Welcome to our review of Prinny Presents NIS Classics Vol. 1: Phantom Brave & Soul Nomad, a mouthful to say 2 classics from the retro era are getting Nintendo Switch ports!
This is the first installment of a quintessential strategy-RPG-lover’s collection, which boasts 2 games in 1! With over 60 hours of gameplay between both games, and an exclusive physical Deluxe Edition that includes a CD soundtrack and art book (with music and art from both titles), returning fans can relive time-honored favorites, while new fans can relish the joy of the first playthrough!
[SOUL NOMAD & THE WORLD EATERS] Gig and the gang are back to spread destruction! Utilize customizable “Rooms” to assemble and experiment with different team builds with over 25 different unit types such as Knight, Archer, Nerneid, and Griphos Knight. Make impactful choices that change the outcome of the story, scout out battle conditions prior to combat, and even kidnap or do battle with the townsfolk! [PHANTOM BRAVE: THE HERMUDA TRIANGLE REMASTERED] Follow the touching story of Marona and Ash as they complete jobs around the islands of Ivoire. Use the “Confine” feature to bind phantom units to physical objects on an isometric grid-free map, allowing you to call them to battle and alter their stats. With over 50 Phantom types to unlock such as Witches, Owl Knights, and Prinnies(!), along with all content from previous releases, this is the definitive version of Phantom Brave!
Phantom Brave and Soul Nomad are both tactical RPGs from the mid-2000s and were known for being great tactical RPGs with that classic Nippon Ichi Software flair that they invented and honed throughout the years. As we are now nearing 20 years down the line, this still stands true as they are more or less the masters of the genre, the endless stream of Disgaea games is the proof of this.
Now how did they survive the test of time for real?
Sadly, the graphics kind of do in this game collection. I wish they’d have been more refreshed rather than just remade for quick release. Game mechanics are what they are. They clearly show the age and while Phantom Brave was not the brightest of games back in the days, I must say this one aged better than Soul Nomad. But that may just be my personal preference. Despite preferring the checkerboard layout tactical fighting of Soul Nomad compared to the “steps you can take” in Phantom Brave.
Really a lot can be said or discussed these differences, but I honestly think they should have been redone properly. The majority of this bundle’s experience was just sadly disappointing. I included videos of the first 30 minutes worth of gameplay in this review, just to show something. They are all and only tutorials. They were boring and I do promise that once you get into it, it does pick up, but the entry-level into these games might really be reserved for the die-hard fans of the genre only…
In conclusion, personally, this was more a disappointment rather than something else. While decent in story, the age showed a little too much, and really, do not play these refurbished games on a 4K TV, they should be played in handheld.
