Phantom Doctrine

Phantom Doctrine from CreativeForge uses the collective Cold War imagery to build one of the absolute benchmarks for modern turn based tactical games, excellent in almost every aspect.

If you are a fan of the newer Xcom series, I highly recommend this game. If you are a fan of Cold War spy thrillers, I highly recommend this game. The mystery of the conspiracy is fantastic and makes me want to uncover everything. The gameplay is brutal, but fair and unlike Xcom you won't miss a with a shotgun at point blank range and a 99% change to hit. This game fulfilled many niches and I hope others will agree.

Overall I had a lot of fun with Phantom Doctrine… I’ve been a big fan of the X-Com games since enemy unknown and I thoroughly enjoyed Silent Storm. The Cold War, espionage theme of Phantom Doctrine helps to make it stand out a bit and is a great story line. If you like turn based strategy games I would highly recommend Phantom Doctrine… now excuse me I just have to jet to a (redacted) in (redacted) and talk to my handler.

Taut, thrilling, and full of twisty new takes on a classic gaming formula, Phantom Doctrine is our new strategic addiction.

Phantom Doctrine takes the familiar framework of isometric turn-based strategy and confidently repurposes it into a unique and satisfying experience. It wholly embodies the paranoia and tension of the 1980's Cold War setting in every aspect of its numerous gameplay systems, and completely immerses you in that all-encompassing state of mind.

Despite some repetitive missions and cutscenes, there's a massive and complex plot waiting to be discovered in Phantom Doctrine. Although it might not feel that way at first, the game offers a mix of tactical and strategic decisions way more complex than any of the XCOM games. I also think the game perfectly catches the Cold War atmosphere of the early 80s, and delivers it in the form of a tactical stealth turn-based formula. Phantom Doctrine tackles a sensible but fascinating subject, the Cold War, and does a damn good job at it.

A gripping spy thriller, successfully replicating the XCOM campaign structure in a le Carre-like world. [Oct 2018, p.66]

I especially like the great focus on secret infiltration.

A suspenseful stealth/action strategy game with a strong Cold War vibe and quite a few original ideas. Not all of them land as well as they should have, but Phantom Doctrine is still a deep and engaging experience for fans of the ‘XCOM’ genre.

Phantom Doctrine is an addictive mix of improved combat mechanics from Hard West and XCOM’s strategic layer (but you also manage particular soldiers, not just your base). I recommend it if you revel in silent executions and infiltrating enemy facilities without leaving any traces, especially if you enjoyed Invisible, Inc. and don’t mind a game being somewhat rough around the edges. [10/2018, p.48]

You’re free to grow your operation, tinker with drug combinations to engineer supersoldiers, get the right mix of equipment and training, and fully deck out your MKUltra brainwashing facility. We aren’t fans of how often “addictive” is used as a synonym for fun, but thanks to its loop of world map organisation and tactical missions, Phantom Doctrine is both.

Quotation forthcoming.

Phantom Doctrine is an efficient tactical game, with a suffocating scenario which tighly ensnares the characters… and the player. Its graphics are dusty but the variety of its gameplay plays like a charm.

Although the first look of Phantom Doctrine reminded me XCOM, I still think it has some different advantages. At least, if you are a fan of spy movies, I am sure you will enjoy this game. Right now it has many flaws indeed, but developers are listening to community's opinions, and working hard to repair.

It is an interesting alternative to XCOM, which might be even more appealing for some players. It still has some rough edges, but it is a very solid debut.

The campaign itself can feel drawn out at times thanks to a less-than-stellar story and some obviously recycled content, but there’s a real thrill in executing covert missions and putting all the pieces together like a master spy.

It's a little bit weird, sometimes disbalanced, boring at times and clearly lacking a better budget, but now, after a handful of patches, you can safely pick it up during a sale.

Two parts XCOM and one part Invisible, Inc., Phantom Doctrine is a fun take on the turn-based tactical genre that struggles with silly pathfinding and an uncertain storyline.

Phantom Doctrine may not quite fully follow through on its early promise, but the game is still a lot of fun and will readily supply lots of hours of enjoyment. The difficulty options are such that newcomers looking to get into the style of game should find themselves welcome and given a bit of license to experiment without being punished too harshly, while those with experience will be able to find a challenge. Anyone with even just a passing interest in either an espionage-focused or XCOM-style RPG will find Phantom Doctrine well worth checking out.

CreativeForge tries to present a larger and more complete turn-based experience, compared with Hard West, but some hiccups show up along the road. The welcome addition of stealth is marred by… immersion issues, as well as feeling over-powered after half-point of the campaign, whereas the lack of any feeling of urgency on the overworld map makes this part of the game feeling somewhat like an afterthought. Nonetheless, it has enough competent elements in its action as well as the presentation of its spy theme which will probably hook fans of the genre for hours.

Phantom Doctrine is a game that can pull you in so hard that you won't notice where the night has gone. It generates lots of fun thanks to cool ideas and good implementations but it can also be frustrating at the same time. If not for the cheating AI we would be taking about a truly wonderful game.

You might well find the evocative, smoke-damaged backdrop of ‘80s espionage fresh enough to carry you through a satisfying playthrough. But even with the plates changed and the serial number filed off, there’s no mistaking XCOM 2.

Atmospheric and thematically very dense strategy game about agents, with some weaknesses and annoying mechanics spoiling the fun.

I loved the idea of this game and enjoyed a few missions here and there, telling my agents where to go and having them exercise their particular skills in saving a prisoner to the backdrop of Cold War espionage chatter and tensions. Yet the gameplay and plot never lived up to its potential, and my expectations slowly lowered themselves into a shallow grave as the gameplay, initially full of potential, let me down through repetitive gameplay and a cliché plot.

Phantom Doctrine is in short a project partly derailed on the tracks of confusion and that it would have deserved more attention in defining the mechanics that characterize it.

A promising setting and clever systems are let down by simple enemies, simpler characters, and strange balancing.

I can see that there is a game to be enjoyed in Phantom Doctrine. I really want to enjoy it, I can’t though until the issue with combat is fixed. So far the best solution has been what Mario + Rabbids has done with its cover system, but even that isn’t a perfect response to a clear problem with turn based strategy games. There’s some unique aspects that I hope are observed by other developers but there are better strategy titles out there like Invisible Inc. that do the core basics better.

The game is full of good ideas but the action/combat part is painful, because of an too powerful AI. In short, the game is no bad but the "action part" is not as good as it should be to feel like a real pleasure. It's a shame for a game with brilliant ideas.

Phantom Doctrine is a disappointment. However, it has bundles of ambition, a lot of smart ideas and a clear and real love for the spy genre it hamfistedly mimics. I’ve no doubt it will find a cult following, but for people expecting a turn-based tactics game along the lines of titans like XCOM 2 and Jagged Alliance 2, this isn’t it...But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop playing it. It’s deeply flawed – but like a proud and misguided parent, I keep wanting the best for the game and can’t leave it alone.

There’s a lot of great game here, with some fantastic ideas, but a lot of major problems are stifling the fun. If those issues are fixed, then Phantom Doctrine might be worthwhile. If you see a patch with the note “combat isn’t broken anymore”, then you may pick it up. Until then, hold off.

Phantom Doctrine has a lot of competition in the broader turn-based strategy genre and its unique Cold War-era setting isn’t quite enough to really set it apart when all the cards are down. While the setting is great and fresh, the generally lackluster gameplay and mismatch of mechanics hold it back from feeling as clean as it should. Its best moments seem to happen almost completely at random or by accident instead of by design.