Nippon Ichi Software and NIS America announced turn-based strategy RPG Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero will release on January 30, 2025 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. The PC (Steam) version will launch in spring 2025.
Pre-orders for the Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero Limited Edition are now live, exclusively in the NIS Online Store, for $99.99. Limited Edition Contents include the Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero Deluxe Edition, an art book, the original soundtrack, an acrylic diorama stand, and a coaster.
In addition, Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle Remastered will release on November 7 for PlayStation 5, preparing fans for the next game. This remaster is already available via the Prinny Presents NIS Classics Vol. 1 collection for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.
Watch the new trailers below:
Moreover, NIS America revealed new details about the game’s combat, the Fighter, Witch, and Archer classes, and much more:
Story
One day, Marona, a young girl with the mysterious power to communicate with Phantoms, is separated from her partner Ash after being attacked by evil ghost ships–The Shipwreck Fleet.
Marona arrives on an isolated island, where she meets the Phantom of a young girl, Apricot, who wishes to revive her father’s pirate fleet. In order to reunite with the people they hold dear, the pair decide to band together on a quest to revive the Argento Pirate Crew.
Set on the high seas, where ghost ships and pirates run rampant, this story about the bond between Phantoms and the girl who connects with them…is about to unfold.
Game Flow
Progression in Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero consists of three distinct gameplay elements: Event scenes where you watch Marona’s adventures, home base time, where you can prepare for combat by leveling and outfitting your characters, and combat sequences where you summon your allies to aid you in battle.
Battle Flow
STEP 1 – Check the Map!
At the start of combat, Marona will be the only ally unit on the map. Before you begin, there are a few things you should check. 1: “What kinds of enemies are there?” 2. “What items are there?” and 3. “What objects can I Confine my allies in?”
It is also useful to check the specifics of the map, such as whether the floor is made of slippery ice, etc.
Take a look at the map in cursor mode. Be sure to carefully gather your intel!
When examining the map, you can also check Protections. Be sure to use these to your advantage in battle, as well.
Protection is represented by the characters and items that have a glowing line to/from them. Characters and items joined by a glowing line are receiving the same effect.
By checking to see where the Protection is emanating to and from, you can put it to your strategic advantage!
STEP 2 – Confine Your Allies!
All of Marona’s allies are Phantoms. By using the Confine command, Marona can summon them to participate in battle!
Once the battle has begun, select Marona’s Confine ability to Confine your allies into the trees, flowers, rocks, etc. present on the map.
Confine is a special technique that can only be used by Marona.
There is no limit to how many times Confine can be used, and Marona can use it anytime it is her turn.
Depending on what kind of item your ally is Confined in, their stats will change. Because of this, it’s helpful to check the icon that’s displayed on the item when Confining your allies. That way, you’ll be able to see at a glance what stats are affected.
Allied Phantoms have a set number of turns. Be sure to think about when and where to Confine them while considering the number of turns they have on the map.
If needed, you use can Marona’s skill Confight to increase the number of turns an ally can remain on the map before they are Removed!
Use Marona’s ability to increase your allies’ number of turns on the battlefield.
STEP 3 – Attack!
Skills
You can attack either barehanded or with an equipped item. By selecting Skills, a list of skills will be displayed. In addition to attack skills, healing skills are also accessible from this menu.
The characters standing inside the AoE area are the targets of the skill.
Both enemies and allies will be affected if they are inside the area, so be careful!
In addition to weapons, the grass and trees on the maps can also be equipped by characters! Their skills will differ depending on what is equipped.
This may seem like a simple blade of grass, but it has a powerful skill that deals more damage than when a character is barehanded!
Before you execute an attack on an enemy, the predicted damage will be displayed. Check out the predicted number and keep an open mind about the best way to attack. The attack with the most damage may not always be what you think!
You can inflict massive damage by attacking using an element the enemy is weak against or other techniques!
STEP 4 – Use Special Actions!
Lift and Throw
Lift an item on the map to equip it. You can also steal items enemies are carrying as well as Lift and equip the enemies themselves!
You can also Throw items you have Lifted. You can even throw your weapon to unequipped allies, and then they can equip it!
You can also Throw enemies outside of the map, which is called O.B., and they will sustain damage!
Throw a powerful weapon to a barehanded ally, and it can be used by multiple allies! Use your creativity to conjure up even more ways to use this action!
If you equip an enemy character you have Lifted to an ally, they will be unable to act, and your character will use them as a shield when attacked. It’s a great way to kill two birds with one stone!
If you Throw a Lifted enemy off the map, they will go O.B. This is a great way to put some distance between allies and the enemy, as well as inflict damage.
Confire – A Different Kind of Confine
Apricot can summon things like Barrelbots, Peashooters, and Ded Zeppelin. These are called Gadgets. If you Confine an allied Phantom to a Gadget, you will be able to use that Gadget’s unique skills to attack.
If Apricot uses Gadget Drop and then Marona Confines an ally…
…a powerful unit is born! Use skills that only Gadgets have access to in order to find the way forward!
Confriend – A Special Type of Confine with Your Allies! Execute Consecutive Attacks and Powerful Techniques!
Marona can Confine Phantoms she has formed deep bonds with within herself. This is called Confriend!
In addition to having increased stats when using Confriend, Marona will also be able to use special techniques! Not only that but as you further increase Marona’s Friendship, she will be able to attack AGAIN! Execute consecutive repeat attacks to give Marona increasingly more powerful buffs!
The higher Marona’s Friendship with an ally, the more consecutive repeat attacks you can use when using Confriend!
Friendship can be raised by talking to allies at your home base or deploying them in battle. You can also give them gifts!
When using Confriend, you will have access to extra powerful techniques, allowing you to turn a tough situation into a victory!
Wipe out the enemy with powerful and fabulous Confriend Techniques!
Use all kinds of attacks to defeat your foes!
STEP 5 – Incapacitate Enemies or Make Them Fallen to Clear the Map!
To clear a map, you will have to defeat all enemies by decreasing their HP to 0. Once an enemy’s HP gets to 0, they will become incapacitated. You can also remove them from the map entirely by making them Fallen. In addition, there are some maps with special victory conditions that will be displayed at the start of a map.
Characters who take damage and reach 0 HP will become incapacitated and fall where they stand. If they are revived, they can participate in battle again.
If incapacitated characters are not revived and they take additional damage, they will become Fallen and completely disappear.
Fallen allies can be revived via Revive at the home base.
Strength? Cuteness? What Will You Choose?
You determine who you want to fight by your side with the character maker!
There are more than 50 character classes to create in Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero, ranging from fighters to witches, merchants, engineers, chef, and more. Choose your favorites to enhance from these classes, each with their own unique traits!
Use the characters you’ve created to fight with your own party, your way!
Fighter – A straightforward class perfect for beginners
- Good at using swords and physical attacks and are perfect on the front lines.
- Possess the unique ability where the more surrounded by enemies they are, the higher their attack power gets. This means they’re the strongest when they’re in a tough spot!
- Can learn many abilities. For example, if they have a melee weapon equipped when their physical and defense power rises, their turn will come around more quickly.
Witch – A powerful class that excels in elemental magic and can attack from a distance
- Character type specializing in magic attacks
- While they excel in attacking enemies from afar, they are physically very weak. Be sure to have a class like the Fighter protect them!
- Remove and Move are lower than the Fighter, so be sure to not deploy them too early and have them Removed before they can attack
Archer – A class that can strike from afar
- A character that specializes in using bows. Can attack from the back ranks.
- Deals more damage by attacking enemies from a greater height. Perfect for stages with high vantage points.
- Weak to attacks and won’t last long when in an enemy’s range. Use height advantages and distance to keep the enemy from getting too close.
