Phantom Trigger (Nintendo Switch) Review
A version of this review was originally posted at TheBTeamPodcast.com. Phantom Trigger was also reviewed by a panel of The B-Team on episode 430 of the podcast.
Like Mr. Shifty earlier this year, TinyBuild has again brought a fun indie title to Steam and the Nintendo Switch. Phantom Trigger is described as merging mechanics from brawlers, RPGs, and rogue-like genres, with bright neon graphics and a sharp original soundtrack. The visual style primarily relies on three neon colors: red, green, and blue, though each of the five worlds uses those colors differently to create a unique vibe in each. This plays into the gameplay indicating specific weapon requirements for puzzles, attacking enemies, or activating parts of the environment.
Combat — In Phantom Trigger, you play as Stan, a middle-class normal guy, who is thrown into a neon world where he must fight demons and other monsters. Phantom Trigger’s gameplay involves melee combat using one of three (four including the dash) weapons: the whip, the sword, and the fists. Each is color coded and in some instances the colors must be matched to solve environmental puzzles or attack glowing enemies (which can only be damaged by the color they are glowing with). Each weapon is also leveled up as you use it, which in turn gives you new combos to use. However this is a game that tells you very little. So figuring out how to level up and what the combos creates a bit of a learning curve.
In addition, some of the weapons, particularly the sword and the fists, are too similar. If one does more damage than the other, it was not immediately apparent. Nor was a difference in their attack range clear either. Unless a specific color was shown, it was often unclear whether the player is better off using one attack or the other. The whip on the other hand is quite different. It does almost no damage but is instead very long range and effective at grabbing enemies that are trying to run away (as many of them do).
The dash however was very frustrating in itself. While more of a defensive move than an attack (though you can use it to harm enemies in some cases), I think the problem with the dash is using it does not cancel the current attack you are executing. So when you are wailing on an enemy, and then a different enemy begins to attack you, there is a momentary delay before you can dash out of the way. And because of the style of the game’s combat (i.e. sending large swarms of enemies towards you at once), I frequently died because I could not get out of the way quick enough. Had pushing the dash button canceled my current attack, I would have been able to navigate to safety before getting hit. There were even a few times when I thought my controller was not responding properly because of how long it took before I could dash away. I went so far as to try playing with Joy-Cons attached directly to the Switch (Handheld mode) as I have experienced lag playing Mario Kart 8 when they were detached. I also reset the game, and then later did a full reboot of the console, attempting to remedy the issue. Ultimately, I think it was just a design choice to require an attack be finished before allowing you to dash out of the way. But it is not a mechanic I cared for.
All this might not matter, but for the fact that this game is tough. Not only does the game default to hard difficulty (you can toggle it down to normal at any time from the pause menu), but even playing on normal I often had difficulty progressing through some levels. It was not just the huge volume of enemies you would face at once, but that each type of enemy requires you to attack it in a very specific way. Thus appropriately approaching each enemy, while dodging and attacking other enemies, quickly became quite challenging. It was never as simple as mash the attack button and run towards enemies. This in itself though, does contribute to superior gameplay as Phantom Trigger, never feels like mindless button mashing. Not only may a cutscene trigger when you least expect one, but the combat keeps you on your toes.
Puzzles — Periodically throughout the worlds, you encounter small puzzles requiring use of your different weapons. For example, to open a door, you might have to hit a button with your weapons in a particular order (e.g. whip, whip, fists, sword, sword, fists, and so on). Another frequent puzzle involved standing on a switch while pillars around you would flash colors. You would have to remember the order and color of each column, and then attack each with the respective weapon. I thought the system worked well and added something to what could have otherwise just been a brawler.
In fact, I would have liked to have seen more puzzle type elements (and other things that took advantage of having three different weapon types). At one point late in the game you have to follow a mine cart on a set of tracks. At every junction, you must re-whip the cart to advance it further. While I really liked this section as Phantom Trigger became less about combat and more about balancing fighting enemies with keeping track of the cart, it did not seem fully fleshed out. It was not that you were escorting the cart and that if the cart took too much damage you would have to start over. You could activate the cart’s movement and follow it at your leisure. And if you got too far behind (the concern being you may lose the cart in the maze of tunnels), an icon would appear on your screen indicating which direction the cart was waiting in relation to you. Alternatively, you could dash your way after the cart, avoiding most of the enemies and combat altogether. This environment and mechanic was one of my favorite parts of the game, but I wish other mechanics like it had been used more beyond this one level.
There were also sections of the game where you would be locked into a screen until you cleared all the enemies there. While in some stages, clearing these rooms seemed like a requirement for progressing, in others they just seemed like places to avoid. Why needlessly engage in more combat and risk dying when you could progress through the level without it? Again, I think it comes down to the fact that combat takes priority over puzzle-solving as a gameplay mechanic. Hence why there may be sections of levels that exist solely for you to fight enemies.
Summary — While playing through Phantom Trigger, I had quite a few mixed feelings. There were parts of the game I really enjoyed, but in others I would get stuck (a combination of enemy difficulty and being unsure where I needed to go next) for large amounts of time. Overall though, Phantom Trigger mostly achieves what it sets out to and provides a nice indie, pick-up and play experience for between tackling those AAA Switch titles. The beautiful visuals and music polish and round out the experience.
This review is based on the Nintendo Switch version of the title. A review copy was provided by the publisher. It was completed by the reviewer in between fifteen and twenty hours. The game contains a branching story with four possible endings. Phantom Trigger is available digitally for an initial price of $14.99 on Steam and the Nintendo Switch eShop.
