Developed by Nippon Ichi Software and published by NIS America, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a long-awaited sequel to the 2004 original. It follows Marona, a girl who converses with spirits. After her partner Ash is separated during an encounter with malevolent ghost ships, she allies with a young phantom named Apricot. Together, they reassemble a lost pirate crew to rescue their loved ones
An interesting twist on tactical combat
At its core, the gameplay of Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero thrives on tactical experimentation. The absence of a traditional grid allows for more organic positioning and movement, creating a sense of freedom rare in the SRPG genre. Players command phantoms that Marona, the protagonist, can “confine” into physical objects on the battlefield, each object affecting stats differently. Confine a phantom into a rock, for instance, and you might boost its defense; use a flowerpot, and the result might be wildly different.
The game introduces new systems like “Confire,” where phantoms can fuse with weapons, and “Confriend,” a mechanic where Marona merges with her phantom allies, unlocking devastating attacks or buffs. These features deepen the strategic pool, though they come with a learning curve that might overwhelm newcomers. The lack of a formal grid also brings some jank, especially with physics. Enemies and objects can unpredictably bounce, fall, or block paths, sometimes soft locking and forcing the player to restart the fight. Still, it’s certainly a new way to innovate tactical combat and I would love to see it implemented in a more solid title.
The combat is certainly more innovative than the story
Narratively, The Lost Hero continues the journey of Marona, a young girl who can communicate with spirits. Her long time phantom companion, Ash, is separated from her early in the story due to the rise of ghost ships and a new supernatural threat. Marona teams up with a new phantom, Apricot, and sets out to gather a pirate crew to save Ash and battle this growing menace.
The story maintains the whimsical, heartfelt tone that Nippon Ichi fans will recognize, blending humour with moments of genuine emotion. However, some players may find the stakes feel lighter and more juvenile than expected. While character interactions are charming and well-written, the overarching plot often feels predictable and rarely reaches the emotional highs seen in other entries. That said, long-time fans will likely enjoy returning to this world and seeing Marona take centre stage once again. Where The Lost Hero truly excels is in its wealth of side content. In true NIS fashion, the post-game is practically a second game in itself. Randomly generated dungeons, hidden bosses, and advanced mechanics like character fusion and reincarnation ensure that min-maxers and completionists will find no shortage of things to do.
The game includes over 50 different unit types, each with their own playstyle and skill tree, as well as 300+ abilities to discover. You can also recruit and customize a vast roster of phantoms, test builds in challenge dungeons, and engage in item crafting and enhancement systems that go deeper than most modern RPGs dare. For those who thrive on grinding and optimization, the side activities alone may justify the purchase.
A very disappointing issue
Unfortunately, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero stumbles hard when it comes to downloadable content and pricing. While the base game is priced at nowadays standard pricing rate for a full-length strategy RPG, several key characters, scenarios, and bonus dungeons are locked behind paid DLC. For example, iconic crossover characters from other NIS titles are only available through the “Character Pack” DLC, while the “Another Marona” side story must be purchased separately.
What stings most is that these DLCs were ready at launch, suggesting they were deliberately withheld from the base game to be sold piecemeal. This practice has drawn considerable backlash from fans, especially considering the game already launched with technical issues. It creates the impression that the game is incomplete without additional purchases, undermining the goodwill built by its gameplay systems.
My thoughts
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero on PC is a rewarding but flawed experience. Its unique grid-less combat, deep customization, and endgame content make it a standout within the strategy RPG scene. Marona’s story offers emotional moments and whimsical charm, even if the pacing drags and the narrative stakes feel low. On the downside, the PC version suffers from occasional crashes, physics bugs, and AI glitches that should have been ironed out before launch.
The most serious misstep, however, is the DLC strategy. Locking substantial content behind paid walls, especially at launch, dampens enthusiasm and calls into question the publisher’s priorities. I cannot recommend a game with such practices in good conscience. If the title sounds like something you would enjoy, wait for a deep discount with a “all DLC included” version.
