On this video, I will be exhibiting you guys Phantom Brigade. This can be a turn-based tactical RPG. I exploit the time period RPG type of loosely right here as a result of it has some RPG mechanics, as you will note, however I am unsure I’d name it a correct RPG the way in which that you simply’re considering.
This recreation was launched on each Epic and Steam in 2023, and it has been gaining recognition due to the fixed enhancements and tweaks the builders have been making to the sport over the previous two years. For those who check out Steam, you may see that it jumped from 75% all-time to 87% lately, which is a considerable improve.
I will be exhibiting you what Phantom Brigade is and why it jogs my memory of XCOM if you happen to mixed it with Armored Core or MechWarrior. I will additionally contact on the huge 2.0 replace that was simply launched for the sport and that overhauls a variety of mechanics, streamlines among the gameplay, and impacts among the issues we will focus on. This text will showcase these new 2.0 elements of the sport.
Earlier than we get into it, large shoutout to Brace Your self Video games for sponsoring this video. For those who like what you see and need to decide up Phantom Brigade, it’s really 50% off on Steam for the following two weeks at $14.99, and you should utilize our hyperlink to help the channel.
What Is Phantom Brigade?
This can be a recreation 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 considering that it jogs my memory of XCOM in all the very best 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 quite a lot of eventualities. It has a really XCOM-like really feel to it.
XCOM is such a unbelievable recreation, and if you happen to’ve by no means performed it, you are doing your self a disservice. The truth that this recreation even jogs my memory of that recreation in any respect is already a step in the correct course for this title.
There are two large distinctions that separate Phantom Brigade from video games like XCOM: the prediction expertise and the mechs themselves (customizing the mechs).
Prediction Know-how
We’ll discuss concerning the prediction expertise first as a result of this is among the large attracts of the sport. It’s a actually attention-grabbing mechanic as a result of it isn’t a real turn-based recreation within the sense that every one you do is transfer and assault after which the enemies take turns and you are taking turns, like in a typical tactical recreation.
As a substitute, you are commanding your forces by queuing up actions, assaults, and actions, after which watching them play out over the following 5 seconds whereas the enemy performs out their 5 seconds concurrently.
So, if you happen to 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 together with your sniper so the opposite mech is just not behind a constructing once you time your shot, there may be 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 you then repeat the method.
After I first began enjoying, it was overwhelming. The sport throws a variety of mechanics at you as you study the prediction tech: pilot traits, courses, mech constructing, weapons, upgrades. Attempting to study all of this without delay whereas additionally studying one thing overseas to typical tactical RPGs generally is 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 turned a variety of enjoyable to take turns, watch them play out in actual time, after which iterate. It is type of like enjoying 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 is just not solely about in-battle choices. It’s also 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 nevertheless you need every time. They don’t seem to be the identical unit, which is completely different from XCOM. Pilots have distinctive courses that give them traits and skills which are considerably randomized, so a Sharpshooter is just not all the time the identical Sharpshooter.
This is among the new additions within the 2.0 replace: with the ability to stage up your pilots, achieve random traits, and unlock completely different skills. It makes for attention-grabbing synergies between pilots and mechs.
For example, you probably have a Defender pilot, outfitting a mech with medium or heavy components to soak up injury will match higher than a lightweight mech, as a result of they achieve tanky bonuses. When you’ve got a Sharpshooter, outfitting them with a sniper rifle or long-range rockets works nicely since they achieve elevated injury at longer ranges.
Set them up with a lightweight mech and long-range weapons to allow them to transfer rapidly, get in place, and fireplace.
For those who’re acquainted with XCOM, you may acknowledge how these courses and skills really feel. As pilots carry out in missions and take down enemies, they achieve new skills and random traits, shaping what they excel at inside their class.
When you hit stage six, you may hold one random trait after which begin the method once more, gaining extra traits as you stage. This offers you a way of ongoing development as you play.
What Makes Phantom Brigade Totally different
Past prediction tech, the mechs themselves set this recreation aside. Outfitting your mechs and salvaging components from enemies is a giant a part of the sport.
You will need to select what to salvage, since you can not take every thing, and you’ll tweak one thing between each encounter. Whether or not you are changing a weapon or an armor half, you are consistently balancing mass, warmth, and velocity.
Mass impacts issues like collisions, and bigger mechs are inclined to knock down smaller ones.
Warmth determines how incessantly you should utilize weapons and skills earlier than needing to chill down, or you’ll injury your self and your pilot.
Pace dictates how far you may 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 varieties, armor weights (mild, medium, heavy), and pilot skills that synergize with weapon varieties, it will get complicated rapidly. It’s easy to know and arduous to grasp, and it takes many hours earlier than it totally 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 even improve components to scale back warmth, improve mass capability, and so forth. It might probably get sophisticated.
My error was slapping my highest-damage weapons on my mechs, going into fight, after which overheating consistently as a result of I didn’t handle warmth. I additionally didn’t notice at first that it’s essential use the timeline to area out assaults so warmth drops between actions. While you put every thing collectively, weapons, warmth, mass, velocity, 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 may spend a variety of time tinkering.
You can even paint your mechs, title 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 mates within the recreation in your workforce.
Overworld
Exterior of fight, you progress round together with your cell base, deciding which targets to take. Some disappear if you don’t get to them, so you need to prioritize. Targets present issue scores. In fight, you resolve what number of pilots and mechs to deploy. Fewer models achieve XP quicker, whereas extra models unfold XP and stage 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 selections 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 if you happen to performed earlier than, it ought to really feel newer and brisker.
Workshop
Inside your cell base, the Workshop permits you to craft new mechs, craft salvaged components, improve components, improve 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.
Last Ideas
That wraps up our video on Phantom Brigade. For those who’re on the lookout for one thing XCOM-like and haven’t discovered something that scratched that itch since XCOM, I positively suggest trying out Phantom Brigade. It has a little bit of MechWarrior / Armored Core in it as nicely, so if you happen to 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 courses and traits, and some different issues. If you’re enjoying now, you’re enjoying the very best model of the sport.
This isn’t an costly recreation. It’s usually $29.99, however as talked about, for the following 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 not affirm, however wanting on the overworld map with all of the areas, I can consider it. Even if you happen to received 25 hours, $14.99 for a 25-hour recreation remains to be deal.
From what I’ve performed, it appears actually polished. It appears 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 select up Phantom Brigade, and I hope you guys get pleasure from it.
