General Phantom Brave

[Markus. D]

Topic ^^



this game looks real fun like disgaea: HoD ive seen a few trailers for phantom and i reckon i should get it, .... should I?

[Endless]

Yes.

[Dreddz]

Yes.

[Wiegrahf42]

Blah, I played it for a short period and wasn't impressed. Sure It wasn't long enough to truly know the game, but I just didn't like the engine.

[Black Mage]

It's a pretty decent game. I got a little tired of the moral lessons the narrator was teaching me, and at first I was a bit turned off by the quality of the sprites, since they're even lower quality than Disgaea's. (During battle sequences, that is.)

But, all in all, it was an enjoyable game, and the gridless battles worked well.

It was my least favorite of the trio of recent Nippon Ichi (NIS?) games, but I enjoyed it more than Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

I enjoyed the game quite a bit, the style is interesting (although it can be annoying at times) and part of the strategy is the timing of how you confine your Phantoms. Definitely worth getting I'd say, especially since I picked mine up at Best Buy for $20.

[Cloud No.9]

tis very good like disgaea. la pucelle is hugely good as well.

nippon ichi also made a game called rhapsody. i don't know whether it was it released in the uk (can someone clarify this for me). but if you like the other games it might be worth a look.

[Markus. D]

I think ill hire before buy :)


i loved disgaeas battle system, i just hope this better.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Phantom Brave's battle system is free form. Instead of using a grid, you have a circle movement system that allows more freedom. Also, you can jump over most things (like other characters), which can make it hard to protect some of the weaker spellcaster units.

Furthermore, the only permanent character you have is Marona, who starts on the field. Marona confines Phantoms to objects like bushes, rocks, pillars, fish, etc. on the battlefield. Confined Phantoms can only remain for a few turns before they vanish and are not confinable for the duration of the battle.

Finally, you can only have one type of equipment, a weapon, which has its own HP and can be destroyed and the like. Anything you can confine with you can also pick up and wield as a weapon, and you can also pick up other people and use them as a weapon. Weapons also confer special skills depending on what they are and what they've been fused with and given.

[Mercen-X]

On your island, you can have up to fifty items and people present. Ash and Marona are included in that count sadly. Present the island with a heavy amount of the tallest objects you come by: bushes, spiritrees, trees, giant trees, pillars, and I think stones are usually the best. Stack them all at the zenith (highest point) of the tree near the house and start climbing. The higher the climb, the greater the record you'll set. Each time you reach a new set height, you'll get a prize. I believe the first one is . . . find out for yourself.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Even if items aren't present on the island your Phantoms can still bring them into battle.

[Mercen-X]

Yup. As long as you equip characters with items before leaving the island. This includes before jumping into a random dungeon created by the dungeonmonk (a phantom you'll be able to later create).

Dungeons created by the Dungeonmonk provide access to custom titles.

Titlists swap titles which can alter your phantoms' statistics. I'd suggest you create one of each as soon as you're able.

[Markus. D]

i hope they dont have an item world, sure it was worth leveling an item... but so tedious going through it all.

[Mercen-X]

The dungeonmonk dungeons won't level up your items, but they can be tedious. You can only leave if you confine your dungeonmonk in battle and use his Return ability.

If you confine your maximum before confining your dungeonmonk, you're screwed.
If you confine your one and only dungeonmonk too early and he disappears, you're screwed.
If your one and only dungeonmonk is confined but is thrown Out of Bounds, you're screwed.
If your one and only dungeonmonk dies and you've no way to resurrect him (i.e. no HMP or his body's destroyed), you're screwed.
If there are no items on the field to confine your dungeonmonk to, you're screwed.
If Marona dies and you have no way to resurrect her, you're screwed.

Of course, you can't use the dungeonmonk immediately after confining him. So you have to protect him until his turn comes up. Now that's frustrating.

[Markus. D]

wow, sure are many ways to screw up... :/

obviously this game aint for the faint hearted.

[Mercen-X]

Yes. It's best to wait until you've completed at least the second chapter of the story and sufficiently leveled your phantoms. Then at least, you can try and take out the enemy fast and furious. My strategy is to throw all enemies Out of Bounds. This will work until there is one left and that one will have been leveled up each time you OB'd an enemy. That's a lot of experience to deal with only one enemy with all your best characters. As long as Marona isn't killed, she can start every battle by OB'ing the enemies until only one remains. Remember to save after every accomplishment, even if that is something as trivial as buying a seemingly cool weapon from a Merchant (another phantom you can create).

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

I dislike using the OB system since I like to spread the experience around a bit. Usually I just make lower-level dungeons and beat them, getting some decent titles. Then I start tackling the bigger ones, making sure my Dungeon Monk levels enough to be able to get me out if I need to. I generally confine him away from the enemies so I do have an escape. Plus, Ash is so strong, he doesn't have much problems taking down enemy groups, and the same goes for some of my other characters as well.

[Madame Adequate]

My short'n'sweet verdict is that Phantom Brave is a really great game. It takes a little getting used to, especially if you're coming from the grid system SRPGs like Vandal Hearts and FFT, but it's good nonetheless, aside from occasional irritations.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

My short'n'sweet verdict is that Phantom Brave is a really great game. It takes a little getting used to, especially if you're coming from the grid system SRPGs like Vandal Hearts and FFT, but it's good nonetheless, aside from occasional irritations.

"You will go no further! For her sake I will not fail!"

[Black Mage]

My short'n'sweet verdict is that Phantom Brave is a really great game. It takes a little getting used to, especially if you're coming from the grid system SRPGs like Vandal Hearts and FFT, but it's good nonetheless, aside from occasional irritations.

"You will go no further! For her sake I will not fail!"

Occasional. :P

[StarlightAngel]

I like Phantom Brave, but I'm not too far yet.

[Mercen-X]

Phantom Brave is not for people who hate the mention of God. Because it talks alot about Marona's faith in the lord.

So some might not like it. I own it, so that tells you lil summon bow me.

[Madame Adequate]

My short'n'sweet verdict is that Phantom Brave is a really great game. It takes a little getting used to, especially if you're coming from the grid system SRPGs like Vandal Hearts and FFT, but it's good nonetheless, aside from occasional irritations.

"You will go no further! For her sake I will not fail!"

Okay, occasional and a couple of more regular irritations. xDDD

[Markus. D]

i cant get this game till next week, why the heck does marona have the same type of hairstyle as laharl?

[Mercen-X]

Because she is the more angelic version of Laharl. _ _ _ ?

[Endless]

i cant get this game till next week, why the heck does marona have the same type of hairstyle as laharl?

Same chara designer, I'd say. :p

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Most of the Nippon Ichi characters share the same basic design.

And Ash's trademark line isn't so bad if you have the Japanese voices on. I don't like the English voices at all.

[Endless]

My strategy is to throw all enemies Out of Bounds. This will work until there is one left and that one will have been leveled up each time you OB'd an enemy. That's a lot of experience to deal with only one enemy with all your best characters.


There's a strategy 1000x more efficient using map 3-2.

[Black Mage]

Yeah, 3-2 is that level with a bunch of Scrabbits and an old man who levels two of them up.

Just kill all the Scrabbits but one, and keep passing Marona's turn until the Scrabbit is level 9999. When it's there, throw something confinable near it, and confine a character that has the Big Bang skill and you get an instant 100 some levels. Just make sure you have your character's max levels raised a bit.

It's really easy.