Review: Phantom Doctrine (PlayStation 4)
The year is 1983. The world teeters on the verge of destruction as the Cold War tightens its icy grip. East or West: trust no one, question everything. The fate of humanity rests in your hands as you pit spy versus spy in tactical Phantom Doctrine.
Pros:
- Really nice detailed graphics.
- 8.99GB Download size.
- Graphics options- v-sync on/off.
- Platinum trophy.
- Ironman mode.
- Subtitles- All, Foreign or off.
- Two teams- KGB or the CIA.
- Character creator- BName, Team, passport photo, hairstyle, eye/hair/skin colors/build type, clothes, headgear, and tattoos.
- Opening optional tutorial.
- Uses the DS4 speaker for receiving intel. Adds a lot to the atmosphere.
- Can speed up or slow down all character animations.
- In game cutscenes.
- Turn-based strategy game.
- Kind of like a real-life X-Com game.
- Can skip cutscenes.
- Save when you want.
- Camera control.
- Online multiplayer- Server browser, 6 maps, set turn limit, character points or host option.
- Sleeper agents in the game that you can take control of.
- Fog- Hides everything until you reveal it via exploration or using a sleeper.
- Very immersive.
- Strong voice acting.
- Full crafting/modding and upgrades table.
- A grid system for movement.
- AP and FP system. Action points (AP) dictates how many actions you can take in a turn whereas Fire points (FP) dictates how much shooting you can do.
- Actions aplenty with mechanics like spotter- clear fog, Overwatch with multiple types. Breach doors etc.
- Button icons on the screen.
- Really nice locations.
- Awareness meter that works like a luck meter, Instead of like in X-com where it gives a chance to hit number, This will decide how much damage you do instead.
- Can infiltrate, Spy and investigate within levels opening up even more possibilities.
- Strong art direction.
Cons:
- No private online lobby settings.
- A lot to take in.
- Kind of just throws a lot of info at you in one go.
- Constant difficulty spikes.
- Broken animations.
- Few examples of enemies shooting through walls and cover.
- Takes a while to get going more from your confidence level than game pace.
- Easy to lose track of all your moves.
- Very busy looking screen.
- Despite everything the tutorial throws at you, It doesn’t either go into enough details of mechanics or flat out doesn’t explain it.
