Nippon Ichi Software has released new information and screenshots for Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero introducing sub characters Rouen, Henna, Urumi, and Mayfair, as well as the gameplay systems Protection, O.B., and equippable items.
Get the details below.
■ Sub Characters
Marona, a girl who can see Phantoms, works alongside her Phantom partner Ash as a Chroma, a type of contractor who travels to various islands and solves people’s problems, upon request. Along her journey, she will join forces with a diverse cast of characters from the various islands of Ivoire.
Rouen (voiced by Sou Ookubo in Japanese)
“…Ugh, what a bunch of softies. Some pirates you are…”
A first mate fluent in sarcasm.
A beastman who was the first mate of the Argento Pirate Crew and the right-hand wolfman of the leader of the fleet, Apricot’s father. While he always acts listless and nihilistic, he is actually kind. He shows an almost overprotective parent sentiment towards Apricot, who he calls “Princess,” while still managing to get some digs in all the while taking care of her.
Five years prior to the events of the game, he tried to protect Apricot and the others when they encountered the Shipwreck Fleet, but failed. As a result, they lost their lives.
Henna (voiced by Sarah Emi Bridcutt in Japanese)
“I shall take your eyes—your hearts—your lives! Power of charm, Opera Mauve!”
A queen notorious even in death.
The Phantom of a former Queen of the Hasara Kingdom, an island containing 70% sand. From times of old, it has been custom in Hasara for a woman to lead the country.
However, when she was young and inexperienced, she made bad political decisions and lost her life in a coup d’etat. Afterwards, she appeared as a Phantom in the Hasara Kingdom, where she controls others with a bewitching power that turns them into her servants.
She opposes the current queen, who is her biological younger sister.
Urumi (voiced by Ran Terai in Japanese)
“Freeze! Freeze! Freeze! All of you, freeze!”
A ghostly force of nature.
A phantom boy who lives on Snowfall Island, an extremely cold, frozen place that is covered in snow all year round. Since he passed away as a young boy many years ago, he has gained the ability to manifest himself as well as control the climate around him.
In spite of his young appearance, he is extremely powerful, and has caused many of the island’s inhabitants to perish by making the climate worse. Accordingly, he is called a “devil” by the islanders who fear him.
Mayfair (voiced by Tomo Sakurai in Japanese)
“My crew is my family. A true swashbuckler doesn’t crush someone who saved their family.”
The big sister-like leader of a certain pirate group. She appears during Marona’s adventure when Marona and her companions visit Versailles, an island abundant with nature that is closed off to outsiders. There, she protects the island from poachers.
Once she gets her mind set on something, she charges ahead at full speed, and she values the swashbuckler’s spirit and her family over all else. She calls her crew family, and is at times a tough trainer, while at others a gentle protector.
A swashbuckling pirate par excellence.
■ Systems
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero has many unique systems to allow for the ultimate “play it your way” combat experience. Read on for more details on Protection, a special ability that characters and items have on the map, O.B., which lets you throw enemies and items off the map, and the Equip Items feature, which allows you to equip trees, rocks, and other things on the map, including enemies!
Protection: Decide Whether to Use the Effects of an Item or Destroy It!
Protection is a special ability that certain characters or items on the map can make use of. It is indicated by a flowing line linking whatever can make use of it. By using Protection, you can enjoy even deeper strategy in battle!
There are various types of Protection that affect a range of things, such as adding a multiplier to the target when attacking (Attack Power +x%), lowering the DEF stat of the target by x%, (DEF – x%), Prevents Moving, which stops a target from being able to move beyond their current position, blocking certain actions, increasing O.B. damage by x% (O.B. Damage +x%), make the enemies in a character’s range of movement target them with Aggro, and much much more.
—Check the effects of Protection by hovering the cursor over a character on the map.
Destroying the item or character causing the Protection causes its effect to disappear. Also, if you Confine what is causing the Protection, it will gain that Protection. Try out all of the ways to utilize it in battle!
—A certain area of the map cannot be entered without removing the No Entry Protection. Protections are not only limited to you or your allies, but also can be extended to the map itself.
For example, say a rock on the map is causing a Protection that causes enemy characters and grass to have Attack Power +10%. This can be seen by glowing lines linking them, and is a dangerous situation to be in. In this situation, destroying the rock causing this Protection will cause the buff the enemies are receiving to disappear. Alternately, Confining an ally in either the grass receiving the Protection or the rock causing the Protection would cause that Protection’s Attack Power +10% to go to that ally. It’s up to you to decide the best strategy!
O.B.: Throw Obstacles Off the Map
When a character or item falls off the map, it is called going O.B. Characters who this occurs to will sustain HP damage.
—Differences in levels do not matter when using O.B. to cause damage, so it comes in handy when fighting enemies stronger than you!
By using the Throw command, things can be thrown outside of the map. They can also be thrown on ice, where they can slide off the map, or be thrown from a high place, where they can go out of bounds. In this way, various actions and the characteristics of the terrain itself can contribute to O.B.
—If you fall off of the map via movement or from your own actions, this is not considered an O.B., and damage will not be sustained.
Also, if an item goes O.B., that item will disappear.
For example, if there is an item that you want, if an enemy throws it and it lands O.B., it will disappear.
Sometimes, it might be necessary to Confine in an item you want before engaging with the enemy. If the item has a Phantom confined in it, a message that says “Plundered!” will appear, and you will get that item.
Equip Items: Trees, Flowers and Even Enemies Can Be Weapons!
In this game, all items can be equipped. Not only swords or staffs, but the rocks and flowers on the maps, and even the enemies themselves can be equipped!
Things on the map like characters and items can be equipped by “lifting” them.
—You can also steal the enemies’ weapons and equip them! Be sure to check the probability of a successful steal!
Equip items have both Skills and Abilities. Characters who equip these items can use their Skills and will receive the effects of their Abilities.
—Skills can be thought of as “techniques,” while Abilities are “passive” skills.
In Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero, you can also equip various objects that are on the field. When you don’t have an item equipped, try equipping things like grass, trees, or rocks! Trees, rocks, etc. also have Skills and Abilities and by equipping them, you will gain access to various Skills and status-boosting effects.
—By equipping this palm tree that was on the map, you are able to use “Multi-Thrust” and “Mini Heal!”
Furthermore, if you meet certain conditions, you can permanently learn these Skills and Abilities. Learning powerful Skills and Abilities will surely aid you in the battles ahead!
When a character takes damage, an equipped item or another character will become their shield, taking on a portion of the damage themselves! However, if the equipped item’s HP is reduced to 0, then the item will be lost, and if the assisting character’s HP falls to 0, they will be Downed and become unable to fight. Furthermore, if this item or character sustains another attack, they become Fallen and are removed from the map.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is due out for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam in 2025 worldwide.
View the screenshots at the gallery.
Screenshots
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