Phantom Hellcat explodes onstage with stylish combat, collectible masks, and a camera-shifting perspective.
Phantom Hellcat Takes Center Stage With Intense Theatrical Combat
The spectacle fighter segment of action-adventure games definitely needs some special attention lately with its slim pickings. While we are getting things likeValkyrie ElysiumandSoulsticethis year, there haven’t been too many options for those who enjoy high-action combat.
Enter Phantom Hellcat, the debut game of Ironbird Creations which was unveiled at this year’sGamescom. This is a third-person action-adventure that is highly stylized, full of action, and looks to have taken some inspiration from theNier AutomataandNier Replicantgames.
Phantom Hellcat, Exit Stage Left
Phantom Hellcat stars a lady named Jolene, the daughter of an ancient guardian who keeps demons at bay. Her mother was charged with safeguarding an ancient theater that has succumbed to evils. Jolene’s mother goes missing one day, and it is up to her to learn her mother’s craft and fight back against the hordes of evil.
What stands out immediately about Phantom Hellcat is its wonderfully eerie pop-up style. You see, the entire game looks like it is set in a massive theater whose scenes and props change without a moment’s notice. As such, the game keeps on having extremely varied environments that look strikingly unique from one another. Hellcat’s setting is quite whimsical with extremely dark undertones, familiar to those who are fans of American McGee’s Alice series of games.
Another standout feature of Phantom Hellcat is its lighting. The extended official reveal trailer featured tons of stylish combat scenes that highlighted the game’s neon blue and purple aesthetics.
All The World’s a Stage
Combat is given a big highlight as soon as Jolene enters a neon blue and purple library and enemies spawn in. She stylishly flicks on her cassette tape player and summons a vorpal blade right out of the ether. Jolene then proceeds to hack and slash her hapless foes, slicing them to bits. Streaks of violet erupt as weapon trails, reminding us of the spectacle in spectacle fighter.
Her sword makes very satisfying swish sounds whenever she swings it. Even more satisfying is the visual feedback you get when hitting foes - they explode into black blood mists or other over-the-top injuries. Don’t worry, they’re just props in the theater. The fact that the stage lights even follow our character as she moves around in combat is a nice little touch to remind us of the theater setting.
Jolene has access to the standard action game moves. She has light and heavy attacks can perform dashes and dodges, and can launch enemies into the air. We’re not sure if this was just in the trailer, but there was a section where Jolene threw an enemy into the air when suddenly all of the lights, save for a lone spotlight focused on her, turned off. Though bathed in shadow, her aerial attacks were given so many stylish and satisfying highlights because of this simple effect.
Time to Break a Leg
During her travels through the evil theater, Jolene will collect different kinds of upgradable masks. These items will grant her even more extraordinary abilities and magic when worn. This gives players an incentive to thoroughly explore the gorgeous environments, of which there are plenty. While the trailer showcased only a few key locations - the aforementioned library, a medieval fantasy landscape, a dingy dock, and a darkened theater, the developers at Ironbird Creations promise there will be more.
Having the setting primarily in a theater gives them the option to go as wild as their imagination can wander. They can literally put any kind of environment and give off the excuse that it’s just props and wooden scaffolding holding everything together. Just like Nier Automata, the game will also have tight platforming, and there will be tons of perspective changes as Jolene explores the locations.
Expect the camera to shift from top-down, to sidescrolling, and to everything in between.
The Final Act
Phantom Hellcat looks like quite an exciting romp through a location that isn’t usually heavily featured in games. The promise of slick action combat, as well as the unique neon highlights and spotlight, feature definitely make the title stand out from the rest of the competition. It isn’t grimdark and features tons of vibrant color.
The game will be out on most major consoles and PC. No date has been announced as of yet, nor any price point.
