Phantom Doctrine

Phantom Doctrine is a strategic turn-based espionage thriller game developed by Polish studio CreativeForge Games and published by Good Shepherd Entertainment in 2018. The game tries to capture the subtle intrigue of classic spy films, while thrusting the player into a mysterious world of covert operations, counterintelligence, conspiracy and paranoia.[1]

Phantom Doctrine
Developer(s)CreativeForge Games
Publisher(s)Good Shepherd Entertainment
Composer(s)Marcin Przybyłowicz
Jan Sanejko
EngineUnreal Engine 4
Platform(s)Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
ReleaseWindows, PlayStation 4
August 14, 2018
Xbox One
August 24, 2018
Nintendo Switch
June 6, 2019
Genre(s)Strategy
Mode(s)Single and multiplayer

Plot

Set in 1983 Phantom Doctrine takes place in an alternative Cold War where brainwashing is a real danger and a global conspiracy controls the world. The player takes on the role of a former CIA, KGB or Mossad agent.[2] While leading a secret organization known only as The Cabal, the player is drawn into a global conspiracy. By carrying out secret missions, investigating classified files, and interrogating enemy agents, a sinister plot is uncovered that will eventually lead into a counter-conspiracy to stop the group known as Beholder Initiative.[1][3]

Gameplay

The game is divided between global strategy management elements utilizing the base and world map screens, intel investigation, and tactical missions. There is also Extended Playthrough mode (unlockable after beating the game) where the player will learn more about what happened behind the scenes.[3]

Hideout

Here the player manages resources, can build new or upgrade existing facilities, hire new agents or assign hired agents to perform different tasks. Agents can craft various items, forge money, train new proficiencies, heal in the infirmary, or analyze obtained intel.[4]

Danger level is the indicator of how close the Beholder Initiative is to finding the location of the player's hideout, which will eventually end in an enemy raid unless the location is changed. Danger cannot be decreased, only controlled. Various activities can increase its level like abandoning agents in missions, allowing enemy agents to complete their activity, or recruiting double agents.[3]

MK Ultra is one of the most notable unlockable facilities. It provides players with direct control over captured enemy agents by granting them a choice to perform different tasks such as brainwashing, interrogation, etc. Although the game, before this facility is built, provides immediate and cost-free interrogation of captured agents, the MK Ultra option is more rewardable but also cost and time-dependent.

Espionage Network

This is the hub showing the world map. Here the player can send agents to scout suspicious activities, seek enemy agents or carry out missions. It also provides direct control of in-game time progression.

Investigation Board

Here cases, locations, and individuals can be researched to reveal new missions, resources, and technologies. Utilizing a classic pinboard and string approach, players scour the documents for matching codewords while connecting the dots on the corkboard.

Missions

Handled turn-based, missions have two modes: infiltration and combat mode.[1]

Infiltration mode allows the player to sneak into a location, stealthily complete an objective, and extract whilst undetected. Since most missions start in this mode, it also gives the player a chance to search and explore the map, learn enemy patterns and routines, locate enemy agents, and make strategic planning.

Combat mode is usually triggered by the player, since most missions start as infiltration. Various things like unsuppressed fire, dead bodies found by civilians or enemies, etc. will trigger the alarm thus activating the combat mode. At this point, reinforcements start arriving, player agents catch heat, and the enemy openly engages combat.

Combat

Phantom Doctrine takes a new approach on turn-based tactics by almost complete removing die rolls for its combat solutions. Every character has awareness, a mechanic that represents the character's stoicism during a firefight. This resource is both used to perform special abilities and to dodge incoming attacks, and it regenerates every turn by a certain amount.[5]

When attacked, a target undergoes an awareness check that can result in a dodge, that will neglect incoming damage, or a graze, that will mitigate incoming damage (additional factors, such as armor, can mitigate the damage further). Upon this, a certain amount of awareness is spent.

Characters

All agents have four stats (circulatory, sensory, respiratory, motoric) that will determine their hit points, awareness, action points, etc. They also have perks, some of them may be hidden until certain missions and challenges are accomplished, and backgrounds that determine their starting weapon proficiencies and abilities. As agents gain experience they level up, thus gaining new perks that the player can choose freely from a given choice of four. Through training, they gain proficiency in various weapons which will increase their weapon efficiency and allow them to install weapon mods.

Player agents may also accrue heat if their evacuation is compromised, through combat, or if they're seen on Infiltration missions. Heat decreases over time unless it reaches its max, at which point their ID is exposed meaning they will need to forge a new one. Agents with maxed heat will take longer to travel across the world map, and may be ambushed when idle outside the hideout.[3]

Length of game-play

A single-player campaign takes about 40 hours to complete.[6]

Replayability

Through randomly generated characters, algorithmically populated and adapted maps, and randomized intelligence snippets a unique experience is granted with every playthrough.[1]

Reception

GameSpot reviewer praises the feeling of paranoia in the game: "Tension and suspicion are ingrained throughout Phantom Doctrine to great effect. Its isometric turn-based combat system is rewardingly complex, steeped with the feeling of paranoia, where every variable decision and tactic needs to be carefully considered".[6]

The Guardian gave the game two out of five stars, criticizing the game for not teaching the player fundamental aspects of how to play.[4]

References
  1. "Official web".
  2. Clark, Peter (15 June 2018). "'Phantom Doctrine' Will Take Hours to Learn, but Will Probably Be Worth It". Variety. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  3. "Official manual" (PDF).
  4. Holmes, Oliver (15 August 2018). "Phantom Doctrine review – a vexing spy game for masochists". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  5. Ray, Jeremy (3 January 2018). "Phantom Doctrine Tackles Turn-Based Tactics Without Dice Rolls".
  6. "Gamespot Phantom Doctrine review". GameSpot. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  7. "Phantom Doctrine for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  8. "Phantom Doctrine for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  9. "Phantom Doctrine for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  10. "Phantom Doctrine for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
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