Phantom Doctrine Reviews
When it comes to turn-based tactical strategy there's no doubt that emulating the X-Com mold from the PC space is a smart way to go...
Phantom Doctrine hasn't lived up to all the expectations I had placed on it. Despite having a very well elaborated idea, high production values and a high level of ambience, it fails in simple things. I'm sure that with a little work from the developers it will go as high as it deserves.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Phantom Doctrine takes an interesting approach to the tactical genre, not only tries to distance itself from XCOM, but shows some peculiar ideas related to espionage and counter-intelligence agents.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
My first thought of Phantom Doctrine is that it bears a close resemblance to games similar to XCOM and other turn-based tactical titles. Although I noticed some issues with graphics and some of the mechanics in the gameplay, these were not enough to deter me from continuing and exploring some of the other strengths I noticed. Gamers who enjoy turn-based tactical games will no doubt find all the usual interfaces here.
Phantom Doctrine may not quite fully follow through on its early promise, but the game is still a lot of fun and will readily supply lots of hours of enjoyment.
Phantom Doctrine is a turn-based strategy games that allows us to take part in international intrigues and espionage. In the world where loyalty is nothing and betrayal is around the corner, will you manage to complete at least the first mission?
Review in Polish | Read full review
I had fun playing the Phantom Doctrine but it’s not a perfect game by any means. While it’s true that this isn’t going to be a game for everyone to enjoy, those who are a fan of turn-based strategy games with emphasis on micromanaging your troops might find it enjoyable. It really brought out the OCD in me. In short, if you’re like me and have an obsession with every detail about how you play a game, then Phantom Doctrine is worth a buy.
I would recommend this game to fans of RTS and base management games. It was fun and refreshing, and somewhat nerve-wracking. There aren't many issues I had personally with the game, it was enjoyable.
Ensuring the game appeals to strategy die-hards appears to have been a driving force in development, and that approach pays off thanks to the high level of satisfaction arising from successful completion of missions. However, players sucked in by the promise of a "next-generation" experience are likely to be disappointed by the shortage of mechanics that truly push the genre forward. Meanwhile, the investigation elements are too simplified to make it a key draw. A number of minor bugs also mar the experience, but these issues are not severe enough to harm enjoyment. In many ways, Phantom Doctrine is a brilliant addition to the lineage of the turn-based strategy genre, introducing some novel wrinkles to make the typically disparate gameplay and narrative feel more cohesive.
Overall, Phantom Doctrine is an admirable exploration of Cold War espionage, using and improving upon the core gameplay offered by the XCOM series. If you loved that franchise, you will love this: Playing Phantom Doctrine just feels so satisfying, with a wide variety of options at your disposal when initiating and conducting missions. If they had a reference document in-game for those times you miss the pop-up windows, I'd have given this game a higher score. As is, I'll still be playing this for a fair while to come.
Despite the few bugs here and there, Phantom Doctrine represents an ingenious use of the XCOM formula in an enticing setting with a plot that’s as deep as you want it to be. With an excellent soundtrack, an intentionally drab yet appealing art style and a charismatic charm to it, it’s certainly a better-than-average turn based game. If you’re a fan of XCOM and are up for the hefty challenge this game presents, even on its easiest settings, this game will appeal to you. If your patience runs short and you want your fun to be more immediate, leave this game skulking in the shadows.
I enjoyed the espionage setting, the turn-based stealth action, and the assembly of the puzzle pieces. I often had a hard time getting off the screen because I just wanted to solve this one case quickly or started another mission quickly. If patches are applied here and a little more time is invested in the next title, an up-and-coming game forge could celebrate its final breakthrough.
Review in German | Read full review
My executive summary is simple: If you like tactical squad-based games, the Cold War, or a good spy thriller, make acquiring a copy of Phantom Doctrine a priority.
Lack of a proper tutorial and some user interface annoyances aside, Phantom Doctrine takes amazing cues from Hitman and Jagged Alliance, and turns turn based tactics into a rewarding experience, be it completing or failing a mission. A must have for turn based fans.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
More The Americans than James Bond, Phantom Doctrine takes the turn-based tactical genre and infuses it with Cold War espionage.
Phantom Doctrine offers a fascinating tale of secrets and subterfuge, though you'll need to be willing to butt heads with punishing difficult to enjoy it all the way through. Veterans of turn-based tacticals who are looking for a new challenge would do well to check this one out.
Phantom Doctrine is the best tactical RPG I've played this generation so far. It takes heavy influences from the rebooted XCOM series yet adds it's own spin and design onto the whole game in order to make it it's own with new mechanics and possibilities. Focused more on the realistic over the fantastical, Phantom Doctrine delivers three similar yet different storylines which will keep you engaged for over 40 hours per faction as you delve into their respective perspectives of the same events and beyond. There is very little not to like with this game, the Investigation Board can get a bit monotonous after a while but every combat section is as engaging and exciting as the last one.
Phantom Doctrine captures the look and feel of the 80s and re-creates the paranoia that drove the Cold War up until its end. It's like all the best parts of an espionage film or novel come to life. Whether playing as an American, or a Russian, you'll get two radically different campaigns each and every time. This is simply CreativeForge's best work to date. Phantom Doctrine is ambitious, bold, and creative; paying off in every way.