Phantom Doctrine

Phantom Doctrine is a life-consuming espionage simulator that offers a deeply complex cluster of systems to explore. Its turn-based tactics gameplay is a feat of engineering that will offer players many hours of combat thrills and stealth schemes.

74%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

75% User Score Based on 3,825 reviews

Critic Score 74%Based on 24 reviews

Platforms

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About

"Phantom Doctrine" is a turn-based strategy game with espionage elements, set in the Cold War era. As the leader of a covert agency, you'll need to manage resources, recruit agents, and carry out missions to uncover a global conspiracy. The game features a rich narrative, strategic combat, and a variety of customization options for your agents. A Deluxe Edition is available, including a digital soundtrack and artbook. An official manual is also available to help you understand the game's mechanics.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+13

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,849 reviews

story523 positive mentions

grinding165 negative mentions

Engaging Cold War espionage theme with a compelling story.
Unique mechanics like the investigation board and agent customization add depth to gameplay.
No RNG in combat, making outcomes more predictable and strategic.

Repetitive missions and limited map variety can lead to boredom over time.
Stealth mechanics can feel inconsistent, with random alerts disrupting gameplay.
Combat can be punishing, especially when forced into fights without proper preparation.

story
3,820 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
80%
6%
The story of *Phantom Doctrine* is a cold war espionage thriller that intertwines real historical events with fictional conspiracies, creating an intriguing narrative backdrop. However, many players find the story disjointed and lacking depth, with repetitive missions that often feel tedious and formulaic, leading to a sense of disengagement from the plot. While the game offers multiple storylines based on the player's chosen agency, the overall execution leaves some players wanting more character development and variety in mission design.
- “The story unfolds using the time-honoured cliche of dragging string between things stuck to a cork board.”
- “The story is fitting for an espionage thriller and is intertwined with real historical events, I like that concept, but I don't want to spoil too much there.”
- “As for the story and the integration of mystery solving into the game: Phantom Doctrine teases you with more than it can deliver.”
- “Do not come into the game with expectations; this is not a hands-on experience (no, the minigame in which you connect the files does not count as investigation). Excluding the lack of player involvement, the progression of the story is not interesting either.”
- “The story is a classic espionage story, but it is very well staged.”
gameplay
1,738 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
67%
8%
The gameplay of "Phantom Doctrine" is a blend of turn-based tactics and stealth mechanics, drawing comparisons to the XCOM series while introducing unique elements like an investigation board and a breach mechanic. Players appreciate the strategic depth and the cold war espionage theme, but many criticize the repetitive nature of missions, poorly explained mechanics, and issues with combat balance, particularly the "always hit" shooting mechanic. Overall, while the game offers engaging gameplay for fans of the genre, it suffers from a steep learning curve and some frustrating design choices.
- “The gameplay is smooth, intuitive, and incredibly enjoyable.”
- “The combination of stealth + combat with variable goals in assault missions keeps the tactical gameplay fresh.”
- “A neat twist on the turn-based-tactics formula, very much an xcom-like game, but expanding enormously on the stealth gameplay some may be familiar with from xcom2.”
- “The mission gameplay was neat, but trying to play 'right' just means sneaking around with your disguised agent for 20 turns and clicking all the boxes.”
- “Game is tedious, mechanics are iffy - line of sight is weird.”
- “There's a lot of repetitive gameplay before you actually progress at all in the story, which really wears on your interest after a while.”
graphics
341 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
54%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the atmospheric cold war aesthetic and overall visual style, while others note that the character models and certain graphical elements appear dated or lack polish. Some players appreciate the game's ability to create an immersive experience despite its visual shortcomings, while others express disappointment in the quality compared to similar titles like XCOM. Overall, the graphics are described as decent but could benefit from improvements, particularly in character detail and animation.
- “The graphics, the music, the characters, and overall style are just magnificent.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous.”
- “The graphics are great and really immerse you in the world they've created.”
- “The graphics are poor and outdated which would have been okay if the game didn't have so many flaws that break the immersion of the game.”
- “Graphics are mediocre with laughably bad cut scenes, gameplay lacks in any inspiration and the story is uninvolving.”
- “The graphics leave a little to be desired.”
atmosphere
176 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
36%
3%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive cold war and spy themes, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack and striking visuals that evoke a noir-like ambiance. Players appreciate the attention to detail in the setting, which effectively captures the essence of espionage and conspiracy, making it a standout experience in the tactical genre. Despite some gameplay criticisms, the overall atmosphere remains a significant highlight, drawing players into its intriguing world.
- “The chiaroscuro visuals and enigmatic characters create an alluring atmosphere, while the tactical challenges and cerebral gameplay mirror the essence of spycraft.”
- “There's a real atmosphere to the game, with everything from the music to the character designs and clothing choices, to the way you use a cork board and string to piece together connections between the different pieces of intelligence you gather, all coming together to give a real feel of the 80s cold war setting.”
- “I thoroughly enjoyed the graphics, cutscenes, music, sounds, voice acting and overall atmosphere.”
- “It's got a solid core to it in regards to gameplay, theme, atmosphere and whatever but it's let down by a lot of small annoyances that make the whole thing feel like an unrewarding grind.”
- “There are many things that work nicely at first glance: like constant rain and night aka 'noir atmosphere' or those 'find-the-evidence!' tables or secret conspiracy societies with the flair of the '70s-80s... but!”
- “If you think you're gonna get a fresh alternative to XCOM 2, think again... this is in no way a constructive review based on a serious game test, just my first impression of graphics and overall atmosphere of the game.”
music
175 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
40%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its fitting jazz-noir style that enhances the cold war atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its ability to immerse players in the spy genre. However, some players express frustration over the repetitiveness of the soundtrack, suggesting a need for more variety to maintain engagement throughout longer play sessions. Overall, while the music is generally well-received, its lack of diversity can detract from the experience over time.
- “As soon as I heard a saxophone and that kind of 1980's spy genre music, which combined with the dark, steamy, downtown vibes of some of the levels, I was sold.”
- “The music and graphics do a good job giving you the feeling of the Cold War era in which the game is set.”
- “It's a game that nails the atmosphere with an amazing jazz-noir soundtrack and suitable visuals.”
- “It's just so repetitive, man. Same music, same voice actors after every first chapter of every agency, it's just... ugh.”
- “There's just no passion, no animalistic need to express something in these tracks, which makes the music boring.”
- “The graphics are perhaps not the best, but isn't the worst either. The music can get a bit boring after the 100th mission.”
grinding
171 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
96%
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with many players feeling that the mechanics lead to a lack of engagement over time. Missions often become monotonous, especially as players find themselves repeating the same strategies and facing similar challenges, which diminishes the excitement of stealth gameplay. Overall, the game suffers from excessive micromanagement and a slow pace that can make progression feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The issue is that doing stealthy things as a secret agent should be exciting, engaging and fun... instead it is a very tedious grind.”
- “However, winning each mission undetected is trivial, once you understand how the game and enemy patrols work, and outside of specific story missions there is basically no reason to ever enter combat, making 95% of the game content obsolete and making missions very tedious and uninteresting, as there is no challenge whatsoever in the game, once you are good at the stealth part.”
- “From unskippable animations for common actions, pointless word hunts on the notice board, the plodding pace of story progression, and missions that are mindless and tedious, I am having to force myself to sit down and play this game to completion.”
stability
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
87%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including freezing issues and minor crashes. While some users noted that recent patches have improved stability, others experienced significant game-breaking problems that hindered their enjoyment. Overall, while the game can be fun and engaging, its stability issues remain a concern for many players.
- “As far as I can tell after a few hours, it's bug free, which nowadays is almost unheard of.”
- “The new patch 1.1 is where you should come in if you've never played; the game is mostly bug-free now.”
- “Anyway, yeah, this game is a lot of fun, runs great (haven't had a single crash or problem), looks decent enough, and is well worth the money.”
- “Now since the game is randomized every time you play, undertow is selected at random before you get the objective to wait for omikron to find out who it is; the thing is, since the game is plagued with bugs, if you happen to have the agent the game selects to be undertow in the training facility, the objective freezes... and you're left to wander about the map for days with omikron never getting back at you with a positive.”
- “The game freezes both during missions and while starting, forcing me to restart my PC.”
- “This game, currently, is a buggy mess.”
replayability
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
6%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the variety offered by multiple campaigns and different agency perspectives, which provide a fresh experience on subsequent playthroughs. However, some reviewers noted that the missions can become repetitive and tedious over time, diminishing long-term replay value. Overall, while there is potential for replayability through randomization and different strategies, concerns about repetitive storylines and lack of character progression may limit players' desire to revisit the game extensively.
- “The game offers a wealth of content and opportunities that make it highly replayable.”
- “The game has a high replay value because of the hidden story which is only unlocked after the end of the game.”
- “The story is intriguing, the gameplay is incredibly immersive, and it also offers tons of replay value and flexibility in how you choose to play missions.”
- “The replayability of this game that I touched on in the pros is actually a lie because who would want to deal with file connections and simple but tedious cell clearing in the assault mode.”
- “Solid story but not much replayability.”
- “[b] 1) Repetitive storylines - [/b] far and away the biggest problem with this game is its relative lack of replayability.”
optimization
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
70%
13%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance and stability, others experience significant issues such as crashes, sluggishness, and unoptimized CPU cycles. Many reviewers note the need for further polish, particularly in interface navigation and performance during cutscenes. Despite these concerns, the game is praised for its visuals and depth, suggesting that with future updates, it could reach its full potential.
- “There is a lot of potential for optimization here.”
- “Nice optimization and good looking graphics.”
- “A lot of depth, great graphics and performance - definitely recommended!”
- “What kills it is the performance issues.”
- “The 'enemy' CPU cycles must be some of the most unoptimized in gaming, because even on a new PC you're waiting forever.”
- “As it stands now, there are just too many issues with its performance and stability.”
humor
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often derived from its quirky AI behaviors and absurd situations, such as agents taking illogical paths or civilians reacting comically to danger. Players find the cutscenes, character interactions, and certain gameplay mechanics—like the judo-chop and the unpredictable accuracy of attacks—hilariously entertaining, despite some aspects being frustrating or poorly executed. Overall, the game is described as a "funny mess," blending enjoyable tactical combat with a lighthearted tone that keeps players laughing.
- “I found it hilarious and laughed out loud when I first saw civilians running in panic in the direction of an armed, dangerous man...”
- “The judo-chop to take down your foes silently is rather funny and kind of silly.”
- “Ah, but the hilarious part of the game is the classic display of accuracy; in my case, my agent was just closer to the enemy, and when I clicked the action to shoot him, it just grazed him.”
character development
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the depth and customization options available, particularly in agent skills and perks, while others feel it lacks the necessary depth and impact on gameplay. The atmosphere and design elements contribute positively to the experience, but many users express a desire for more substantial character progression and narrative integration. Overall, while there are strengths in character design and strategic elements, the system is seen as underdeveloped by some players.
- “If you enjoy strategy games, you will enjoy this game, planning, character development, research, and great missions.”
- “Character development is strong; this is one of the few remaining 'read the manual' releases out there, and it goes a bit deeper than the gloss, so it is definitely worth spending some time on if you enjoy turn-based strategy and dynamic storylines.”
- “Also, I feel character development of your agents is a lot more fleshed out because you don't have fixed skill trees like in XCOM, but rather can combine both skills and agent perks pretty effectively with some randomness attached to it as available perks are limited by choice options on agents' level up.”
- “Character development isn't as involved as I feel it could be.”
- “And this makes all the related systems, such as character development (training, perks), and itemization, etc., also really weak, bad, and sophomoric.”
- “Character development offers many different options, of which in my experience only a few really matter when it comes to success in missions.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a mixed emotional experience, with some feeling deep emotional conflict when faced with difficult choices, such as executing a character they had previously captured. Conversely, others report a lack of emotional attachment to characters, leading to a sense of expendability that diminishes their overall engagement with the game's narrative.
- “Later on, I found her on a mission, recaptured her and interrogated her, after which I was too hurt emotionally to set her free and decided to execute her instead.”