Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Overdrive Review (Switch)

Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds is a game I’ve played on both Vita and PS4, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed its retro beat-em-up gameplay. Now it’s available on Switch, complete with all DLC, which marks the first time I’ve played as Steins;Gate‘s Kurisu Makise.

 

With four original characters from the fighting game series Phantom Breaker and two guest characters to pick from, you’ll soon find yourself thrown into a battle to regain your lost power and to defeat a staggering threat. There isn’t much of a story to sink your teeth into, with what little is there urging you forward to defeat waves of enemies, but that goes for a whole bunch of beloved beat-em-ups, doesn’t it? It gives you reason enough to get down and dirty, and by the end you’ll be an all-powerful anime girl with little opposition.

 

phantom breaker battle grounds overdrive review

 

It gives you reason enough to get down and dirty, and by the end you’ll be an all-powerful anime girl with little opposition.

Mash those buttons, alone or with up to three friends, as you make your way through the game’s various levels. A variety of enemies will attempt to stop you, and you can string combos together, but mostly you’ll mindlessly batter your enemies into submission using the same skills. Characters level up so you’ll be able to improve your stats and learn new skills in-between missions, but this game accomplish what other beat-em-ups, and musou games, do — sometimes, it’s just a lot of fun to mash buttons and win!

 

Other than the DLC being included and lack of online play, this version is compatible to the PS4 version. It looks and feels slick, and there’re no notable issues to speak of — rightfully so, considering how many platforms this game has hit since its initial release! It’s a blast to play and one that’s easy to revisit to beat again as another character, and there’s also a versus mode in case you want to battle it it out among friends.

 

phantom breaker battle grounds overdrive review

 

Sometimes, it’s just a lot of fun to mash buttons and win!

Overdrive‘s spritework is colourful and full of life, providing plenty of eye candy as you progress. There’s a lot of colour present and action going on at any given time, so there’s always something to let your eyes wander over. Thankfully, the action is simplistic enough that you can do so without worrying too much about losing your head. The soundtrack is suitably upbeat and ready to rumble, providing you with plenty of jamming tunes to mash to.

 

overdrive review

 

Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Overdrive isn’t going to offer you much in the way of new content if you’ve already played through it, but being able to play it both on the TV and on the go is invaluable for a game like this. It’s repetitive and will give you a thumb ache, but it’s brief and a blast to play. It doesn’t call me back to revisit it like Golden Axe and Streets of Rage have done in the past, but it’s a great little title for Switch – and the other platforms it’s on.

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