Goodbye to the new, hello to the classic. Old school shooting games are here to stay, that’s clear now. That nostalgic feeling of the old days, of experiences of the past when life felt perhaps a little more carefree and joyful. There’s little that can match that feeling of nostalgia, which some developers have exploited very well, including Danish company Slipgate Ironworks, whose catalog is full of retromodernist homages.
Ghostrunner, Rise of the Triad, Ion Fury, Graven and Kingpin Reloaded are just a few examples of this fusion of modern technology and nostalgia. A recipe they apply to Phantom Fury, where the insolent Bombshell once again faces a seemingly endless stream of 90s-scented debris. However, it would be disrespectful to only mention the nostalgic side of Phantom Fury.
At first glance, it’s easy to dismiss Slipgate Ironworks’ spiritual sequel to Ion Fury as just another of many old-school shooters, a déjà vu. But when you go further and dig into it, it becomes clear that it has much higher ambitions, because Phantom Fury isn’t content to simply reproduce what has become normal for the genre.
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In Shelly Bombshell’s third rodeo, parts of the experience have been modernized with gameplay mechanics that don’t necessarily match the visual aspects of Phantom Fury. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not a bad thing, just a little unexpected. Because without giving too many spoilers, you can quickly see that the developers took inspiration from games like Half-Life 2.
This is especially noticeable in environments, which have become more expansive and complex, with a much greater focus on interactivity. Objects can be picked up, studied and moved around much more frequently than before, which pays off with the game’s many puzzles allowing you to take a break from all the shooting, which is much appreciated. Presentation-wise, Phantom Fury is also much more cinematic than the studio’s previous titles, as it includes sequences that have been adapted or inspired by Hollywood.
The result is a visually spectacular, if occasionally frustrating, experience. To this day, it still has a lot of work to do to reach the level of its predecessor, because while I’m very grateful for what the previous Slipgate Ironworks games did, I’m also impressed by the willingness to evolve rather than blindly rely on nostalgia, Phantom Fury leaves a lot to be desired.
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Aside from the stunning presentation (which is worth mentioning a few times as it’s a nod to the Voodoo Generation), we also find a surprisingly uninteresting and boring arsenal of weapons that doesn’t offer much in terms of satisfaction. This, along with the enemies’ ability to absorb bullets like sponges, is a problem.
Shelly doesn’t feel like the “bomb” it should be, there’s nothing that stands out, and it lacks the raw euphoria so often associated with the genre. Phantom Fury is simply an unpolished experience with a ton of potential, but that should have spent a few more months in the oven.
The interactivity, the breadth of the adventure and its visuals are absolutely outstanding, and there are certain moments in the game where Phantom Fury reaches an impressive level, one of the best to be found in the genre today. A beautiful piece of craftsmanship and a love letter to the glory days of the early 2000s, peppered with a healthy dose of modern sensibility; if you can stomach the aforementioned shortcomings and have no problems with a (great) challenge, go for it.
Personally, I’m leaving Phantom Fury for a few months to give it another go in the summer. Then I hope Slipgate Ironworks will finally have time to balance the gameplay experience and improve the feel of the game’s relatively extensive arsenal of weapons. Undeniably, there are many features that impress, amaze and entertain, even in the state it’s in right now, in a nearly unpolished state.
