5pb./Mages today announced that Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds will be available on PSN for the PS Vita starting July 29th. The game is labeled as a co-op, side-scrolling beat’em up similar to what we used to play back in the 8-bit, 16-bit era. Based off the trailer alone, the game looks very action packed and definitely has that old-school gameplay retroness to it. The game will feature characters from Phantom Breakers, Mikoto, Waka, Itsuki and Yuzuha, and Makise Kurisu of Steins as a DLC.

Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds will retail for $12 when it is officially released on July 29th.

Update: The game will now be released on August 12th.

Press Release

Tokyo, Japan – July 23, 2014 – Today, 5pb./Mages, a publisher of interactive software, announces the upcoming release of Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds on PlayStation®Network for the PlayStation®Vita video game and entertainment system on July 29, 2014. A spin-off to the 2D fighting game “Phantom Breaker”, “Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds” is a cooperative, side-scrolling beat’em up that hearkens back to the glory days of the 8-bit era with modern 3D technology. The game features four playable characters from Phantom Breaker (Mikoto, Waka, Itsuki and Yuzuha), as well as Makise Kurisu of Steins;Gate fame as a playable DLC character.

Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds will retail for $12 (North & South America) and €10 (Europe) in countries where PlayStation®Network applies (in select European countries and excluding Brazil and South Africa). The Makise Kurisu DLC retails for $6 (North & South America) and €5 (Europe).

Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds was previously released to great success on Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® system, and was 5pb./Mages’ first game released in North America.

Story
A mysterious man known as the Phantom has awakened and hatches a plan to unseal his dark powers. By giving ancient weapons known as the F.A. (Fu-mantion Artifacts) to youths with special abilities, he convinces them to battle each other with the promise to grant the wishes of the victors. However, each time the Fu-mantion Artifacts are used in battle, the space-time continuum weakens. This creates a rift between two parallel worlds, which will inevitably unseal the Phantom’s powers.

Waka, the daughter of the Kumon Family, a clan tasked with protecting the world from the Phantom, and her friend Mikoto, attempt to stop him. However, the Phantom manages to escape and kidnaps Waka’s younger sister, Nagi. Waka and Mikoto, along with Itsuki, the self-proclaimed “Ally of Justice” and Yuzuha, a ninja unpersuaded by the lure of the Phantom, set off to rescue Nagi and stop his nefarious plan.

Key Features

• Combines the best 8-bit retro aesthetics with modern 3D technology.
• 4 different modes of play: Story, Arcade, Co-op and Battleground.
• Fight as Itsuki, Yuzuha, Waka, and Mikoto from Phantom Breaker, each with their own signature moves and attacks.
• Play as Makise Kurisu from popular anime and game series Steins;Gate, available as DLC.
• Team up with up to 3 of your friends in Co-Op Mode or see who’s the greatest warrior in Battleground Mode.
• Earn experience as you battle through the enemy horde to unlock devastating new skills and build up your attack strength, defense, and speed.
• Battle against ginormous, screen-filling enemies!

More information can be found on the official website at http://5pb.jp/games/pbbg/en/