Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero Review Summary

Fun, innovative, and addictive gameplay: The game is praised for its fun core gameplay, innovative systems, and overall addictiveness, exceeding previous entries from the developer. Reviewers appreciate the creative possibilities and are glad to see the series moving forward.

Appealing and cute characters: The game features appealing characters, including returning characters like Marona and new characters like Apprico. The 'Kizuna Confine' is also noted as a cute feature.

Streamlined, faster character leveling: The game streamlines character leveling with features like an experience-boosting ship and the Juice Bar for banking EXP. This reduces grinding and allows for quicker leveling of new recruits, though some depth in character customization may be lost.

Preserves series' gameplay features: The game retains expected features like undo moves and attack animations reminiscent of earlier titles. The reviewer specifically appreciates the return of Marona's fusion skills.

Enhanced visuals: Updated visuals enhance the experience.

Numerous bugs and glitches: The game is plagued with bugs, including softlocks, animation glitches, and characters getting stuck in the environment. These issues can lead to loss of progress and require the game to be force closed. Poor enemy AI pathfinding also contributes to these problems.

Poor optimization, low framerates: The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to low frame rates and slowdowns, especially when multiple characters are on screen. This significantly impacts the player experience, particularly during island interactions.

Inconsistent voice acting: The game suffers from inconsistent voice acting. Some animations and spell effects are also considered low quality.

Restricted mechanics, less freedom: Several mechanics have been changed or removed, limiting player freedom, character customization, and strategic options. These changes negatively impact the overall tempo and make the game feel more restrictive than previous titles.

Weak and disappointing story: The story is considered weak, childish, and repetitive compared to previous titles in the series. Some reviewers felt the lighthearted tone clashes with the series' history.

Many features add gameplay depth: The game incorporates a wide array of features, including numerous weapon types, skills, and playable characters, alongside mechanics like reincarnation, awakening, and Dragonball-style fusion. Additionally, the AI and class passives have been tweaked, and enemies can be knocked off the field, adding depth and variety to the gameplay experience.

Returning mechanics with new twists: The game retains core mechanics from previous titles, such as the 'One Item' rule, while introducing new features like Marona's 'instant throw' ability and a revamped confinement system. These changes impact gameplay balance and require players to adapt to new strategies.

Movement and aiming are clunky: Characters experience movement issues, such as getting stuck on objects or requiring specific key presses for simple actions like stepping. Additionally, aiming attacks is difficult due to poor controls for specifying range and direction, hindering player precision.

UI and systems are confusing: The game suffers from visual clutter, making it difficult to identify items on the map even when highlighted. This issue is compounded by a complex UI and game systems that are generally difficult for players to understand, leading to a frustrating user experience.

Limited dungeon creation options: The dungeon creation mode is limited by a lack of control over key parameters like enemy count and area size. The reliance on pre-made maps instead of variable generation restricts player adaptability and strategic planning, diminishing the creative potential of the feature.

Poor AMD GPU performance: The game exhibits poor performance specifically on AMD GPUs, even high-end models like the RX 7900 XT. This is especially noticeable in 2D menu screens and the home island, suggesting potential driver or optimization issues with AMD hardware.

Good NVIDIA GPU performance: Some players report that the game runs well on NVIDIA GPUs, even older models. This contrasts with reports of poor performance on AMD GPUs, suggesting potential optimization discrepancies between the two platforms.

Manageable with graphic settings: Some players have found a 'sweet spot' in the graphics settings that improves performance. This suggests that while the game may have optimization issues, it is possible to mitigate them by adjusting the settings.

Runs well on Steam Deck: The game appears to run well on the Steam Deck, at least in the early stages. This indicates that the game is potentially well-optimized for some hardware configurations.

Not worth full price: Many reviewers suggest that the game does not live up to the original Phantom Brave and is not worth the full price. They recommend purchasing the original or waiting for a significant sale on this installment, indicating disappointment with the sequel's quality and value.

Recommended for niche interests: Several reviewers recommend the game to specific audiences based on their preferences, such as fans of Nippon Ichi Software, stories about pirates and romance, or loli characters. These recommendations are subjective and depend on individual tastes.

Questionable character design: One reviewer suggests that Disgaea's morally ambiguous protagonists work better for the series' style of gameplay, while another feels that giving Marona a gun is inconsistent with her personality. These points highlight concerns about character design and narrative choices.

Balanced difficulty with restrictions: One reviewer notes that Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is the most balanced and difficult NIS game if equipment fusion is avoided. This provides a specific detail about the game's difficulty and balance under certain conditions.

3D models, dated graphics: The game uses 3D models for characters and items during battles, and the graphics resemble those of the PS3/Xbox 360 era in HD. This may appeal to players who appreciate the visual style of that period.

Consistent dialogue style: The game features dialogue and cutscenes consistent with the series' style. While some find the in-game dialogue cringey, it is logically written, suggesting competent translation.

Sequel with returning characters: The game continues the story of the first game, featuring Marona and Ash, and is known for its free-running gameplay. This provides context for returning players.

Standard NIS America sales tactics: The game's publisher, NIS America, is known for using similar sales methods, including early purchase bonuses, across their titles. This is a comment on the publisher's practices.

Overpriced DLC: The DLC for the game is considered excessively expensive. This point is a direct criticism of the game's monetization strategy.