QCF: Phantom Breaker: Omnia

ack in the day I used to attend several conventions a year, where all forms of gaming, anime and related avenues of fandom would occupy a weekend inside the meeting rooms of an unsuspecting hotel. In those game rooms of my past, I recall seeing Phantom Breaker tournaments and casual play amongst the other 2D fighters. Now over a decade later, Rocket Panda Games has teamed up with MAGES to release an updated and streamlined version of the title for the first time in the West. Does Phantom Breaker: Omnia earn a place in today’s crowded field of fighting games? I think to certain groups of players it very well may have a spot.

Throwback to the game room at any convention in the 2000's

So, to touch back on that trip down memory lane, I remember often seeing previous iterations of this game around but always with either an imported Xbox 360 or later, with Phantom Breaker: Extra on PS3 which was region free. Omnia is that same game but updated for release on consoles and PC with two new characters and a rebalanced system. Since the game was released originally in 2011, it still looks and plays well, but may seem outdated compared to some of the other 2D fighters being released currently. The most glaring example of this to me was the two new characters introduced, whose designs seems jarring compared to the sprites from the game’s original roster of fighters. Their design feels like something more out of a CAVE shmup, and with MAGES being a developer of shmups and visual novels in the past I can understand this occurrence. But other than the title perhaps showing its age, technically the game is well designed and introduces some features that can benefit newer players and perhaps lend additional strategies to more seasoned fans.

Alot can happen on screen but it's not very hard to learn

The mechanics of the game at first glance seem like a lot to process, three styles with their own benefits and special commands. There is Hard and Quick style, which are returning from previous editions as well as the new Omnia style which is a combination of both to some degree. Quick allows for double jumps, cancels, shift dodges and increased speed. Hard offers heavier combos, protection and additional armor. Omnia lets the player use double jump and a special All-Range attack that uses more of your meter but is unblockable. That may sound complicated at first and for me it was plenty of jargon and UI to decipher but after playing for awhile it really does come together naturally. Knowing which style to utilize for each opponent and knowing what character benefits the most from that style is the key to success and enjoying the matches. Commands are simple to execute with only light, medium, heavy and special attack buttons, and shortcuts for multiple button commands are mapped to the triggers if using a controller or can be mapped easily on a fightstick. Players can also use emergency escapes to get out of being juggled around the stage at the cost of meter, as well as clash when maneuvers are thrown at the same time, deflecting projectiles also. To casual players this all can be executed with just mashing some buttons, and they still feel like they have opportunities to succeed which as a very casual player I appreciated. But I’m sure that novices and skilled players could also benefit from these systems and still find some depth to enjoy.

Original characters and some guest characters are part of the roster

The opening cinematic as well as the soundtrack were just what I would hope for from an anime-inspired fighting game of this caliber, and the voice acting is quite good with a lineup of notable voice actors from anime and video games. Many are very recognizable which I appreciated, taking me back to the convention days of fan meetups while browsing overpriced manga and debating on what flavor of Pocky to buy. The option for English as well as Japanese voice tracks was welcomed, however I feel that the extras that can unlocked in the gallery were uninspired and do not give the player much incentive to complete multiple playthroughs.

Battles will be varied based on what style you utilize

Twenty characters round out the roster with the previously mentioned two new additions as well as the returning guest characters Kurisu and Rimi who are from other MAGES titles Steins;Gate and Chaos;Head. The fighters all have strengths and weaknesses, relying on close- or long-range attacks and disciplines of technical, rush down, speed, power, standard or tricky. The combos that are possible all depend on stacking their unique abilities with one of the three styles of combat. Story mode is rehashed from other versions of Phantom Breaker, with only unlockable cut scene artwork to be obtained by playing through each character’s story. Arcade mode is also basic, and rankings can be obtained by playing through Endless Battle, Time Attack and Score Attack. I feel that the lack of unlockables and no in-depth training mode really shows the age of the game. At the time of the review, online play was not available. We hope to have a follow-up to this once the game is released and more people are playing on PC. For now, I can say that the CPU on higher difficulties provided for many stressful and demanding matches throughout my playtime and learning most of the characters gave me ample opportunity to prepare for online battles when they are available.

Omnia serves as a great reintroduction to the series for new players

For the returning fans of Phantom Breaker, Omnia brings rebalanced gameplay and some UI and character changes that I hope is welcomed by their community. It’s also a great entry point for new players, utilizing a simple control layout and ease of play that can keep the inexperienced in the fight. It does show its age in the landscape of current fighting games with not much to offer for additional content and an art style that may not be what is expected in 2022. But I appreciate the developer putting out a title that welcomes all types of players without sacrificing style and mechanics. That said, I think the game is worth checking out, and thankfully new players can avoid the anime convention to play it.