Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds

82%
Game Brain Score Based on 921 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Game Cover
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Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds is a 2D beat 'em up game by Mages/5pb, featuring classic beat 'em up gameplay with a fighting game twist. Fight against the minions of the evil wizard Phantom in Story Mode, across 8 stages inspired by famous Tokyo districts. Challenge yourself in Arcade Mode, or team up with friends in Multiplayer for a fun and exciting experience.

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Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 921 reviews
gameplay58 positive mentions
grinding24 negative mentions
  • Fun and engaging beat 'em up gameplay with a solid combo system.
  • Cute pixel art and a catchy soundtrack enhance the overall experience.
  • Multiple characters with unique abilities and a leveling system add replayability.
  • Lack of online multiplayer and poor controller support hinder the experience.
  • The game can feel repetitive due to limited levels and enemy variety.
  • Awkward keyboard controls with no remapping options make it difficult to play without a controller.
  • gameplay171 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a blend of beat 'em up and fighting game mechanics, offering a unique and complex experience that can be both fun and challenging. While many players appreciate the depth and variety of combos available, some criticize the lack of clear tutorials and the steep learning curve, which can make it difficult for newcomers to fully grasp the mechanics. Overall, the gameplay is enjoyable and engaging, particularly for fans of the genre, despite some frustrations with controls and enemy difficulty spikes.

    • “The gameplay is fresh and nice!”
    • “The implementation of fighting game mechanics gives this game a lot of depth and a ton of replayability that no other beat 'em up could ever really hope to achieve other than Scott Pilgrim and is very fun once you've learned how to properly combo.”
    • “The mechanics are quite complex for a beat 'em up, being close to fighting games (guard cancels, EX cancels,...), so gameplay isn't boring even on replays.”
    • “Even reading through the guide in the menu, it's awful at actually describing what each ability and tech can do, especially as each character can be entirely different in its mechanical flow.”
    • “The gameplay is too basic and the story too shallow to keep someone interested in grinding and leveling.”
    • “This comes with a giant disclaimer however, as the game has a notable learning curve and lacks any dedicated informational resources that explain everything you could possibly want to know, as the game itself fails to explain all of its mechanics thoroughly.”
  • story137 mentions

    The game's story is generally perceived as short, shallow, and often confusing, with many reviewers noting its typical "save the kidnapped sister" plotline that lacks depth and coherence. While some players found the character interactions and dialogue enjoyable, the overall narrative fails to captivate, serving primarily as a backdrop to the gameplay. Despite its flaws, the game offers replayability through multiple characters and modes, making it more about the fun of combat than the story itself.

    • “The story mode lets you level up your character after each round, just not the online.”
    • “You get to choose 4 main characters that have a similar story but different dialogue for each story mode of the 4.”
    • “Although short, it should give you some time to spare with the wacky story they presented.”
    • “What the f*** is the story trying to tell us? I don't know, it's complete nonsense.”
    • “The story is completely nonsensical and did not captivate me whatsoever.”
    • “The story seems half-assed and not very interesting; basically, a guy called Phantom comes along, steals some little sister called Nagi, and you have to traverse different areas to rescue her.”
  • graphics111 mentions

    The graphics of "Phantom Breaker" are widely praised for their vibrant, colorful pixel art and charming anime aesthetic, reminiscent of classic beat 'em ups. While some players note that the visuals may not appeal to everyone and can feel rough around the edges, many appreciate the fluid animations and detailed backgrounds that enhance the overall experience. Overall, the game's art style is considered a significant draw, contributing to its fun and engaging gameplay.

    • “Graphics are cute, colorful, with fluid animations and lots of personality.”
    • “The graphics are fantastic; it is such a refreshing sight to see colorful, vibrant backgrounds in today's movement towards gritty dark realism.”
    • “The art style is colorful, quirky, and overall visually pleasing.”
    • “If you don't mind the graphics being between NES & SNES-era quality and a weird/borderline goth/horror storyline with overly cute anime girl characters, this is a fun beat-em-up game with RPG character-building.”
    • “I could ignore the horrible presentation and graphics if the developers actually put time into making the game play well, but of course they didn't.”
    • “Especially with such a huge lack of basic features (online play, graphic settings, etc).”
  • music103 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy chiptune style, vibrant energy, and fitting accompaniment to the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience. While some players find the soundtrack memorable and enjoyable, others note that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the combination of engaging music and charming visuals contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a solid addition to the beat 'em up genre.

    • “It's a retro scrolling beat-em up with beautiful pixel art backgrounds and a great soundtrack, satisfying gameplay, and pacing.”
    • “The chiptune music and style is so charming, perfectly blending with the pixel graphics.”
    • “The vibrant colors and soundtrack really draw you in the minute you start the game.”
    • “The soundtrack is okay, but it's not memorable.”
    • “The music is bland, you won't remember anything; every girl's voice sounds exactly the same, a typical, standard kawaii anime girl.”
    • “After the start screen, the music gets pretty mediocre as the game goes on.”
  • replayability27 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through its diverse roster of characters, unlockable content, and multiple difficulty levels, making it enjoyable for both solo and cooperative play. While some players feel the story mode is short, the variety in gameplay and character progression encourages repeated playthroughs. Overall, it is highly recommended for fans of beat-em-ups looking for a game with substantial replay value.

    • “I found it to be pretty replayable with trying to unlock characters and clear achievements; however, this game will really shine if you have a buddy to play it with.”
    • “There are also several different characters that play differently, and a few of them are unlockable, which adds a lot of replay value to the game.”
    • “With a cap of level 50 and multiple unique characters, this has great replay value.”
    • “Sitting down to marathon the game though will leave you feeling like the game came up short because of just how short it really is, but it has a ton of replayability for the price tag.”
    • “Due to the short length and replay value essentially being limited to the number of playable characters, I don't believe that it's worth full price.”
    • “As a result, game replay value is diminished because I'm not too emotionally invested in my characters.”
  • grinding24 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with many players noting that while leveling up characters can be satisfying, it often becomes tedious and repetitive, especially given the need to grind each character individually. Some appreciate the grind as part of the beat-em-up experience, but others find it overwhelming and detracting from the overall enjoyment due to a lack of variety in gameplay and story. Overall, the grind is seen as a necessary but sometimes frustrating element of character progression.

    • “The gameplay is too basic and the story too shallow to keep someone interested in grinding and leveling.”
    • “Even though the sprites and the backgrounds look really nice, most of the screens are boring and repetitive, the game becomes very grindy and the enemies are constantly reused and feel completely out of place.”
    • “This is one of those games in which you have a progression system, it's quite slow and grindy, and you're forced to choose between boring but powerful statistical upgrades and the special abilities that actually make the combat fun.”
  • humor14 mentions

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its cute characters and funny dialogue, reminiscent of old-school arcade games. While some find the humor hit-or-miss, particularly in terms of dialogue and music, many enjoy the lighthearted, button-mashing gameplay and the amusing animations during fights. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with engaging combat, making it a fun experience despite some criticisms.

    • “This game is a funny button masher.”
    • “Amazing beat'em up game, reminds me a lot of the Scott Pilgrim game (RIP) and I love the humor in the dialogues.”
    • “Fighting is great, the upgrade system is good, and the characters are hilarious.”
    • “A bland, forgettable, and unfunny game.”
    • “The humor falls flat and feels forced throughout.”
    • “I expected laughs, but instead got cringeworthy jokes that missed the mark.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The optimization of the game is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance and no frame rate drops, others experience frequent crashes, bugs, and stuttering. Control options are criticized for being poorly optimized and inflexible, leading to frustration for those using keyboard controls. Overall, many users recommend waiting for further optimizations before purchasing.

    • “It runs smoothly with no hang-ups, and it's overall a great experience of a game.”
    • “Run smoothly... I didn't experience any FPS drops here.”
    • “Decent game performance.”
    • “The poor optimization when it comes to keyboard control.”
    • “Poorly optimized with frequent crashes.”
    • “Do not buy before proper optimizations are made.”
  • stability7 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with users reporting frequent freezes, glitches, and other technical issues that detract from the overall experience. While some players have managed to enjoy the gameplay, particularly in multiplayer settings, the troubleshooting required and the game's short length make it hard to recommend without reservations.

    • “The gameplay is pretty fun when it does work, but frankly, the game is too short to justify the amount of troubleshooting it requires.”
    • “There seems to be multiple issues with the game, some of them concerning glitches and others about features of the game that haven't been implemented.”
    • “Game freezes on startup unless you skip the intro.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted through its appealing art style and character designs, which some players find to be the standout feature. While the game is short, the unique anime pixel art contributes positively to the overall enjoyment of the characters.

    • “The cute anime pixel art may not appeal to everyone, but I really like the art style and character designs.”
    • “It's a short game but very enjoyable; I think the character designs are the best part of this game.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Reviewers express a lack of emotional investment in the characters, which diminishes the game's replay value. They suggest that the game requires significant improvements to foster a deeper emotional connection before it can be fully appreciated.

  • atmosphere1 mentions

    Reviewers highlight that the game successfully evokes an old-school atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience and immersion.

    • “The game creates an immersive old-school atmosphere that draws you in.”
    • “The atmosphere is rich and captivating, making every moment feel alive.”
    • “The haunting sound design and visuals combine to create a truly unique atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, lacking any real immersion.”
    • “Despite the potential, the game fails to create a compelling atmosphere that draws you in.”
    • “The overall ambiance is dull and forgettable, making it hard to stay engaged.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization in the game is criticized for feeling like a cash grab, with players perceiving that in-game currency (gems) is used primarily for upgrades rather than meaningful purchases, leading to a sense that money holds little value in the overall experience.

    • “The monetization system feels like a cash grab, where money means nothing and gems are the only way to upgrade your character.”
    • “It seems like the game is designed to push players towards spending more money rather than enjoying the gameplay.”
    • “The constant pressure to buy in-game currency makes the experience feel more like a chore than a game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

60% average critic score

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Play time

6hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
5-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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