Do you yearn for the golden era of the 2D side-scrolling beat 'em ups from the arcade days? Today, publisher 5pb./Mages has announced that Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds will be coming to the PS Vita in the next couple of days.
Battle Grounds is a spin off from the original Phantom Break franchise, featuring 2D side-scrolling combat action with a Japanese anime art style. This is a modern game and with it comes modern conventions, such as implementing RPG elements to give the game what appears to be a faster paced, 2D version of the twitchy, combo driven Tales of franchise. Four modes will be included in the game: Arcade will bring you the classic, high octane combat of the 8 bit era; Co-op will find you playing through the game with friends; Battleground will pit you against your friends to find the best warrior; and Story will spin you the tale of the battle to stop the nefarious Phantom.
The Phantom is a man who seeks to unlock his dark powers and unleash them upon the world. By gifting special weapons known as the "Fu-mantion Artifacts" (or F.A.) to young, gifted warriors, he begins to tear the space-time continuum apart. Each time one of these Artifacts is used, the integrity of the continuum is harmed. As the continuum weakens, a rift is created between this world and another, which will unseal his powers. A band of heroes led by Waka, a girl from a clan dedicated to stopping the Phantom, seeks to right his wrongs and rescue Waka's sister, Nagi.
The games Key Features include:
- Combine the best 8-bit retro aesthetics with modern 3D technology.
- 4 different modes of play: Story, Arcade, Co-op and Battleground.
- Fight as Itsuki, Yuzuha, Waka, and Mikoto from Phantom Breaker, each with their own signature moves and attacks.
- Play as Makise Kurisu from popular anime and game series Steins;Gate, available as DLC.
- Team up with up to 3 of your friends in Co-Op Mode or see who’s the greatest warrior in Battleground Mode.
- Earn experience as you battle through the enemy horde to unlock devastating new skills and build up your attack strength, defense, and speed.
- Battle against ginormous, screen-filling enemies!
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds is set for release on the PSN starting this July 29th for $12 in the Americas and €10 in Europe. You'll be able to pick up the game for your Vita along with a DLC pack ($6/€5) that allows you to play as Makise Kurisu of Steins;Gate fame.
We've got the full list of Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds (Vita) trophies - check the list for guides to unlocking them.