Phantom Crash is a great fast-paced Mech combat game developed by Genki and Phantagram that was tragically overlooked upon its initial release primarily due to the stiff competition it faced. Its sales lead to the rights being sold to Konami, who along with Genki produced the game's only sequel, S.L.A.I.: Steel Lancer Arena International, exclusively on the PS2 about three years later in hopes of reaching a larger audience. PC enjoys cult-classic status.

PC isn't as deep as Armored Core or as intense as some games (using stealth and tactics a little more than simply shooting everything that moves), but it is an impressive game, conceptually speaking. In a daring move, they didn't make a straightforward non-stop action game and despite Genki's resources, they didn't use a lot of big names in the industry to develop it either. On the contrary, Phantom Crash is a slow-progressing game that takes a lot of pride in its characters, story and backstory, subtle details and many references to pop culture, novels, and cyberpunk references, and gathered mostly unknown artists and designers from Japan. You can learn some strange things in this game and the lengths the game went through to represent lesser-knowns and rising talents is noteworthy. This game has an offbeat charm that you wouldn't expect to find in a Mecha game and which its sequel couldn't articulate quite as well (opting for less story and personality and more towards fights, customization, and net play). This isn't to say that you'll enjoy PC, but if you go into it with an open mind, you are likely to find one of the most overlooked (not underrated) Xbox games.

The game takes place in 2031 in Old Tokyo, a once-prosperous region which has since crumbled due to the abuse of world powers, science, and technology, leaving it a wreck but a perfect spot for "Rumbling". Rumbling is a new televised combat sport where humans pilot mecha known as "SVs", battling for fame, fortune, or any reasoning they bring forth. SVs were once used by the military, but the tech behind them was leaked years prior and was adapted for civilian use, as the terrain is harsh and can't be traversed with ordinary vehicles. Part of what makes this all possible is the large amount of revenue gathered by the high ratings of Rumbles and the sophisticated nature of rumbling, which is in part due to stealth technology and SV-paired advanced AI "animal chips", which rival human intelligence, and some are so advanced that they are known as entities more than merely tools. You are a rising Rumbling star who possesses unnatural raw potential which Area Rankers, the most skilled Rumblers, take notice of.

The graphics, like most early Xbox games, don't really push the hardware in any way, but aren't an eyesore. The arenas are of a decent size and are designed well enough and the different types of mechs look presentable. Much of the navigation and character interactions take place through menus and basic stills, where major characters possess large stills and express various emotions. Everything is neat and organized right down to photos for the various made-up and real-world music artists in the game, some having various album covers. The game suffers some usually minor lag during heated bouts. The game has (very) poor Xbox 360 backwards compatibility.

The soundtrack is something you'll love or hate. While diverse, it is not as diverse as its sequel and there is a lot of quirky music and usage of synthesized eletronic sounds, "fake" multi-instrumental compositions, and percussion instruments and basically spread across Trance, House, Metal, Rock, "Air", and unassorted, hard-to-define sounds. Some artists have prior knowledge working with game creators, but most came into the game not knowing what to expect and their music reflects this, as quite a bit would be deemed "unusual" to have in a mech combat game outside of menus or story scenes, which is inpart what makes it interesting. Many artists were also inspired by the French or USA. One example, "moshichi", analyzed Stevie Wonder and used his work as a template to generate his own music and style.

The gameplay can be seen as "Armored Core Lite" in terms of customization, but still has its own quirks and charm. One of the main distinctions that helps sepearte it from others is "Optic Camouflage", which can be used to sneak around more efficiently or hide, as you can't be locked on but can still be targeted and hit. The landscapes are also tailored to using stealth tactics and items are periodically dropped on the field to help you battle. Combatants enter the field at will and you gain more money by defeating more foes. Sometimes high ranking enemies will appear and defeating them may increase your rank. You can also hide and escape if you feel you are going to lose, which is a common tactic used to end whenever you see fit. You will also gain bonuses or deductions according to how well you do.

Enjoy.

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