Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero — Everything We Know

The best upcoming games are the ones you don’t see coming. And Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is right up there at the top of the list of the constant surprises we’ve been swimming in from games’ showcase events. You probably remember the predecessor, Phantom Brave, released in 2004 on the PS2. It was such a blast that the upcoming new game will have big shoes to fill. 

Shall we see what NIS has in store for us? Cue Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero — Everything We Know.

What is Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero?

Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is an upcoming colorful fantasy tactical RPG. It’ll be the sequel to Phantom Brave (2004). Marona and her Phantom (the spirits of the dead) friends return to embark on yet a new mission across the great seas. You’ll help Marona defeat the evil Shipwreck Fleet by recruiting Phantoms to your team. 

Alongside Phantoms, you’ll have different objects and gadgets you can mix and match to come up with unique play styles. You can even merge Phantoms with Marona herself to unlock new abilities. The goal is to “play it your way,” discovering clever combinations the more you play.

Story

Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero stars Marona as she sets sail to save the day. She has special powers that allow her to communicate with Phantoms. As she embarks on an epic adventure exploring the islands of the colorful world of Ivoire, she’s accompanied by her dear friend Phantom Ash. But she also runs into more people along the way who will be in need of her help. By helping others, Marona makes new friends and even recruits some of them on her journey.

Soon, though, she runs into a Shipwreck Fleet made up of a ghost crew. They attack you, separating you from Ash. Marona is forced to put up a strong defense, calling on the help of her new friend Apricot to put together a strong crew. You’ll pull on the forces of the living and the dead. Some of the Phantoms who agree to help you have once defeated the Shipwreck Fleet. You must call on them to help you fight once more.

Gameplay

Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a tactical turn-based RPG whose battles will unravel in turns. Each move you make will require strategic planning across a colorful world. You’ll need to first assemble a legendary crew of Phantoms. Thereafter, you’ll access different objects and gadgets that can be combined with Phantoms to create unique attacks. But you can also merge Phantoms with Marona herself and unleash a wealth of show-stopping abilities. Your goal? Sink the Shipwreck Fleet before they sink yours.

The Steam store page brands the new game an “unconventional strategy RPG.” It confirms that you’ll move freely on a gridless map. To take on enemies, you’ll summon Phantoms, binding them to objects on the map. Depending on the object you combine them with, they will unleash distinct abilities that can turn the tide of battle. Objects also determine a Phantom’s stats. Further, you can combine Phantoms with gadgets. These will enable Phantoms to unlock more powerful attacks, slow-moving ones, and more, depending on the gadget. 

Finally, you can combine Marona with Phantoms, concealing her identity and unleashing special attacks.

Here are the key features you can expect via Steam.

• Play it your way: Access over 50 Phantom unit types and over 300 skills, free to mix and match however you like.
• Phantom possession: Combine Phantoms with objects, gadgets, and even Marona herself to unlock wide-ranging abilities.
• Light-hearted adventure: Save your friend Ash, but also enjoy a fun-filled adventure making new friends along the way.

Development

Developer Nippon Ichi Software is currently working on Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero. The studio is more popularly known for Disgaea and other tactical RPGs. 

As for the publisher, NIS America will take charge of bringing the new game to the market. NIS America is a subsidiary of Nippon Ichi Software that markets and publishes Nippon Ichi’s games, alongside titles from other developers. They have blessed us with multiple games, including The Legend of Heroes: Trials through Daybreak II, Ys X: Nordics, Reynatics, and more.

Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero will have both English and Japanese versions in both audio and text. It’ll, however, only feature a single-player campaign. 

Trailer

NIS first announced Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero at the June 2024 Nintendo Direct event with a trailer reveal. It showcases sneak peeks into the story and gameplay you can expect in the final game. We see a Phantom combine with a cannon to unleash a powerful AoE attack. Another combines with a fan to blow enemies within range. Yet another combines with Morona herself, culminating in an epic showdown of what’s to come.

Release Date, Platforms, & Editions

Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero will be coming sometime in 2025. Unfortunately, we don’t know when exactly the release date will be. However, we can confirm the new game will be coming to the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms. NIS has oddly enough chosen to forego a Standard Edition, leaving you no choice but to order the Deluxe Edition. 

Here’s what you can get with the Deluxe Edition.

• Base game
• Digital soundtrack (with download code) 
• Softcover art book
• Price: $59.99

You can pre-order the game as early as now via Amazon or Best Buy for PS5, PS4, and Switch platforms. PC owners will have to wait till 2025 to pre-order. Still, you can always add Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero to your Steam wishlist to get a notification as soon as it’s live. Alternatively, you can follow the official social handle here to keep track of new updates. Better yet, stick with us right here on gaming.net, where we post new information on all things gaming as soon as it comes up.

So, what’s your take? Will you be grabbing a copy of Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero when it drops? Let us know over on our socials here.