Nippon Ichi Software (NIS) has always struggled with preservation. Not only were a number of amazing experiences left in the past; later games would constantly bring these characters back. The most notable offender of this was Zetta from the PlayStation 2 classic, Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome. In recent years NIS has improved, like Makai Kingdom is playable on Switch/PC, with the latest example being Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle Remastered. This PlayStation 2 title saw a return on PC/Switch a few years back, and now PlayStation 5. With it being the perfect prep for Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero, should players give it a try, or is the experience too dated to bother?
Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle Remastered has a rather interesting premise. The narrative starts with a group of adventures tasked with defeating a major threat. Unfortunately, the group is unsuccessful, and are killed. Before taking his last breath, one of the party members wishes he could product his daughter, Marona. As a result, one of the members is brought back, and fulfills that wish.
Things pick up several years later with Marona dealing with her current situation. Since she has the ability to interact with phantoms, along with give them a body for a brief period of time, people are apprehensive towards her.
Despite that Marona has an indomitable will to help those around her. Often to her own detriment. It makes for an emotional journey that ultimately arrives at a satisfying conclusion. Assuming players have the skills to get there.
Unlimited Optimism
Since Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle Remastered released during NIS’ more experimental days, it’s different from other tactical RPGs. Instead of the traditional square grid, players can freely move across a set area of land. This additional control gives it a more modern feel.
Another substantial change is the confine system. The way it works is surprisingly complex. Throughout the battlefield there are a number of objects Marona can use to briefly give a phantom a body. Each item has distinct positive, and negative benefits.
For example, if I confine a flower the phantom gains INT/RES, but loses ATK/DEF. This makes it ideal for a magic user. Elsewhere a weed gives even more RES, so it’s best used with a healer. Then there are options like a rock, which gives a massive amount of ATK/DEF for my brawlers.
Items have a wide array of stats that players must pay attention to as well. So even if a flower is ideal for a magic user, I might opt for a seed instead. This is because the flower decreases HP by 10 percent, whereas the seed gives 20 percent more HP. It’s balanced out by the seed offering a 10 percent increase in INT compared to 25 percent with the flower.
The best choice largely depends on the item’s position. If it’s by a lot of enemies I’d opt for health, whereas if it’s safely to the side power is likely the better option. Players can also somewhat manipulate the battlefield by throwing these objects, though this isn’t practical for most fights.
To further complicate things every character has a set turn limit. This further encourages players to make do with the options they have. It also forces players to build an army over relying on a couple extremely powerful allies to do the heavy lifting. It makes things a bit more dynamic. Especially when equipping items increases their summoning cost.
Famous Last Words
While all of this makes for a more robust experience, it can make early game feel brutal. It sucks making a seemingly irrelevant error, yet that choice ultimately sealed your fate. There are also some rather annoying gotcha moments, like not having a diverse enough group, or forgot about the summoning cost when equipping gear.
That being said, the challenge pushes players to learn, and better utilize the mechanics. Maybe I change the position of certain items, try to get enemies in a position that allows max efficiency, or use the surroundings/enemies as weapons to bolster my phantoms. It has a lot of potential, it just comes down to figuring out how to utilize it.
Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle Remastered Review Verdict
Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle Remastered: Even if the early game is a bit bumpy, Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle Remastered is an experience well worth playing. Not only are the characters interesting, it features a story with a wide range of emotions. This, coupled with a number of gameplay mechanics that force players to think several moves ahead, leaves a strong impression. One that will likely make fans, and newcomers alike excited for the upcoming continuation. – Grant
Editor’s Note: Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle Remastered was reviewed on PlayStation 5, and a copy was provided to us for review purposes.
