Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero

“Aside from its main gimmick of confining and leaning on a main human with medium abilities, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a plain strategy RPG. It has no shortage of content and will keep gamers playing for well over 100 hours if they aim to defeat the optional superbosses or endlessly grind characters to god-like strength in hopes of surviving the hardest modes. It can be exhausting and sleep-inducing, but it is a well-made strategy RPG for anyone who has a tolerance for intense sweetness.”

“Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero can scratch that SPRG itch if you have it, but it is unlikely to be intriguing to those without an interest in the genre.”

“Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is likely to overwhelm even the most experienced of SRPG aficionados at the start, but that's by design. Its depth and uniqueness will delight those choosing to stick with it, while others can just lower the difficulty to push through this colorful and charming adventure.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero eventually does become an excellent strategy RPG, at least on a mechanical level. Its narrative never really grabbed me, but once you get past the hours of tutorials, combat becomes incredibly engaging. With so many excellent games in the genre available, though, it can be hard to recommend slogging through a slow starter to get to the good stuff behind it. Fans of the original Phantom Brave who have waited so long for a follow-up will want to check The Lost Hero out, but other players will find games that make better use of their time.”

“Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a surprising sequel that does a good job of living up to its predecessor, but it doesn't exactly tread new ground for the franchise. A cute but forgettable plot, solid gameplay, and a near-infinite amount of grinding potential give the game a solid amount of value. The only thing holding it back are the unimpressive visuals and poor performance. If you're a fan of the Nippon Ichi games or the original Phantom Brave, there's a lot of fun to be had in this sequel.”

“Tactical RPGs are always a hit and miss with gamers but Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a fun and accessible title for anyone looking to get into the genre and those who already enjoy it. With a fun cast of characters and entertaining, if somewhat simplistic combat, I found myself addicted and had a hard time putting it down.”

“If you’ve somehow gotten here with no Disgaea in your history and a love of complex strategy RPGs, The Lost Hero will be an excellent adventure. Otherwise, I’m simply not so sure.”

“Given a choice, I’m sure I would pick a different game from NISA’s illustrious PS2 JRPG lineup that I would rather have a sequel of, but all things said, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a great sequel that improves on the original in almost every way, providing a fun, tactically satisfying RPG that I’m very glad made a return.”

“Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is an absolute gem that shines whether you're a returning fan or a newcomer. It takes a while for the very many mechanics of the game to make sense and click, but once they do, you're in for an unforgettable experience.”

“The sequel, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero, expands on the original's mechanics. It introduces new ways to employ the phantoms and their quirks in strategic combat and also adds fresh methods to strengthen and progress characters. However, a lackluster and overly childish story might turn off players uninterested in grinding to astronomical levels, potentially putting the series back into a long hiatus or even ending it for good in favor of NIS's more acclaimed tactical RPGs.”

“Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero may not be the most unique JRPG in recent memory, but there’s still not much out there that can capture the specific charm of its gameplay. It’s a delight if you’ve never played a Nippon Ichi RPG or if you’re a veteran, and as one of those veterans, I’m so glad that this series has returned from the dead. Seems to be a theme.”

“Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero revives a two-decades-old series with aplomb, all while managing to stay accessible to not only newbies but also relevant to long-time fans.”

“Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is an amazing experience and story that rides the experience from the first game well. There can be some technical hiccups with the free movement features, but it doesn't lessen the experience in combat.”

“Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a charming tactics game with a lot of depth, but its Switch performance leaves a lot to be desired.”

“Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero brings its own approach to SRPGs, and with it, a freshness worthy of the best sea breeze. With a light and pleasant story, as well as engaging gameplay, we have very good waters to navigate for fans of the genre.”

“Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a superb SRPG that every fan of the genre needs to play. Its complex battle system and engaging story make this an absolute blast to play through!”

“I absolutely loved my time with Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero and hope that it marks the start of many more sequels as I'm excited to see where Marona's adorable adventures take her next. 🏝️”

“Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a clumsy-feeling game, but its scatterbrained energy comes from an admirable place of bucking standardized gameplay conventions in a genre that doesn’t budge often.”