Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate is a hybrid fighting experience that didn’t float my boat. Though it reminded me of Streets of Rage, I couldn’t get over the repetitive and mind-numbing action. Each level rinses and repeats the same action, and this drove me insane.
This side-scrolling beat ’em up was published and developed by Rocket Panda Games. It is a single-player, cooperative, and online competitive title with violence at its core. If you play online, you can enjoy every character from the Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Universe. This will interest fans of the franchise, but it did little to pique my interest.
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate lacks oomph.
The story should have been interesting and enjoyable. After all, a tale of interdimensional shenanigans and fighting should be entertaining. Unfortunately, my lack of franchise experience and interest caused me to become distracted repeatedly.
You control 1 of 4 lead characters. Each fighter has special skills and a unique melee weapon. As the game unfolds, you learn new abilities and increase your stats. This makes an already easy game just a little easier. The result is random button bashing and little challenge.
Walk, fight, walk, fight.
Walk and fight, walk and fight, this is the mantra of Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate. As you move from left to right, enemies appear from nowhere. You must use your special powers and weapons to slay each of them.
This is a straightforward task, and spamming the action buttons wipes out the toughest of opponents. At the end of each level, you must tackle a boss. Each of these guardians blocks your path and must be thwarted if you wish to progress. Sadly, though, they put up no resistance and mowing through them is a piece of cake.
As the game evolves, your enemies get bigger, tougher, and faster. This should have added depth, but mindless button-bashing overcame every problem I faced. The result is a lazy fighting experience that is tepid at best.
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate looks good.
Though I didn’t appreciate the repetitive gameplay mechanics, I loved the pixelated aesthetics. Each level is a vibrant and dated picture of old-school perfection. Moreover, the varied character models and smooth animation make up for the gameplay shortcomings. Though the level design won’t wow you, it is undeniably old-school in its approach.
The audio is a blend of modern songs and original music. You may select from the original soundtrack or new upbeat tracks from the J-rock band The Phantom Breakers. Both deliver incredible vibes that match the aggressive and never-ending fighting.
Tap, tap, tap the buttons.
The control layout is easy to understand. A selection of light, medium, and strong strikes can be punctuated by special abilities. Moreover, every successful strike fills your ability meter. This unleashes hell upon any foes and decimates any wave you face. Thankfully, the inputs are responsive, and this keeps you ahead of your enemies.
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate has a selection of game modes to try. Though the core game is wonderfully old-school, it was too basic and refined for my liking. I’d have preferred something more complex and testing.
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate wasn’t for me.
This wasn’t my most enjoyable game to review. I expected much more and was left wanting immediately. Though the zany cutscenes and dialogue captured my attention, the action felt flat and didn’t test me. It wasn’t for me, but I can see why fans of the genre will lap it up. Accordingly, despite my complaints, I recommend buying it here! Can you regain your powers and save the day? Tackle every foe, learn new skills, and prove your worth.
