Phantom Breaker

Overview

Phantom Breaker is a 2D contemporary-fantasy fighting game developed by 5pb. (in conjunction with Delta Factory and R.U.N) and published by 5pb. for the Xbox 360 exclusively in Japan on June 2, 2011.

A fighting game from the studio behind the Kagaku Adventure series of sci-fi visual novels, Phantom Breaker features anime-inspired hand-drawn sprites in front of 3D backgrounds. It is one of the earliest high-definition fighting games with hand-drawn sprites and is similar to other indie 2D fighting games of the time, including a mostly all-female roster. It also has two characters from Kagaku Adventure series as guest characters.

The game features a simplistic command system for both special and super moves (with a dedicated Special Attack button and minimal joystick movement) and multiple gameplay "styles" that players can choose from after selecting their character, similar to the "ability type" system of the Last Blade series.

It is set in modern-day Japanese city of Tokyo, as a mysterious organization known only as "Phantom" has organized a martial arts tournament (the "Phantom Duel") where the winner will have one wish granted to them.

The game later received an arcade port (running on PC-based Sega RingEdge 2 hardware) by Delta Factory exclusively in Japan on April 4, 2013 (as Phantom Breaker: Another Code). It also received an updated sequel (Phantom Breaker: Extra) as well as a super-deformed beat-'em-up spin-off (Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds).

Gameplay

Upon selecting their character, the player is give the choice to use a "Quick" style or a "Hard" style. As the names might suggest, the Quick style is for players who like playing fast and aggressive with flashy combos, while the Hard style is for players who prefer to play defensively and strike when the time is right for more damage.

The game also contains "Tension Gauges," which can be used to increase the character's overall speed and power or sacrificed to perform a super move.

Characters

There are a total of 14 playable characters included in Phantom Breaker, including two hidden unlockable characters (two of which are guest characters from similar franchises).

• Mikoto Nishina - A violinist who fights with a large sword named "Maestro."

• Mei Orisaka - A teenaged pop idol who wields a magical-girl wand called "Candy."

• Yuzuha Fujibayashi - A kunoichi from the Edo period (around 1600-1800) who somehow ended up in the present as a highschool girl. She wields a pair of short blades called the "Shoukaku" and "Zuikaku."

• Waka Kumon - The next in line of a family of Japanese exorcists. She fights with a naginata called "Kahoutou."

• Ren Tatewaki - A boy who wants to win Phantom's contest in order to cure his little sister's supposedly incurable disease. A brawler who carries a gauntlet named "Koutarou."

• M - A girl with amnesia who simply fights because she likes the thrill of battle. She uses a jury-rigged mace called "Humongous" that is literally a bunch of concrete and scrap metal slapped together in one big chunk.

• Itsuki Koumo - A naive magical girl in a french maid outfit with a large, magical-girl mallet called "Maggie."

• Ria Toujou - Upon hearing that one of the contestants killed her mother, Ria decides to enter herself in the tournament to take revenge on the murderer. She fights with a pair of blades collectively called "Aldina."

• Tokiya Kanzaki - The CEO of a pharmaceutical company who fights to gain the wish of seeing his parents again after they were killed 15 years ago. Uses a longsword called "Setsuna."

• Cocoa - A young cosplayer bored with the real world. Fights with a giant claw called "Kusenia's Claw."

• Infinity (final boss, unlockable) - "Phantom's" bodyguard who uses telekinesis in battle. In the Arcade version, he was unlocked in a later update.

• Fin (hidden character, unlockable) - A 9-year-old time-traveler from the future. Fights using a droid named "Mauchuu" and laser guns called "JJ Apple." In the Arcade version, she was unlocked from the start.

• Rimi Sakihata (hidden character, unlockable) - Guest character from ChäoS;HEAd. An esper with the ability to conjure anything she imagines into reality. Does not appear to wield any weapon in particular. Does not appear in the Arcade version.

• Kurisu Makise (hidden character, unlockable) - Guest character from Steins;Gate. A young genius girl who graduated early from MIT and has been working with a close group of friends on a device that can enable time travel. She fights with some of her own inventions in Phantom Breaker. Does not appear in the Arcade version.