On this video, I will be displaying you guys Phantom Brigade. It is a turn-based tactical RPG. I take advantage of the time period RPG sort of loosely right here as a result of it has some RPG mechanics, as you will note, however I am unsure I might name it a correct RPG the way in which that you simply’re pondering.
This sport was launched on each Epic and Steam in 2023, and it has been gaining reputation due to the fixed enhancements and tweaks the builders have been making to the sport over the previous two years. Should you check out Steam, you’ll be able to see that it jumped from 75% all-time to 87% not too long ago, which is a considerable enhance.
I will be displaying you what Phantom Brigade is and why it jogs my memory of XCOM should you mixed it with Armored Core or MechWarrior. I am going to additionally contact on the huge 2.0 replace that was simply launched for the sport and that overhauls a variety of mechanics, streamlines a number of the gameplay, and impacts a number of the issues we will focus on. This text will showcase these new 2.0 features of the sport.
Earlier than we get into it, huge shoutout to Brace Your self Video games for sponsoring this video. Should you like what you see and need to decide up Phantom Brigade, it’s really 50% off on Steam for the subsequent two weeks at $14.99, and you should utilize our hyperlink to help the channel.
What Is Phantom Brigade?
It is a sport that I had by no means heard of earlier than, which is sort of stunning, as a result of after I performed it, I discovered myself pondering that it jogs my memory of XCOM in all the most effective methods. It has turn-based fight. I’m an enormous fan of extremely tactical turn-based fight, and it pits you and your pilots and mechs towards enemies in a wide range of eventualities. It has a really XCOM-like really feel to it.
XCOM is such a improbable sport, and should you’ve by no means performed it, you are doing your self a disservice. The truth that this sport even jogs my memory of that sport in any respect is already a step in the correct course for this title.
There are two huge distinctions that separate Phantom Brigade from video games like XCOM: the prediction know-how and the mechs themselves (customizing the mechs).
Prediction Expertise
We’ll speak concerning the prediction know-how first as a result of this is likely one of the huge attracts of the sport. It’s a actually attention-grabbing mechanic as a result of it isn’t a real turn-based sport within the sense that each one you do is transfer and assault after which the enemies take turns and you’re taking turns, like in a typical tactical sport.
As an alternative, you are commanding your forces by queuing up actions, assaults, and actions, after which watching them play out over the subsequent 5 seconds whereas the enemy performs out their 5 seconds concurrently.
So, should you plan on working left and capturing a mech that’s going to maneuver proper with one mech, after which transferring and getting line of sight along with your sniper so the opposite mech shouldn’t be behind a constructing once you time your shot, there’s a variety of tactical planning that performs out in a real-time format. Your turns and the enemy’s turns occur concurrently over these 5 seconds, and then you definitely repeat the method.
Once I first began taking part in, it was overwhelming. The sport throws a variety of mechanics at you as you be taught the prediction tech: pilot traits, lessons, mech constructing, weapons, upgrades. Attempting to be taught all of this without delay whereas additionally studying one thing overseas to typical tactical RPGs could be a lot. I even questioned early on if it was a hindrance or a boon. However the extra I performed, the extra I understood what makes it distinctive. As soon as it clicked, it grew to become a variety of enjoyable to take turns, watch them play out in actual time, after which iterate. It is sort of like taking part in chess the place each gamers transfer on the identical time, rather less chaotic than that, however actually enjoyable.
And that’s simply the fundamentals. Fight shouldn’t be solely about in-battle selections. It is usually about the way you arrange your pilots and mechs and the way a lot time you spend customizing and tweaking them outdoors of fight to arrange success inside fight.
Pilots and Mechs
Every time you go on a mission, you are deploying your pilots and your mechs. You’ll be able to combine and match pilots and mechs nonetheless you need every time. They aren’t the identical unit, which is completely different from XCOM. Pilots have distinctive lessons that give them traits and skills which are considerably randomized, so a Sharpshooter shouldn’t be all the time the identical Sharpshooter.
This is likely one of the new additions within the 2.0 replace: having the ability to degree up your pilots, achieve random traits, and unlock completely different talents. It makes for attention-grabbing synergies between pilots and mechs.
For example, in case you have a Defender pilot, outfitting a mech with medium or heavy elements to soak up harm will match higher than a light-weight mech, as a result of they achieve tanky bonuses. If in case you have a Sharpshooter, outfitting them with a sniper rifle or long-range rockets works nicely since they achieve elevated harm at longer ranges.
Set them up with a light-weight mech and long-range weapons to allow them to transfer shortly, get in place, and fireplace.
Should you’re aware of XCOM, you may acknowledge how these lessons and skills really feel. As pilots carry out in missions and take down enemies, they achieve new talents and random traits, shaping what they excel at inside their class.
When you hit degree six, you’ll be able to maintain one random trait after which begin the method once more, gaining extra traits as you degree. This provides you a way of ongoing development as you play.
What Makes Phantom Brigade Totally different
Past prediction tech, the mechs themselves set this sport aside. Outfitting your mechs and salvaging elements from enemies is an enormous a part of the sport.
You will need to select what to salvage, since you can’t take all the things, and you’ll tweak one thing between each encounter. Whether or not you are changing a weapon or an armor half, you are continuously balancing mass, warmth, and pace.
Mass impacts issues like collisions, and bigger mechs are likely to knock down smaller ones.
Warmth determines how incessantly you should utilize weapons and skills earlier than needing to chill down, or you’ll harm your self and your pilot.
Pace dictates how far you’ll be able to transfer in a given time, closing distance for brawlers or creating separation for long-range mechs.
These appear easy at first, however when mixed with weapon sorts, armor weights (gentle, medium, heavy), and pilot talents that synergize with weapon sorts, it will get complicated shortly. It’s easy to know and exhausting to grasp, and it takes many hours earlier than it absolutely clicks.
Rarity System
One of many errors I made early was equipping the strongest weapons I discovered as a result of the sport has a rarity system: grey (frequent), inexperienced with upgrades and perks, then blue with much more perks. You can too improve elements to scale back warmth, enhance mass capability, and so forth. It could get sophisticated.
My error was slapping my highest-damage weapons on my mechs, going into fight, after which overheating continuously as a result of I didn’t handle warmth. I additionally didn’t notice at first that it’s worthwhile to use the timeline to house out assaults so warmth drops between actions. Whenever you put all the things collectively, weapons, warmth, mass, pace, pilot traits, timeline, it turns into actually attention-grabbing. With out these layers, the sport could be easy. With them, it’s a deep tactical sandbox the place you’ll be able to spend a variety of time tinkering.
You can too paint your mechs, identify them, and tweak beauty particulars. You are able to do the identical with pilots, altering name indicators, names, and extra. It’s actually enjoyable to place your folks within the sport in your workforce.
Overworld
Exterior of fight, you progress round along with your cell base, deciding which targets to take. Some disappear if you don’t get to them, so you need to prioritize. Aims present problem scores. In fight, you determine what number of pilots and mechs to deploy. Fewer items achieve XP quicker, whereas extra items unfold XP and degree slower, however the entire workforce progresses.
There’s a fatigue mechanic, so pilots have to relaxation. In addition they have HP from fight. You’ll camp to replenish mech sturdiness, pilot well being, and scale back fatigue. As you full missions, you open extra areas, journey to new areas, and make decisions like salvage or don’t salvage, assist or don’t assist, and there are ramifications. The two.0 replace additionally provides extra quests, random encounters, and missions, so should you performed earlier than, it ought to really feel newer and brisker.
Workshop
Inside your cell base, the Workshop enables you to craft new mechs, craft salvaged elements, improve elements, enhance pilot capability, subject extra mechs, and unlock passive workforce upgrades as you progress and achieve elements and supplies.This provides much more development outdoors of fight.
Ultimate Ideas
That wraps up our video on Phantom Brigade. Should you’re in search of one thing XCOM-like and haven’t discovered something that scratched that itch since XCOM, I positively advocate testing Phantom Brigade. It has a little bit of MechWarrior / Armored Core in it as nicely, so should you like tinkering with mechs, it has that too.
As I discussed, the two.0 replace is out right this moment and contains quality-of-life enhancements, new missions, new encounters, character customization and development for lessons and traits, and some different issues. In case you are taking part in now, you’re taking part in the most effective model of the sport.
This isn’t an costly sport. It’s usually $29.99, however as talked about, for the subsequent two weeks it’s on sale for $14.99. The sport is supposedly round 30 hours lengthy. I’ve not completed the entire thing, so I can’t affirm, however trying on the overworld map with all of the areas, I can consider it. Even should you received 25 hours, $14.99 for a 25-hour sport remains to be an excellent deal.
From what I’ve performed, it appears actually polished. It seems to be fairly, runs nicely, I had no FPS drops, no crashes, no bugs, and quick load occasions. If you wish to help the channel, this is likely to be one thing to take a look at. Use our hyperlink to choose up Phantom Brigade, and I hope you guys take pleasure in it.
