget spinner and a bucket then you will love Phantom Trigger. It’s amazing. For everyone else, you will probably get very little satisfaction from this extremely repetitive and frustratingly boring dungeon brawler.
Phantom Trigger is a nice surprise, and it's nice to have this style of play on a Nintendo Switch. Might not be perfect, but with that easy price tag, it's worth the try.
Phantom Trigger has a beautiful style, pixel art in a good way with faux-artifacting, bright colors and lovely lighting.
The Phantom Trigger is a pretty interesting project from the point of view of the plot, but the gameplay and the combat system is, unfortunately, boring and boring by the end of the game shows that the developers with an eye looking at games like Hyper Light Drifter, but alas, something went wrong, once again, is to say that the graphics and music really perfectly. And lastly, despite the above shortcomings, the Phantom Trigger a good and original project that I would like to advise all those who are fascinated with this genre.
Review in Russian | Read full review