Plan, Breach, and Adapt
Are you ready to kick down doors and save lives? Phantom Squad is a top-down strategy shooter, having some heavy inspirations from games like Hotline Miami. It isn’t as brutal with failure as previous games, but it is fast-paced, and quick decision-making is needed as you storm through each room with your teammates.
There currently isn’t a main story plot from what we have seen. Primarily you are a SWAT team that is given different missions, all with a short briefing, that have objectives you must complete that are mainly saving hostages and neutralizing terrorists by tazing them or a quick brain anemia with a bullet. You can attempt to complete various challenges in the game. These include not killing specific enemies or not destroying certain items on the map.
Who Said Killing Can’t Be Fun?
What really makes this game fun are the gadgets. We all love our toys, and counterterrorism operatives are no exception. Each person can carry up to two, and it is recommended that you do that since they all have their pros and cons. For example, the drone is great to point out where enemies are from a distance since it is movable, but you can also tip off the terrorists that someone is nearby, causing them to panic. Or you can carry around extra health, a camera to slip under the door, or flash grenades.
As I have stated above, the game is fast-paced. Once you engage with an enemy, the fight will be over in a few seconds. The maps, from what we have seen in the demo, are laid out well to make things challenging, where some gadgets work better than others. You can also mark points on your map to help teammates plan sieges properly. The NPC terrorists will also react based on sounds and are even strategic, either killing the civilians or hiding in certain spots.
The Future of Phantom Squad
The demo itself is already getting a strong reception from the community so far. They will be adding more levels along with more gadgets and equipment to unlock. The game is set to be released sometime this year, and you can check the demo out on Steam right now.
