Game News Phantom Brigade is a turn-based tactical mech combat RPG from ex-Kerbal Space Program developers

[Infinitron]

Tags: Brace Yourself Games; Phantom Brigade

Phantom Brigade - not to be confused with the recently released Phantom Doctrine and Strange Brigade - is an upcoming turn-based tactical mech combat RPG. The game's developers include two prominent ex-Kerbal Space Program developers, who joined with others to form the Seattle-based Tetragon Works and have been working on the game since early 2016. More recently, Tetragon merged with Vancouver-based indie studio Brace Yourself Games (developers of an upcoming city builder/strategy game called Industries of Titan which is also worth checking out) but all the same developers still appear to be onboard. According to its Steam page, Phantom Brigade aims to put a "cinematic spin on the turn-based genre", and the teaser trailer they've put together for PAX West is certainly cinematic. I'll post it here, but you should definitely check out the old development update videos by creative lead Chad "C7" Jenkins as well.

Phantom Brigade is a turn-based tactical RPG, focusing on in-depth customization and player driven stories. As the last surviving squad of mech pilots, you must capture enemy equipment and facilities to level the playing field. Outnumbered and out-gunned, lead The Brigade through a desperate campaign to retake their war-torn homeland.

• Cinematic spin on the turn-based genre • Predict enemy movements, orchestrate precisely timed countermeasures and watch the action unfold.
  
• Strategy • Make high-level tactical decisions on the world map, manage your base, and decide how to apply your limited resources.
  
• Tactical combat • Take command of your squad in varied missions ranging from sabotage of enemy equipment and infiltration of high tech facilities to convoy ambushes and challenging outpost onslaughts.
  
• Customization • Featuring a rich customization system, the game enables you to fine-tune performance of your mechs, install a wide selection of equipment and access a wealth of cosmetic options. Make your ready to face any challenge - in style.
  
• Destructible environments • It's not a proper game about walking tanks without some falling buildings. The game allows every square meter of every scene to be destroyed. Blow up any cover and collapse buildings over your enemies.

So what makes this game different from BattleTech, you ask? Well, it's got action points, for one. Its mechs are smaller, the size of a small house rather than a large building. It seems more dynamic and complex. Perhaps it's enough to say that unlike BattleTech, it proudly calls itself an RPG. There's no release date yet, but we'll be keeping an eye on this.

 

[Kem0sabe]

Looks a lot more interesting than that shit HBS pulled off. Still, zero gameplay so far.

 

[Infinitron]

Still, zero gameplay so far.

As I was saying:

 

[Glaucon]

Anime has had a terrible effect on American popular culture.

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

Still, zero gameplay so far.

As I was saying:

That city destruction

 

[CRD]

looks better than battletech, but we need more gameplay before judging it.

 

[Grampy_Bone]

CooooOOOOOooooool

Moar mecha is only a good thing

 

[Van-d-all]

Phantom Brigade - not to be confused with the recently released Phantom Doctrine and Strange Brigade

Yeah, it actually looks promising unlike the other two.

 

[Hellraiser]

I trust both Chad (C7) and Artyom (Bac9) can deliver after their work on KSP and related mods (prior to becoming KSP devs).

Also it looks nice.

 

[Kem0sabe]

Looks like Front mission, which is good.

 

[Rahdulan]

Really need something to fill that void Front Mission left.

 

[DeepOcean]

Really much better than Battle tech, it actually appear as something put together by a technically competent team with detailed environmental destruction even, I just didn't like how they are making animu style mechs. Why not integrate guns on the hull of a mech instead of this faggotry of giant portable SMGs? I like the feel of metal behemoths that Battle tech provides.

I don't see the point of mechs shooting guns with the same agility of a human and even assuming cool poses to shoot. It makes you feel you are controlling a bunch of oversized humans instead of a giant war machine of death, kinda disappointing. I will probably still play it but I don't have the feeling of controlling massive overpowered robots after watching those videos, they should move more like robots.

 

[lightbane]

just didn't like how they are making animu style mechs. Why not integrate guns on the hull of a mech instead of this faggotry of giant portable SMGs?

Mods will fix it (TM).

...

Then someone will (try to) add Gundams and Zoids.

Robotic dinosaurs with realistic bodypart damage sounds cool though.

Also, shotguns seem to be OP, just like all Front Mission games, especially the 3rd one.

 

[holla_cabezas_de_mierda]

its weird how it seems like there are tons of variations and colors to build the robots, but somehow they all look the fucking same in this game. Whats going on? I hate the way the robots look.

 

[lightbane]

To be fair the mechs looked even worse in the first alpha videos, so it's an improvement.

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

Eh, it's a turn-based tactic with decent production value.
I will never allow any of these to bomb without at least doing my part, even if possibly not top of the line in term of depth.

Their eventual success is the only thing that can save us from the two extremes of "real-time action everything" and "Jeff Vogel's level of indie vomit-inducing aesthetic".
So, most likely a future purchase, unless it turns out to be a complete disaster.

 

[MicoSelva]

Pre-alpha gameplay:

 

[Haba]

Clearly an RPG, right guys?

 

[The Wall]

Clearly an RPG, right guys?

Just like Battle Brothers. It is after all in General RPG Discussion subforum, has numbers, devs called it RPG, Steam game tag says RGP and it probably features RPGs usable by mechs and soldiers! What more does it need? Ok, romances are not yet confirmed but that means that they haven't been ruled out either!

Otherwise, sweet looking and promising game. Will keep an eye and its thread on watched threads list. The closer the game is to Battle Brothers with mechs (Mech Brothers?) the better it will be.

Make Mechs for Love, for War and for Codex!

 

[Ezeekiel]

Just combine tacticular cancer with RPGcodex fully, make the RPG subforum the "RPG and Tactics" forum.

The genre was heading that way once upon a time, anyway. Would have been the much needed improvement on RPG combat. Alas... We got RTWP with cooldowns and awesome buttons garbage on the one hand and kids' first JRPG turn-based style with cooldowns and awesome buttons on the other hand instead.