Platforms
- PCAug 14, 20187.3playscore7.116 Critics7.62.53K Players
- PlayStation 4Aug 14, 20187.7playscore7.511 Critics8.4501 Players
- Xbox OneAug 24, 2018NAplayscoreNA0 Critics7.252 Players
- Nintendo SwitchJun 6, 2019NAplayscoreNA0 CriticsNA0 Players
31 critic reviews · 0 community reviews across all platforms
Critic Reviews
- Whether it’s because I can play it untethered from the television or how it eschews the alien threat for a relatively more grounded espionage take on the genre, I found the break-up between on-the-ground missions and reconnaissance activities fresh if uneven, and the removal of dice rolls for hit rate removes obfuscation that for me made combat a much more rewarding endeavor. If you’re someone like me who liked Mario + Rabbids but wished there was more depth or don’t particularly love sci-fi themes, Phantom Doctrine is a worthy alternative.
Joel A. DeWitte · Aug 06, 2019 Reviewed on SwitchRead full review - The reason it took so long to complete this review was because I simply couldn’t motivate myself to play the game. I love tactics games, but even though the entire genre requires players to take their time and calculate their moves, Phantom Doctrine was simply too slow. While early patches fixed some of my initial issues with bugs, Phantom Doctrine simply misses the mark on what makes this genre otherwise so engrossing.
Jason Palazini · Sep 24, 2018 Reviewed on PCRead full review - 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.
Anthony Mann · Sep 05, 2018 Reviewed on PCRead full review - 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.
Lillian King · Aug 17, 2018 Reviewed on PCRead full review - In some ways, Phantom Doctrine is what you make of it. The sheer depth and lack of guidance allow you to focus on the systems you enjoy while ignoring other systems completely, sometimes to your own detriment. Despite feeling burned by the ploy for an extended replay, I thoroughly enjoyed CreativeForge’s stealthy and methodical take on espionage.
Jeff Marchiafava · Aug 17, 2018 Reviewed on PS4 - It sucks that so many of Phantom Doctrine's good ideas are underdeveloped. Completing missions undetected made me feel clever, but melee takedowns are a skeleton key for combat. The random events that target your agents present fun choices but are ultimately fleeting. Interrogating and mind-controlling enemies seems dark and interesting, but mostly amounts to buttons and icons on menus.
Evan Lahti · Aug 14, 2018 Reviewed on PCRead full review - It’s perfect for people who like their spy stories grounded in reality, but also appreciate the subtle approach to world dominating super criminals introduced by modern Bond films like Spectre. CreativeForge succeeds at taking lessons from its previous game, Hard West, and updating the formula. Even if that formula is ultimately a less elegant, less original version of the most popular game in the genre.
Jarrett Green · Aug 14, 2018 Reviewed on PS4Read full review - A Cold War XCOM clone with enemy spies instead of aliens, Phantom Doctrine is a largely enjoyable strategy title. The awareness system means you have more control over the flow of combat, and the setting is well presented, rife with atmosphere and charm. However, the punishing difficulty and steep learning curve do take the edge off things every now and then.
Ken Talbot · Aug 14, 2018 Reviewed on PS4Read full review - Phantom Doctrine is the closest we ever got so far to a true spy simulator. With both tactical and strategic missions, deep and complex mechanics, and investigation features, playing the game will make players truly feel in control of a secret organization out to save the world from the mostly deadly world conspiracy ever. The game gets a bit too complex at times, however, so it is definitely not a game for everyone.
Francesco De Meo · Aug 14, 2018 Reviewed on PS4Read full review - Phantom Doctrine is a technically polished and almost exemplary title. It showcases a dominant display of talent for an irresistibly compelling and overarching narrative supported by highly complex and dynamic gameplay. It runs the risk of becoming too caught up in its own brilliance and losing a wider audience. I don’t think that would diminish its value in the least. This is the ultimate espionage simulator, and it reaches a high spot in my personal top ten turn-based tactical games.
Richard Costa · Aug 14, 2018 Reviewed on PCRead full review
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About the game
Trailers & Screenshots:
Set in 1983 during the Cold War, Phantom Doctrine is an alternate history thriller in which players lead The Cabal, a secret organization dedicated to fighting a global conspiracy committed to controlling the world by pitting world leaders and nations against one another.
Developer: CreativeForge Games