Game Overview
Its all about beating your opponent, isn't every game though? In a way yes, but Phantom Brave changes it a little bit and makes it a little more interesting!

We couldn't really work out if this game was for Big Boys or Little boys, it has Old Skool animations which suggest that it's for the old boys to bring back memories but the turn based beat em up style of play, we think, appeals more to the younger generation. So really, KOEI have hit the spot with this one as it appeals to both!

It starts with what we thought was quite long winded entrance scene that tells the story, kind of, you don't actually work out whats going on until the end of the sequence, but basically the lead character Ash is in a fight and sort of dies, but doesn't if you get what we mean, he is in between Life and Death and is whats known as a Phantom!

Ash accompanies a girl called Mahona who has the ability to summon Phantoms and create all types of Phantoms to help her on her quest too defeat enemies around the world. Using the new Free Roaming Map Grids in battle you are able to summon Phantoms and use them to defeat all different types of enemies. However be warned that Phantoms can only be used for a certain amount of turns and when you summon those brave soldiers you have to place them over an object such as a tree or a rock, its like a rock turning in to a life form! Weird but imaginative, however depending on what object you confine your Phantom too decides how what their skill levels are, so if you take the place of a rock 20 points comes off of your speed but you will gain points on your strength. So really you need to think hard about what Phantom can go where and which Phantom will be most effective, the quicker your Phantom the more turns you receive, its not as easy as it sounds!

With a huge array of attacks including special attacks you are never short of something to kick the living daylights out of your opponent, form Magic to pure force, pick up swords, axes or anything else that you can find laying about, make different characters who fight in a different way, which ever way you decide to play the game one thing wont change, you will become more and more addicted! It does start to repeat and you do find yourself doing the same thing over and over again, but for some strange reason it just doesn't get boring! And, trust us it's a big AND! If you buy Phantom Brave right here in the United Kingdom you will also get a bonus Soundtrack disk which has some really catchy tunes on it! Well worth a listen.

Our Conclusions
With well over a hundred hours of game play Phantom Brave has to be value for money, it will keep even the most advanced gamer entertained for hours on end. You do however have to have a bit of imagination as the game is not lifelike at all, KOEI were trying to achieve something that was groundbreaking, interesting, imaginative and captures most gamers, unless you really really despise turn based beat em ups then you will definitely get some pleasure out of Phantom Brave.

Overall Score: 7.5/10

Thanks to Chris Swanson (BlokesOnly.com's King of Games) and Steve Marks at KOEI for making this review possible.