Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds was released on August 12, 2014 for the PlayStation Vita. The game is published by 5pb and a review code was provided for review purposes.
The Phantom Breaker franchise is quite popular in Japan but has made little inroads here in the West. 5pb has previously released Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds on Xbox Live and this past August they released a handheld version on the PlayStation Vita. Without knowing much about the franchise, the idea of playing of a retro-esque side scrolling beat’em up on a handheld like the Vita was an intriguing proposition.
The retro feel of Phantom Breaker hits you as soon as you launch the title. From the chip-tune music to the retro graphics, you’re immediately awash in nostalgia. The game can be played in single player, which features a story mode and an arcade mode. There is also an online component where players can play the story in co-op mode or engage in a Battle mode; where players battle it out against each other. After you have decided which mode to play, then it is time for you to select a character to enter battle with. There are nine characters to select from and each can be adorned in many different colors. At the selection screen, it does not highlight the difference between the characters other than their name and visual representation. One could assume that characters with swords might fight differently than someone with an axe or hammer. Characters will level up with ease as you progress through the game. In the three hours it took us to complete the story on normal, our character ended up reaching level 36. For those who want to replay the story on a more difficult level, you can bring your leveled up character back into the action. There is also a skill set option which allows players to either spend skill points on new moves or buff their attack, defense, and speed skills.
To continue reading the rest of this review, head on over to GamersInBeta.com.
