Nippon Ichi Software has announced the release date for Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero, the sequel to the 2004 PSP tactical role-playing game classic. The game is set to launch worldwide on January 30, 2025, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch, with a PC release to follow later. During the Tokyo Game Show, scenario writer Kento Jobana discussed the challenges of revisiting the series after 20 years.
“When I was told by my superiors that this game should become another mainstay for the company, like Disgaea, it came with high expectations,” Jobana said. “Initially, I didn’t want to tackle it. I even asked to use a new set of main characters, which was denied.”
Jobana went back to basics, studying the original game and the accompanying novelization to find unexplored aspects of the story and expand upon them.
He also insisted on using the original voice actors for the returning characters to not betray fans’ expectations. Balancing the introduction of new characters while developing existing ones was another challenge.
Tackling development challenges
Jobana focused on creating a new character named Apricot to grow similarly to Marona’s journey in the original game. He also explored unexplored aspects of Marona and Ash’s relationship and integrated new, named Phantoms with their own personalities to add depth to the story. One notable new character is Henna, a Phantom possessing her sister.
Jobana explained that this story hook exemplifies how human connections and dramas could manifest in the game, tethering Phantoms to the living world through emotions like yearning and unfinished business. Death and the afterlife are recurring themes in NIS’s works, and Jobana attributes this to the diverse team’s unique perspectives on life and death. “Personally, I am drawn to the human relationship with nature and the spiritual realm,” he said.
“This fascination resonates with me, akin to how Tim Burton explores similar themes in his films.”
For returning players, Jobana hopes they find the expanded story and character development rewarding. New players should find a rich, engaging world that stands on its own. “We aimed to create a story that honors the original while being accessible to those new to the series, bridging the old with the new effectively,” he said.
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