Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero Review

I’ll be honest—I never played the original Phantom Brave when it first launched back in 2004. But with Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero arriving on the Nintendo Switch more than two decades later, I was eager to see what all the fuss was about. Thankfully, I quickly found out that you don’t need to have much prior experience with the series to enjoy this latest entry. While longtime fans will undoubtedly catch Easter eggs and deeper character references, The Lost Hero is welcoming to newcomers, and that accessibility makes for a fantastic introduction to the world of Phantom Brave.

Developed by Nippon Ichi Software—the same team behind Disgaea—the game’s art direction is instantly recognizable. That vibrant, expressive style is here in full force, and combined with the game’s nautical, pirate-inspired setting, it creates a world that feels both whimsical and adventurous. At its core, The Lost Hero is a strategy RPG, and playing it brought back fond memories of games like Final Fantasy Tactics and, of course, Disgaea. However, it also manages to carve out its own niche, particularly with its unique battle system that revolves around summoning spirits and managing their temporary presence on the battlefield.

Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero follows a new protagonist, Marona, a young girl with the ability to see and interact with phantoms. She embarks on a seafaring journey to different islands, encountering new allies and enemies along the way, all while working toward her ultimate goal of protecting those in need. The game leans heavily into its pirate-inspired themes, with each new island offering fresh adventures, side quests, and characters to meet. This sense of exploration and discovery was one of my favorite aspects of the game—it never felt like I was stuck in a loop, as each location introduced new gameplay changeups and story beats.

The narrative itself is heartfelt, often balancing lighthearted moments with more serious undertones. While the overarching plot doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it’s engaging enough to keep you pushing forward. That said, I did find some chapters had pacing issues, with certain sections dragging on longer than they needed to. Occasionally, the story progression also felt gated by the need to grind, which disrupted the natural flow of the game.

What truly sets The Lost Hero apart is its intricate battle system. The combat mechanics are deep, rewarding, and capable of delivering high-stakes battles that demand thoughtful strategy. Early on, the game presents a steep learning curve, and I found myself struggling to grasp all of its mechanics at first. However, once I got the hang of it, I started to appreciate just how much tactical flexibility the game offers.

The game’s combat revolves around the Confine system, a unique mechanic that allows you to summon phantoms into battle by binding them to objects on the battlefield—anything from rocks and trees to weapons and barrels. However, these summoned units don’t stay indefinitely; they’re limited by a set number of turns before they disappear. This forces you to make strategic decisions about when and where to summon your allies, as well as how to maximize their effectiveness before they vanish.

Adding another layer of complexity are the Confriend and Confire mechanics, which further dictate how phantoms interact with the environment and how they’re deployed in battle. These mechanics encourage constant party rotation, pushing you to experiment with different unit types, abilities, and strategies rather than relying on a single go-to team. I really enjoyed this aspect—it prevented combat from becoming stale and highlighted the depth of the game’s tactical design.

Character death is also handled in a unique way. Instead of permanent loss, fallen allies can be revived at Skullrock, but there’s a catch: revival comes at a cost. This system adds another level of resource management, as you have to decide whether it’s worth spending resources to bring a character back or adjusting your strategy for the next battle.

Beyond combat, The Lost Hero offers plenty of depth in its inventory and skill systems. Characters can equip various weapons and items, each of which influences their stats and abilities. Additionally, skills are managed through scrolls, which can be assigned to different characters, allowing for a fair amount of customization in how you build out your preferred party.

There’s a strong incentive to experiment with different setups, as certain abilities and equipment combinations can make a huge difference in battle. However, this also ties into the game’s grind-heavy nature—acquiring and upgrading the best gear can take time, and I occasionally found myself having to grind out extra battles just to stay competitive in the main story missions.

One thing that stood out to me was the game’s difficulty. Even on the default setting, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero doesn’t hold your hand. The early hours can be particularly tough, as you’re still learning the ins and outs of the game’s systems while also trying to survive some fairly challenging encounters. However, once you start developing viable strategies and making the most of your party’s abilities, the difficulty levels out—at least until the next inevitable difficulty spike.

For those who prefer a more tailored experience, the game does offer multiple difficulty options, allowing players to adjust the challenge to their liking. Personally, I stuck with the default difficulty for my playthrough, and while I appreciated the challenge, I did feel that some of the difficulty spikes could have been better balanced. In certain instances, it felt like grinding was a necessity rather than an option, which disrupted the pacing of the game.

On the presentation front, The Lost Hero delivers a charming experience. The hand-drawn art style is beautifully done, and the character designs are distinct and expressive. The environments, while sometimes a bit simplistic, are colorful and complement the game’s adventurous tone.

One of the standout aspects for me was the English voice acting. The performances are strong across the board, with well-delivered dialogue that brings the characters to life. It’s always a joy to see Japanese games receive high-quality English dubs, and this one does just that. The soundtrack, too, is a highlight, featuring an uplifting and adventurous score that perfectly complements the game’s nautical themes.

As much as I enjoyed Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero, it’s not without some small issues. The story pacing can be inconsistent at times, with certain chapters feeling unnecessarily drawn out, while others breeze by too quickly. The need for grinding also stands out as one of the game’s biggest issues. While some level of grinding is expected in an SRPG, there were moments where it felt like a roadblock to progress rather than a natural part of the experience. A bit more balance in the difficulty curve would have helped smooth out the overall flow.

Additionally, while the combat system is deep and engaging, it might be overwhelming for newcomers to the genre. The game does provide tutorials, but they don’t always explain mechanics in the clearest way, leaving you to figure out certain nuances on your own.

Final Thoughts

Despite some pacing issues and a demanding difficulty curve, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a fantastic SRPG that offers deep, rewarding combat, an engaging world, and a unique battle system that sets it apart from other games in the genre. The nautical theme adds a fresh twist to the experience, and the strong English voice acting and charming presentation make it a joy to play.

If you’re a fan of strategy RPGs like Final Fantasy Tactics or Disgaea, this is definitely a game worth diving into. And even if you, like me, never played the original Phantom Brave, you’ll still find plenty to enjoy here. It’s a tough but ultimately satisfying adventure, and one that will keep you entertained for many hours to come.

A Nintendo Switch review code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

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