Phantom Dust: Revisiting A Cult Classic

How this Microsoft enigma was simply ahead of its time

What if I told you that there was a game that had awesome deck building elements like Magic: The Gathering, but it was marketed as a third-person action game? Well, in the year 2020, nothing is truly a surprise anymore, especially when it comes to the merging of distinct genres in video games.

But back in 2004, Phantom Dust’s unique gameplay, monumental plot, and rich world-building were unlike anything that had been released at the time. And that makes it not only one of the most overlooked games of all-time, but a game that has achieved cult status with many fans. An announced remake trailer debuted at E3 in 2014, but it was canceled by Microsoft for monetary reasons in 2015. Microsoft is still open to a likely sequel, with the involvement of original creator and director Yukio Futatsugi, though that will have to depend entirely on choosing the right studio for the project.

Nonetheless, for a game that is widely loved, filled with fun gameplay spices, and an intriguing story that bordered between weird and sophisticated, Phantom Dust deserves your renewed attention. Or new, if you’ve yet to dive into this truly unique game.

For those of you who had a chance to play the game on the original Xbox, you might already be familiar with the world of Phantom Dust. But if you’re new to the world of shiny pick-up orbs, intense matches, and generally have no idea what Phantom Dust actually is (or you need a little bit of recap), then this quick overview by Kotaku game journalist Chris Person should get you up to speed on answering the question: “What is Phantom Dust?”

Phantom Dust is available right now for free on the Windows Store and available as an Xbox Play Anywhere title for the Xbox One.

Originally released alongside Blinx 2 in 2004 as a Japanese title that catered to a Japanese audience, Phantom Dust only arrived in North America, as well as around the world, in 2005. Many video game websites such as Gamespot and IGN got their hands on it and gave it a pretty good score.

To dive deeper into the unique world of Phantom Dust, we need to go back, back to the year 2004, and meet up with the game’s director, Yukio Futatsugi.

Eurogamer published an excellent interview chronicling the legend and the man that had breathed life into another cult classic, Panzer Dragoon, and how he decided to pursue video game development rather than filmmaking. It is worth a read and I highly recommend that you do so.

Speaking of a good read, Ryan Payton wrote a brilliant piece for Polygon about the downfall of Phantom Dust, about reviving classic games, and the importance of doing so. It is another fascinating read that I highly recommend.

After spending many amazing development years at Sega, Konami and Sony, Futatsugi moved to Microsoft where he pitched his idea of Phantom Dust. At the time, Microsoft was also looking to expand their console reach in Japan with first-party games. If the game proved to be successful, they would then bring them over to Western markets.

The road to a North America release was rocky, to say the least. In its debut month in Japan, Phantom Dust sold a disastrous 6,000 copies. When Microsoft officially licensed the rights to move the game to North America with Majesco Entertainment, it ended up selling over 50,000 copies.

For many, the announcement and the soon-to-be release of the new generation of consoles in 2005, the Xbox 360 and PS3 among them, seemed to signal an early death knell for the game. In short, Phantom Dust was dealt a bad hand for Futatsugi and Microsoft. Nevertheless, Futatsugi had stated in interviews that he was happy with how the game had turned out.

Over the years, Futatsugi co-founded his own development studio, Grounding Inc, and released Crimson Dragon in 2013. In that same year, Futatsugi did an interview with Siliconera and mentioned that Phantom Dust was the favourite of all of his works and that he was open to a follow-up. He says “Microsoft owns the IP, so if Microsoft would say they want to do it, I’m ready to jump on board immediately. I’ve already got ideas for a sequel in mind.”

This was all before Microsoft revealed the Phantom Dust remake trailer at E3 in 2014. Check it out below.

One thing, among all of the above, is certain: there are many, including Futatsugi, Microsoft, and I, that wish for a sequel that successfully takes advantage of the game’s core concepts and riveting gameplay mechanics, and also expands on its beautiful story. While there is still hope for a possible sequel or a remake, it is going to take a long time before we eventually get there.

But, you might be wondering, what exactly is so special about Phantom Dust that can’t be found with other games? What is it about this action-strategy third-person game with card-collecting gameplay that seems to ‘redefine gaming genres’ and was ‘ahead of its time’?

Well, before we dive into all that, let’s first explore Phantom Dust’s enigmatic plot. I won’t be revealing any major spoilers, so you don’t have to worry about that.

Taking place in a post-apocalyptic world, the surface of Earth has become uninhabitable, forcing what remains of humanity to take refuge underground. Some of these humans, who have the ability to control the dust and were able to survive on the surface for a limited time, were known as Espers. As all of humanity had their memories wiped, Espers ventured out to the surface of Earth and to the fabled Ruins to recover any data, records, or memory boxes to learn about how the world had become this way.

You play as Alpha, the protagonist that was discovered alongside another man, Edgar, on the surface by a team of Espers. Edgar owns a locket with a picture of a young woman whom he looks for throughout the game, and seeks desperately to uncover his own past. As you start meeting other Espers, learn to take control of the dust, and discover the remnants of Earth and its history, the game begins to unfold in a hauntingly beautiful way that raises questions about what we are truly seeing.

Throughout the game, it gives you answers on what has happened on Earth, and how certain elements of the story begin to connect with one another. Writer Takashi Okamoto and Futatsugi together created a story that focused on the philosophical and confronted deeper meanings behind life, loss, and memories. It borrows ideas from familiar films like Blade Runner and others, but this may be a given as Futatsugi did mention his love for filmmaking.

One extension of the story that should be mentioned is the game’s enchanting soundtrack. Its haunting mix of jazz meets classical seems fitting for a game that, on a surface level (no pun intended), seemed so desolate. There are a few fantastic renditions, including Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9, No. 1, that offer a sense of levity and depth that games at the time rarely had. While being atmospheric in nature, the music becomes an emblematic companion that journeys together with the story to tackle its deep and tragic themes.

The song plays when you enter into the Leader’s room and head right to the Memory Box Terminal. Simply opening up the menu will play the song above.

Its battle themes are nothing to scoff at either, blending a mix of groovy hip hop beats and slow jazz that gets you on the edge of your seat during difficult boss battles and missions. The game’s moody and melancholic music is another highlight to a cult classic that doesn’t feel out of place nor beyond its quality.

Speaking of another highlight, the game’s character art and (to some extent) the level design is created with a keen eye towards visuals that ‘pop’. Edgar and the protagonist alone are such great character creations that blend well with its post-apocalyptic tone, but it never feels too ‘out there’. The level design ‘pops’ too, but in a way that can only be discussed in its gameplay below.

Fun fact, the art lead of Phantom Dust joined Futatsugi at Grounding Inc, where they both worked together on Crimson Dragon’s production.

While its evocative story is a big part of Phantom Dust’s quality, its genre-twisting gameplay is where the game truly springs to life.

Since Phantom Dust’s release in way-back-when of 2004, the term “deck building” has become much more nuanced than it once was. While many might be familiar with the term when it is brought up in the same sentence with games like Magic: The Gathering or Hearthstone, the integration of deck building has also appeared in countless other acclaimed titles.

For instance, Slay The Spire, released in 2017, takes the form of roguelike meets deck-building to huge success. It not only reinvented the term and added significance to its gameplay, but it rewarded the player for strategizing carefully about adding, removing, and replacing the cards that they had in their deck.

Another third-person action-strategy game with roguelike elements that saw moderate popularity was Hand Of Fate, released in 2015 and received a sequel in 2017. This game had players building decks of cards that were filled with monsters, loot, and random events in which they had to draw cards, win battles to grow their character, and defeat the final boss of that stage. Its sequel offered a new idea with a companion that went along with you as you delved deeper into the dungeon.

While there are other games that have also used the concept of deck building as their core gameplay loop, such as indie gems like Guild of Dungeoneering, the Auto Chess game/genre, and many others, it was proof that the concept of deck building could work outside of its typical confines and would work well alongside other genres. Phantom Dust was not the only game to do so, but it showed how integrating different genres could lead to something special.

In Phantom Dust’s combat, each player has a set of skills that they can collect and use throughout the match. They can also pick up white orbs, known as Auras which allow them to cast higher Aura skills that are much more effective. When a player uses a skill move, their Aura will be drained but it will recover over time. The match ends when a player’s health bar reaches zero.

Outside of combat, players can choose skills from 6 different moves types, some of which can be used repeatedly, others of which are one-time use only. They include attack skills that deal damage, defensive skills for shielding, erase skills to remove an opponent’s skill orb, status skills to buff the player or debuff the opponent, special skills such as heals or temporary flight, and environmental skills that can affect player controls. Skills fall under Schools, which offer strengths and weaknesses and are often a counter to other Schools.

The magic of Phantom Dust is in crafting an arsenal, also known as a deck, with different skill moves and Schools. In the beginning, you might be able to craft an arsenal with only 2 Schools, but as the game progresses, you’ll be able to purchase arsenals that leverage 3 Schools or more, slowly putting together a deck that is perfect for your style.

The creativity and the strategy don’t just come from building a deck that is able to take on any opponent, in fact, that is just one aspect. Remember the ‘pop’ that I said above when it comes to level design? Well, things definitely ‘pop’ in Phantom Dust’s vast battle arenas.

World environments such as tables, walls, and even bridges are all capable of being damaged and destroyed, which can often lead to falling debris, open up new lanes of attack, and bring about a higher level of quick, exciting gameplay. This means players will have to re-evaluate their strategy or look for new ways to get out of a tough spot, which can make the gameplay intense and unpredictable.

Not only are players thinking of pairing certain skills that may be great together, they are also thinking of other ways to attack their opponent that they never would have thought of before.

“Do I try to reduce his deck size by erasing his skills?”

“Do I look to play a fast game with a barrage of close-ranged attack moves?”

“Should I plan for a long-game so that I can attack him with higher-cost moves?”

With only 4 slots, you begin to plan and strategize by choosing which skills to pick up next, finding out which skill is best for the current situation, whether to go for the offensive, to build up a fort, or balance out your arsenal for versatility.

In the single-player campaign, you will have a companion with you throughout most of the missions. They can help you make set-ups, clear attack lines, and you can even set them up when the opportunity arises for a quick one-two-punch finishing combo.

Multiplayer is where Phantom Dust is at its strongest and its weakest. Back in the day, Xbox Live was the primary way for gamers to play, whether it be against or together with friends, or online with other players. Phantom Dust was one of the best games to take advantage of that service.

The reason why deck building games are fun and exciting is the experimentation that goes on behind each and every game, and Phantom Dust is no exception. You’ll be testing out certain builds, getting the right (or wrong) results, and refining your deck so that you can beat anyone who decides to come up to challenge you. There is nothing like a good ol’ brawl where it matters on the battlefield of dust.

However, Phantom Dust’s multiplayer is also one of its weakest spots at present, particularly due to a declining player base and the game not having that much popularity overall to begin with. While it did manage to reach a million players in its remastered launch back in 2017, not as many people are actively playing the game as they did before.

If you’re afraid of jumping in cold to a game that may not have a healthy player base, fret not! You can head over to the Phantom Dust Revived Facebook group to check out for any tournaments and find games that are currently being played. You can also join their Discord group for a game or two or simply chat with other fellow gamers that love Phantom Dust.

There is absolutely no doubt about Phantom Dust’s charm, quality, and revered cult-classic status. While the remaster is still plagued with the same issues from 2004, the original was simply ahead of its time as one of gaming’s finest offerings.

I was lucky enough to be able to play the game back on the original Xbox in 2005, but if this is your first time starting up the game, no matter on PC, Xbox One, or the original Xbox, you’ll find yourself having an excellent time. There’s much to discover, skills to throw, arsenals to create, and a brilliant story waiting to be experienced.

After all, the game is free right now on the Windows Store and on Xbox One. Give it a whirl and you might just find yourself loving something new and exciting once more.