Phantom Brigade

Levelling is broken! Only able to capture first region after tutorial. Did not get salvage to improve mechs to progress. Capture a region you cannot hold it as a timer counts down and the game wastes your time so you lose control of the region. No in game wiki to explain stuff, all you get is blue good, red bad. If they fix levelling and all the other bugs like disappearing mechs, missing seconds on the timeline, actions not starting, inventory items missing or invisible or just limit, I dont know otherwise avoid.

gud.

This game has a very MW5 meets XCOM feel, and it's very well done.

Solid game, fun combat that rewards not only thinking in the game's turn based system but also punishes players that rely on it so much that your mechs are our of position. I really like this game! Have yet to beat it but with updates around the corner, I'll be sure to play it all the way through!

The game doesn't feel satisfying to play. Strategizing and trying to be tactical doesn't reward you with a satisfying boom or feels. I wish the game audio was louder when enemies get destroyed but during the mission itself just really feels boring.

The overworld concept of the game is interesting but it would be nice to have a scouting option to have an idea of what you're gonna face instead of just running around and thinking should I attack this or that for no other reason than trying to lower the enemy strength.

This game is beautiful, captivating, and very addictive. The gameplay loop is repetitive (and i certainly skipped to liberating the end objective rather than progressing though the grind) but I played 100 hours of it and enjoyed every minute. It's one of those games where I am waiting to forget enough of it to restart. If the devs add more content/ variety, this game will be very dangerous for anyone who has any other plans for their time. Buy it.

I love using the giant laser beam to cut cities in half

This game is very close to being good and a standout in the tactical battle genre. There are some small aspects of an otherwise great foundation that holds this game back.
First, the lesser gripe: in terms of appearances, the mechs lack any personality. Heavy mechs don't look very different than light mechs, and everything looks relatively the same. It makes it hard to pick out your individual mechs on the field, and makes it hard to connect with them in any meaningful way.
Second, the larger issues with gameplay: despite the prediction mechanic being designed to give you full control over the progression of a battle, there are multiple times I've felt misled or underinformed. There is no information about damage prediction, making it hard to keep track of and efficiently target your attacks. Mutliple times I've just had mechs pounding shots into dead enemies midway through a turn because I couldn't tell if they would die or not; this really takes away from the feeling of control I should be getting from the system. Mechs are also incredibly fragile, even heavy mechs, making a large amount of the mech parts in the game feel underspecced and useless.

Overall I think the game would be a recommend and a great experience with some tweaks to part statistics and more information being given in the turn prediction, but for now I feel like I get way more enjoyment and satisfaction out of other games in the genre.

This game is pretty great. Some gameplay aspects (like weapons or armor being over/underpowered and AI making weird choices) could use some work, but I think the system of having all troops execute commands at once is great and a lot of fun, plus the mechs feel very weighty and powerful.

All in all, if you like mechs and like strategy games, this game is definitely worth the price. Some work is needed, yes, but I do believe the game is currently worth it. As well, the devs seem like they care and are working hard to make the game even better.

Sadly a frustrating experience in the long run.

We can start with the combat which is overall fun, with a few flaws that force certain playstyles to the forefront of gameplay.

Enemy actions have to be monotonously checked each round. If you don't do this, your guys blow up when you think you're winning. But it's slow. It's tedious, and takes far too long for how often you have to see what each enemy is shooting at. The prediction system shows you enemy firing lines, but you have to scroll through all five seconds of each turn to ensure you didn't miss anything, especially in the late game, where those unnoticed attacks demolish your mechs instantly.

Heavier mechs see no real advantage over light mechs outside of durability, which isn't worth much when light mechs are never hit anyway. Heavy mechs eat every missile sent their way, can't dodge without overheating or expending their entire turn, and have no clear battle role since their weapons overheat them used alongside boosting. You are better off equipping your cool macho heavy two handed weapons on light mechs who can actually fire them. Hurts the fantasy. Most missions include some long range enemies either in the form of missiles or snipers which causes heavy mechs to fall over in two turns unless you have them wiggle seductively and "tank", which, again, feels off in all sorts of ways.

I'd like to see them have more than just health bonuses. Heavy mechs should be stable, have more slots for perks and mods,

Another drag is the equipment level system, completely arbitrary. Likely tacked on to pad game times. Some Ubisoft shenanigans that uh, probably has no place in any game that isn't an MMO. If I could mod this out I would. Not worth the time.

While the time mechanic and planning mechanic are neat, and are the heart of the game's appeal, it adds an ungodly amount of jank and weirdness to the game. Allies firing off a full salvo into a dead or concussed enemy, enemies shooting into mountains and their allies, all orders being essentially forcing you to baby each maneuver down to every attack. It's tiring, tiring in a way other similar games aren't. Xcom doesn't wear me out like this game does. Total war has a ton of unit baby sitting, but at least they defend themselves when attacked.

The game is pretty great, some really fun and interesting mechanics.
The idea of counter-plays is really fun when it works.
First of all. I am pretty terrible at it, but I do think it is because of a lack of readability.
I just don't really have any clue what is happening.
My mechs burst into flames or self destruct, even though I am aware of overheating and try my best to mitigate it.

Don't get me wrong, the game looks great and plays well, but I just don't really seem to have fun playing it.
I'm not even out the tutorial and lose consistently.

Maybe you would be better at playing than me, but after sinking some time in, it isn't for me.

interesting

Was enjoying this game a lot.. Then traversing the regions to liberate became a pain. Says enemies have troops in the region, but none show up. I'm circling the region for days, no enemies. When it works, the game is fun. Still needs work. 6/10

Idiotic developers have been asked about doing the full replay feature for years - they have ignored it. Idiots like these need to stop being rewarded. **** this game.

Game is fun! Build your own robot squad, and blow stuff out. if it as just that, it would be enough, but the time management mechanism is great! It really messed with the strategist living within you. And the fact that they added boss fights instead of the constant same fights is a big bonus. Give it a try

good

Cool game, well polished. Its mechwarrior meets xcom. If you like both you will like this.

good game just add a replay save for the entire battle please

Game has been updated to have more variety during battle.
Would be nice to give more out of battle choices that actually matter

amazing mods definitely enhance already solid gameplay. The visuals are also so nice to look at. Would be cool to see the whole fight in real time after a mission

its gewd

I have played this game only a little, so I might be wrong about my judgement of it (I only finished the 1st zone).

The things I liked:
- Almost a turn based aspect to it, with knowing enemy moves
- Ability to knock enemy mechs out rather than destroy them
- Great graphics (though with some intentional blur at the edges)
- Good music

The things I didn't like:
- some things are not explained well (e.g ramming mechanics, weight class difference, shield use during ramming)
- it's like the game contradicts itself:
a) you have this variety of weapons for short, medium and long distances, but then you also have a laser gun which shoots well at all distances and does a huge amount of damage, negating all the previous weapons;
b) you are intended to weave in and out of cover to shoot and hide from enemy fire, but then almost every enemy has missile launchers effectively negating most cover;
c) you have your movement significantly impaired by heavy weight, seemingly forcing heavy bulky mechs to move slowly, but at the same time you have these sort of like jet packs which allow you to move relatively long distances in a very short amount of time, effectively making your actual movement speed irrelevant;
d) your time prediction ability should be what gives you the edge over overwhelming numbers of enemies so that you would know when to hide your mechs behind cover and when to shoot, but in reality the enemy AI makes very strange decisions quite often targeting some of your mechs which are quite far form the unit targeting them, behind some heavy cover, with no possibility to even hit that mech by that unit no matter where it moves, all the while it has my other mech actually in range and not behind cover;
e) your are supposed to see the future and when an enemy mech plans a missile attack you can see the missiles flying out and you can see their homing trajectories during your current 4-5 second time period, but when you are planning then next time period your system stops tracking those missiles in the air (the missiles which seem to represent the highest threat in this game) to help you plan a dodging move... What's going on here?

These are the things that don't make the game enjoyable for me at the moment. I'm interested in fighting an enemy which can actually kill me by tactics rather then trying to do so by sheer numbers and mixing in the weapons that ignore cover. None of this works. My mechs come out almost or completely unscathed from every battle. It's just not very fun. A pity. The game looks AMAZING and the idea is GREAT!

Well worth the effort, though I would wait for the next update.

Excellent game - love the whole concept - can't wait for the next update!

This game will never be complete until you can re-watch an entire combat scenario in real time from start to finish. Not just the last 5 seconds. :(

Great concept of a game, hoping future development adds more because this has a lot of potential.

good game not done yet though and updates are kinda slow

Has a unique game-play loop that's a lot of fun for turn-based game lovers like me. It can get a bit repetitive but it's important to test new weapons to change up that loop. Devs are still working on updating the game with new content, so by no means a "dead" game.

As of March 16, 2025, these are my feelings on Phantom Brigade:

Pros:
Good effects and combat
Surprisingly smooth rts-turn based hybrid system.
Fast pace. A mission is usually under a half hour or less.
Large customization lineup
Cool AF mech building system, like Armored Core.
Rewarding upgrade tree. Rarely buying useless BS.
Good destruction system. Cool when buildings blow up.
Few bugs. Have over 30 hours without noticing one.

Cons:
Enemy scaling. Annoyingly like Skyrim, so you rarely get to fight weaker enemies and feel like your leveling up and getting stronger.

Repetition. Boss fights specifically. You have to do a boss fight in EVERY province, and they are all the same enemy type, just with some modifications.

Story. Or morso a lack of one. You get a few cut scenes and some voice overs for the tutorial, and then never again. Game feels like a giant sandbox as a result. Even just an Ace Combat style picture box with some voice over lines would've gone a long way.

How I think it could be better:
Add an option to set enemy scaling to fixed for every province, that way people can choose to either experience a skyrim style enemy scaling or a classic rpg "Enemies get stronger the further on you go" type deal. That way you can feel like your progressing and getting stronger instead of always feeling midtier.

Remove boss fights from a few provinces so you don't have to do them all the time, or add more boss types. A giant 2 legged mech boss or a massive battle tank on tracks are just some examples of what could be done to add more variety.

I understand its probably to late to add campaign missions and new cutscenes, but at least see about adding some voicelines. Hearing enemy and allied chatter would make the game feel less lonely and at least add the feeling of a story.

Verdict:
Game has some flaws but overall its fun and works well. Few bugs, fast paced missions, fun combat, I would come home and play a few missions of this after work easy. I would normaly say "Buy on sale" but the game is fairly low price already. If you don't like this genre or dont have much money I would wait for a sale, but if you like mech games or strategy games you wont regret buying full price.

7/10

The combat mechanics are fun, i look forward to seeing what they build next, but whatever this team make next it needs to run more stably than this. Can't progress barely due to constant crashing.

An absolutely stunningly cool concept and aesthetic stretched over maybe 20-30% of a game. I wish I could recommend but in it's current state there's just not enough to justify it. this game should have had at least a while longer in development before it released.

fun game mechanic

This games great, and looks great, and is a lot of fun. I love this game and hope it keeps getting updated <3

Good game, scratches the XCOM itch.
In plus: Action pause system is fun, lots of mech customization, solid campaign experience, AI that isn't completely brain dead.
In minus: gets repetitive, soldiers are replaceable, there is zero attachment to them - a memorial for casualties would be a great way to fix it, as is I lost like 20 soldiers, and it feels like the squad just ditched them as road kill and kept going. The game also really needs a way to see a replay the entire mission from start to finish, experiencing everything in action pause chunks results in missions feeling disjointed.

This game is so unique. so far there has been a lot of depth in the weapons.

melee combat is terrible, really really bad, they could have done it better. i have thoughts about how.

the rest was great though. water and buildings and terrain all have different implications. the weather also effects things from the overworld.

some things I would have liked to see:
- more biome types. like deserts that affect mobility with occassional sandstorms that effect visibility
- more weapon types. like smoke weapons that effect visibility, or glue grenades that make sticky areas that cause enemies to trip up (so like area denial). Area effect weapons like Flamethrower. just even more creativity on top of what they had


overall really great game. enjoying it so far, may update this.

This game is an absolute blast to play, offering a visually stunning battlefield filled with destructible buildings, rolling hills for cover, and intense rocket barrages that make every fight feel cinematic. The level of environmental detail is incredible, and the way battles unfold with strategic positioning and destruction makes for an engaging experience.

However, there are some mechanics that hold it back. The enemy scaling—where opponents level up as you do—feels frustrating, removing the sense of progression. It would be nice if not all enemies scaled at the same time. Some scaling is fine, but at least an indication—such as a small text notification like "The enemy has researched X and improved slightly after losing the previous five fights"—would make it feel more natural rather than an artificial difficulty spike.

A better approach to progression would be rewarding players with weapon schematics after missions or implementing a research system to develop experimental weapons. Additionally, after defeating enemy mechs, unlocking their blueprints for crafting would make for a much more satisfying reward system.

One of the more frustrating aspects is the lack of visual cues when using weapons. There is no in-game preview of how weapons function, leaving players to rely on YouTube videos or trial and error, which often leads to unnecessary defeats. Implementing a test ground where players can experiment with different weapons before deploying them in battle would be a significant quality-of-life improvement. A simple firing range or simulation mode could allow players to assess fire rates, projectile behavior, and area-of-effect capabilities without the risk of losing battles due to miscalculations.

Another major issue is the complete lack of pilot progression—which is really disappointing. Your pilots never grow, develop skills, or specialize over time, making them feel interchangeable instead of valuable assets. A progression system with perks or specialties would add a layer of depth and investment in your squad.

The story is minimal, which isn't necessarily a deal-breaker, but side objectives feel underwhelming. They mostly consist of fetching supplies or destroying towers, without any deeper narrative or meaningful rewards. Expanding these with lore, unique encounters, or rare gear would add much-needed depth.

Another major drawback is the squad size limitation of just four units. It’s disappointing, especially since increasing it requires mods. A built-in option for larger squads would offer more tactical flexibility. Also, the HUD lacks detailed explanations—new players have to dig through discussion threads or rely on community guides just to understand all the mechanics. A better in-game tutorial or tooltip system would be a huge quality-of-life improvement.

Final Verdict
With all that being said, the game delivers an exciting and visually impressive combat experience but is held back by weak progression systems, lack of pilot development, and limited squad size. While the core gameplay is fun, it could benefit from additional polish and refinement. For those who enjoy tactical battles and don’t mind its shortcomings, it’s still worth playing—but best picked up during a sale.
I will continue playing and remain hopeful that the game improves over time. If the developers continue to support and refine it, addressing some of these issues, I will gladly revisit and update my review to reflect the improvements.

quite fun though the game play can get a little reppetitive

i do like this but i dont love it
turnbased is a bit past me by now, mostly bc i hate to wait for enemy turns.
this game doesnt have enemy turns. its your go all the time
that is nice.
but the upgrade and part system is weird, the guns and their function are a bit mysterious to me still even after playing it all the way through.
theres one gun (i think its a railgun?) that just beats everything else. just use 4 railguns youre set.
that said, the beginning is very difficult. and losing pilots and mechs feels bad.
im not keen on feeling the loss.

Been awhile since I played. This game is just disappointing. Bland characters, bland story, and bland world. Combat is cool. Time-predicting mechanic is cool. Strategy lite elements that they do have are cool. But if you only have the basic elements of a game and don’t put more content into it then it’s just boring. I’d have more fun with a bad game than a mediocre one. It’s so boring I completely forgot it existed until 2 years later.

P.S.
Forgot to mention, the trailers basically showed you the entire game. There’s nothing else more to it. Buy on a 50% deal or equivalent only.

This game is resoundingly fine. I think it's a really interesting mechanic, playing with time and seeing enemy moves early so you can answer them yourself, but the gameplay loop does not change.
Ever.
Enemies are pretty samey and some mechanics are hard to get the hang of but it can be extremely rewarding to perfectly handle a fight, feels great. Enemies are always your level so you need to pay attention, but there are clear balancing issues. If you run all missiles you win and melee is just insane if you get a mech built well for it. The game is cool and I've enjoyed my time but I haven't played it for a year. I feel like I'm playing the same mission over and over with slightly different flavors.
If you are three hours into this game and still wondering if it's worth it, it's not.

its fun

fire game do recomend

Its such a travesty that this game's review score is sitting at "mixed". This, along with AC6, are hands down my favorite mech-type games on the market. No other mech game has combat quite like this, it is just so good. My only knock on the game is the pretty bland campaign and lack of pilot progression, which the devs are actively working on. Other than that, you deserve to at least give this game a chance.

Returning to Phantom Brigade after a long hiatus has been quite the experience, and it's incredible how the game's unique blend of tactical mech combat and RPG elements continues to stand out. The core mechanics, particularly the four-second planning system and the turn-based strategy, create an endlessly compelling gameplay loop that keeps me coming back for more.

While the story might not be its strongest suit and hasn't managed to capture my attention, the tactical gameplay loop and mech customisation more than make up for it. The weapon variety is a definite highlight, constantly unlocking new weapons and adapting tactics based on the diverse map types, ensuring the gameplay remains fresh and engaging. Sniper rifles may be a personal favourite, but the need to switch to explosives and other tactics for certain missions adds a layer of strategy that keeps things interesting.

The base-building aspect, while functional, could benefit from more depth and variety. The focus on movement upgrades is practical, but I find myself wishing for more meaningful perks or customisation options for individual pilots and mechs. The pilots, in particular, feel a bit lifeless without any backstory or progression, and a bit more customisation beyond just colours would add some welcome depth.

Despite these minor gripes, the game truly excels in its core gameplay and the deeply satisfying destruction you can unleash on the battlefield. If you're a fan of mech combat with an emphasis on tactical gameplay, Phantom Brigade is definitely worth your time.

One of the kind tactical gameplay.
But any strategy progression is actually pointless. Everything is auto leveled to player squad, so there is no possibility of getting ahead the enemy in any capacity. You progress only to catch to enemy in power, not to overpower them.
Needs rework. Or atleast mod disabling autolevel mechanics.

If you have a thirst for Mech action this is it, and not the big Gundam mechs but the fast mobile ones like in Robotech and Blue Gender. Get your hands on a saber sword and your going to town like a Mechanized NInja and with the newly integrated boss fights it adds a little more variety. I would like the devs to focus more on the pilots, and they have but I would like them to be able to get out of the mechs or after they have ejected be able to move around the map and fight, get picked up by a fellow mech copilot or steal an enemy concussed mech. I know, I'm asking for too much in this game but a little pilot on foot action just a little would suffice or even a mission to go in a building and still plans....Anway we'll see. I appreciate the devs thirst for mech action much like the rest of us. Damn... I miss Titanfall but this does us some justice in the Mech Game arena, thanks!

Really enjoyed the core gameplay, but I'd love to see more content and the ability to watch the whole fight over in real-time at the end of a mission.

My guy died.

Amazing mech game, underdog setting and stealing everything that isn't nailed down. What more do you need?

Would love to see this game get continued support and more love in the future, wouldn't say no to a proper expansion even.

If you like mech combat, this will scratch that itch. If I were to describe the gameplay, I would say it's a mix of Battletech, XCOM, and Heavy Gear. Actual combat is fun, and runs smooth. There's a large variety of gear to mix and match.

However I do have some minor nit-picking to do. As large as the campaign map is, combat maps are limited in number. The actual pilot you put in a mech doesn't matter, the pilots themselves don't level up. Mission type variety is also a bit limited. One mechanic that isn't explained at all is how collisions work, but once you figure it out, it's fun to bulldoze enemy mechs.

Overall, I'd say it's worth your time if you're a stompy robot fan.