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Phantom Brave is a tactical-RPG developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software, released in August 2005 on Playstation 2. This is the 3rd Tactical RPG developed by Nippon Ichi after La Pucelle Tactics and the now cult Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. The crazy and funny adventures of the 2 previous games from the studio leave room for a game more touching and serious.

Marona is a 13 years old girl, whose parents died 8 years ago during a battle against a powerful demonic creature. She lives withdrawn on a small island and works as "Chroma", a kind of exorcist hunting demons. Ash, the best friend of her parents, who also died during the fateful fight, watches over her as a ghost. Because of her ability to see spirits, Marona is nicknamed "The possessed one" and is feared by all. However Marona is a big-hearted girl, a little naive, ready to assist everybody. At the beginning of the game Marona merely fill menial jobs by conjuring monsters, but soon she will go with Ash and many other ghosts on an adventure, in which she will discover friendship, in order to save the world.

The game system of Phantom Brave is totally different from that of previous Nippon Ichi T-RPGs. There is no board that contains a grid used for movement, the characters can move freely within a certain number of dm (decimeters) each turn. At the beginning of each battle, Marona is alone on the battlefield and must invoke the other characters by confining them in the elements present on the ground. Thus if one of the ghosts is invoked within a rock, he will receive bonus points in defense, for example. You can also pick up every item on the ground and use it as a weapon. Each element allocates special techniques and powers. Phantom Brave is notable for the numerous attacks, spells and techniques that can use the heroes according to the weapon equipped and their class.

To have a small army we have first to create characters on the island of Marona by spending mana points earned during the clashes. Some classes of ghost can use their special skills directly on the island. For example, a healer may provide treatments, a merchant can sell items, and a blacksmith can make the weapons more effective. The Monk can create random dungeons where you can train your troops.

Nippon Ichi is a development studio that has the reputation for creating T-RPGs with an incredibly rich and complex gameplay. Phantom Brave doesn't depart from the rule and goes even further with its gridless battle system.

Phantom Brave reviews