Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Phantom Doctrine

Phantom Doctrine is a turn-based tactics video game developed by the Polish studio CreativeForge Games and published by Good Shepherd Entertainment.^[1]^[2] Released on August 14, 2018, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, with a Nintendo Switch port following in 2019, the game is set in an alternate-history version of 1983 during the height of the Cold War.^[1]^[2] Players assume the role of the commander of The Cabal, a clandestine organization dedicated to uncovering and dismantling a sprawling global conspiracy threatening world stability through espionage operations, tactical infiltrations, and resource management.^[3]^[2] The game's core gameplay revolves around strategic oversight on a world map, where agents are dispatched on missions involving stealthy reconnaissance, interrogation, and turn-based combat encounters that emphasize positioning, suppression, and environmental interactions over direct firefights.^[4]^[5] Base-building elements include recruiting and training agents, researching technologies, and managing an underground network of safehouses and informants to sustain operations amid geopolitical tensions.^[5]^[6] Drawing inspiration from Cold War spy fiction, the narrative unfolds across a 40-hour campaign laced with branching choices, moral dilemmas, and historical what-ifs, such as altered interpretations of real events like the Able Archer 83 exercise.^[3]^[2] Reception for Phantom Doctrine was generally positive but mixed, with critics highlighting its ambitious depth in espionage mechanics and atmospheric storytelling while noting frustrations from a steep learning curve, repetitive mission environments, technical jank, and unbalanced difficulty that can lead to agent permadeath without adequate tutorials.^[2]^[4] It holds a Metacritic score of 74/100 based on 35 reviews and a "Mostly Positive" user rating on Steam from nearly 2,000 assessments.^[2]^[1] No major external controversies surrounded the title, though player discussions frequently critique combat quirks like unrealistic projectile penetration and the grind of agent recovery systems.^[7]^[8]

Development

Studio background and inspirations

CreativeForge Games, an independent video game development studio based in Warsaw, Poland, was founded in 2011 by industry veterans seeking to produce original titles for PC and consoles.^[9] ^[10] The studio initially focused on strategy games, including the real-time tactics title Ancient Space in 2014, before shifting toward turn-based systems with Hard West in 2015, which marked their entry into Western-themed tactical RPGs.^[11] This evolution culminated in Phantom Doctrine as a flagship project, applying turn-based espionage mechanics to Cold War-era scenarios.^[12] The game's conceptual foundations drew heavily from the strategic layer of titles like XCOM, adapting its base management and squad-based tactics to covert operations rather than extraterrestrial threats, emphasizing infiltration and intelligence over overt combat.^[13] ^[14] Lead developers prioritized deterministic combat systems devoid of random number generation (RNG) in core actions like shooting, to reflect the calculated precision of elite spies and avoid the unpredictability of simulated chance, a design choice rooted in simulating professional operative reliability.^[15] Authenticity was further grounded in historical espionage precedents, incorporating elements from real CIA and KGB operations during the Cold War, such as mind control experiments akin to MKUltra and global shadow networks, to underscore geopolitical rivalries without romanticization.^[16] ^[17] Phantom Doctrine was publicly announced at Gamescom 2017, where previews highlighted its alternate history framework involving clandestine organizations combating international cabals, allowing exploration of unfiltered tensions between superpowers like the U.S. and Soviet Union.^[18] This reveal positioned the title as a thriller emphasizing conspiracy realism over fantasy, with CreativeForge Games collaborating with publisher Good Shepherd Entertainment to blend tactical depth with narrative-driven spycraft.^[19]

Production and release

Phantom Doctrine was developed by the Polish studio CreativeForge Games and published by Good Shepherd Entertainment.^[1] The game entered full production following its announcement in 2017, culminating in its launch on August 14, 2018, for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4, with the Xbox One version delayed to August 24, 2018, due to certification issues.^[20] A Nintendo Switch port followed on June 6, 2019, though it featured graphical downgrades and performance limitations attributable to the console's hardware constraints, including occasional framerate drops and reduced visual fidelity compared to other platforms.^[2]^[21] Post-launch support emphasized bug fixes and balance adjustments rather than expansive content additions. Multiple patches were issued in 2018, such as versions 1.0.5 through 1.0.8, which resolved issues including AI pathfinding errors, UI improvements, and tactical mechanics refinements like enhanced investigation board functionality.^[22]^[23] No substantial downloadable content packs were released beyond a minor free Halloween-themed "Scare Tactics" update in October 2018, which added seasonal aliases and minor gameplay tweaks alongside patch 1.0.8; by 2019, updates had primarily stabilized core functionality across platforms without further major overhauls.^[24]^[25]

Historical and thematic context

Cold War espionage parallels

Phantom Doctrine is situated in 1983, a pivotal year of Cold War escalation characterized by events such as the NATO exercise Able Archer 83, conducted from November 2 to 11, which Soviet leaders misinterpreted as possible preparations for a nuclear first strike, nearly precipitating a genuine superpower confrontation.^[26]^[27] This temporal alignment underscores the game's evocation of authentic geopolitical peril, where intelligence operations unfolded amid pervasive fears of mutual assured destruction, without idealizing the era's spy craft as glamorous heroism.^[1] The narrative integrates verifiable tensions from proxy conflicts, such as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan ongoing since 1979 and U.S.-backed insurgencies in Central America, reflecting how espionage agencies like the CIA and KGB pursued strategic sabotage and asset recruitment in third-world theaters to undermine adversaries. Depictions of agency operations parallel declassified practices, including CIA "wet work"—covert assassinations and paramilitary actions authorized under executive orders like NSC 10/2 in the early Cold War, extended into targeted eliminations of high-value threats. Similarly, KGB defections, documented in cases like that of Yuri Nosenko in 1964 or Oleg Gordievsky in 1974, inform the game's mechanics of agent extraction and interrogation, emphasizing the high-stakes tradecraft of double agents and loyalty tests amid mutual suspicion. These elements portray espionage as a domain of calculated betrayal and resource-intensive covert actions, eschewing romanticized narratives in favor of the pragmatic, often brutal realpolitik that defined intelligence rivalries.^[4] The game's inclusion of mind control techniques via an MKUltra facility directly echoes the CIA's Project MKUltra, a program from 1953 to 1973 involving non-consensual experiments with LSD, sensory deprivation, and hypnosis on unwitting subjects to engineer behavioral modification for interrogation and assassination resistance. Declassified documents reveal MKUltra's extension into subprojects exploring "truth serums" and psychological warfare, causally linked to broader efforts countering perceived Soviet advances in parapsychology and coercion, though ultimately yielding limited operational success due to ethical violations and inefficacy. In Phantom Doctrine, such mechanics extend these historical precedents into factional mind manipulation, grounded in the causal dynamics of superpower competition rather than speculative fiction, highlighting the moral ambiguities of state-sanctioned human experimentation without sanitizing the underlying power imperatives.^[28] This approach maintains fidelity to the era's documented operations, where agencies prioritized strategic denial over humanitarian constraints.

Conspiracy elements and realism

The core conflict in Phantom Doctrine pits the rogue Cabal organization against the Beholder Initiative, a secretive cabal founded in the mid-20th century as an international lobby group that evolved into a network manipulating global politics through infiltration, psychological operations, and toxic influence to perpetuate geopolitical tensions.^[29] ^[30] This shadow war echoes documented historical precedents like NATO's Operation Gladio, a clandestine stay-behind network activated across Western Europe from the 1950s onward to organize armed resistance against potential communist invasions, which involved covert alliances between intelligence agencies and non-state actors often operating beyond democratic oversight.^[31] While the game's narrative amplifies these elements into a totalizing conspiracy, it highlights causal mechanisms rooted in policy incentives—such as anti-communist imperatives driving unchecked deep-state expansions—without romanticizing institutional motives or dismissing verifiable overreaches as mere paranoia. The game's mechanics reinforce a realist portrayal of espionage by eliminating randomness in tactical engagements, ensuring outcomes derive solely from player-executed plans and positional advantages rather than probabilistic factors like dice rolls.^[32] This deterministic framework contrasts with sanitized depictions in mainstream media, where covert operatives are often shown as resilient protagonists overcoming chaos through improvisation, thereby underplaying the historical reality of agent expendability in operations where meticulous preparation was paramount and failures resulted in permanent losses, as seen in declassified accounts of Cold War defections and assassinations.^[28] Incorporation of global incidents modeled on real events, such as illicit arms transfers and proxy funding schemes akin to the Iran-Contra affair—where U.S. officials facilitated weapons sales to Iran from 1985 to 1986 to fund Nicaraguan rebels in defiance of congressional bans—serves to ground conspiratorial tropes in empirical policy drivers like maintaining strategic leverage amid superpower rivalry.^[33] These analogs critique how such actions emerge from rational, if ruthless, incentives to circumvent legal constraints, rather than abstract villainy, while the game's emphasis on advanced mind-control programs inspired by the CIA's MKUltra experiments (conducted from 1953 to 1973 involving hypnosis, drugs, and sensory deprivation for interrogation advantages) underscores the progression from historical excesses to fictional escalation without endorsing biased narratives that attribute institutional lapses solely to ideological extremes.^[34]^[17]

Plot

Phantom Doctrine is set in an alternate 1983 during the height of the Cold War, where the player controls a veteran intelligence operative who discovers a sprawling global conspiracy engineered by a secretive cabal known as "The Hand." This organization manipulates governments, employs advanced brainwashing techniques, and orchestrates false-flag operations to provoke nuclear war between superpowers.^[29]^[3] Betrayed by their own agency—options include the CIA or KGB—the protagonist goes rogue, establishing "The Cabal," a shadow network of defected spies from multiple nations committed to dismantling The Hand's network through espionage, sabotage, and targeted eliminations.^[28]^[35] The narrative progresses across over 40 missions in diverse global locales, from Berlin to Beirut, blending tactical infiltrations with base management as players recruit agents, interrogate suspects, and decode intelligence to expose conspiracy layers involving mind control experiments and geopolitical deceptions.^[1] A third campaign, featuring a Mossad-affiliated Nazi hunter, unlocks upon completing either primary storyline, offering alternate perspectives on the same core threat.^[36] The plot draws on Cold War paranoia, emphasizing moral ambiguities in spy craft without resolving into unambiguous heroism.^[4]

Gameplay

Strategic management

The strategic layer of Phantom Doctrine centers on managing a clandestine organization's hideout, which functions as a customizable base for core operations including research, recruitment, and agent recovery. Situated in a player-selected city, the hideout features modular facilities such as the Crew Quarters for hiring and training new agents from mission-derived candidates or informants, the Infirmary for treating injuries and mitigating stress accumulation from deployments, the Workshop for developing technological upgrades and equipment, the Forger for producing forged documents and generating passive income, and the MK Ultra laboratory for conducting interrogations and psychological conditioning to extract intel or reprogram captured agents.^[29] Relocating the hideout to alternative sites—unlocked through intel analysis—is essential when danger levels escalate due to enemy scrutiny, enemy cells, or internal moles, as unchecked red-zone danger risks base compromise and agent losses.^[29] Players maintain an espionage network by assigning agents to global cities on the world map for passive and active intel gathering, including scouting suspicious activities indicated by red exclamation marks and preempting enemy operations that advance the Doomsday Counter or amplify hideout danger if completed.^[29] Deployments involve grouping 2-3 agents for efficiency in tasks like Tactical Recon (10 hours) or full operation disruptions (16 hours), with options to tail enemy agents for tracking bases, simulating the resource trade-offs of real-world spy handling where overextension heightens vulnerability.^[29]^[4] Central to proactive planning is the Investigation Board in the Analytics menu, where players direct agents to process intel files from missions, documents, and informants, manually linking codenames, keywords, and clues via pins and strings to reveal enemy identities, cell locations, and hideout options without procedural randomness.^[29] This deduction-based system enables targeted strikes on threats, yielding unlocks like recruitable personnel, perks, and trade contacts upon resolution.^[29] Agent oversight demands balancing stress from prolonged missions—alleviated via Infirmary rest—against loyalty risks, where random events prompt interventions like motivational talks, monetary rewards, or MK Ultra reconditioning to avert defections or ideological shifts toward enemy alignment, mirroring historical espionage challenges with moles and turncoats.^[29] Hidden perks, such as "Sleeper Agent," add uncertainty to recruitment, requiring vigilant dossier reviews and conditioning to maintain operational integrity.^[29]

Tactical missions and combat

Tactical missions in Phantom Doctrine occur on grid-based maps representing espionage scenarios such as extractions, assassinations, and sabotage operations, where players deploy a limited number of agents depending on the objective—typically two for targeting enemy agents or up to six for larger cell assaults.^[37] These missions alternate between infiltration mode, emphasizing stealthy navigation and objective completion without detection, and combat mode, which triggers upon enemy alert and shifts to direct firefights.^[29] Infiltration encourages careful pathing to avoid patrols, using abilities like heartbeat sensors for reconnaissance or spotter support to reveal hidden foes before engagement.^[38] Combat employs a turn-based system focused on positioning, where agents maneuver for advantageous lines of sight, leveraging high and low cover to minimize exposure since visibility equates to mutual vulnerability—if an agent can target an enemy, the reverse holds true.^[39] Key mechanics include overwatch, allowing agents to designate firing cones that activate on enemy movement within range, with narrower cones at greater distances for precision; suppression via automatic fire, which depletes enemy awareness to facilitate takedowns; and breaching, enabling grouped agents to storm rooms and preempt enemy overwatch.^[40] Stealth takedowns permit non-lethal incapacitations or interrogations, with options to hide bodies to maintain infiltration, while alerted combat introduces civilian presence that risks collateral damage if firing near non-combatants.^[41] The system's deterministic design eliminates random dice rolls, ensuring outcomes like grenade throws or shots succeed based on accurate placement rather than probability, rewarding premeditated tactics over chance.^[42] Environmental elements, such as destructible cover from explosives, add tactical depth by allowing players to reshape the battlefield, though this heightens risks in confined urban or facility maps where suppression alone may not suffice against reinforced positions.^[43] Fluid action chaining, supported by awareness depletion from sustained fire, enables momentum in engagements by sequentially weakening and eliminating threats without procedural unpredictability.^[44]

Agent progression and customization

In Phantom Doctrine, agents are recruited from a pool of operatives with predefined backgrounds drawn from real-world intelligence agencies, special forces, terrorist organizations, or criminal groups, such as CIA, KGB, ASALA, BND, or Mafia.^[45] ^[46] Each background confers a unique starting perk—such as "Pickpocket" for BND agents, which replenishes ammunition from knocked-out enemies, or "Die Hard" for Spetsnaz, allowing survival of a fatal blow with 1 HP—and initial proficiency in specific weapon types, like AK rifles for IJO or shotguns for Mafia.^[45] ^[47] These traits provide immediate specialization, enabling early-game viability in combat, stealth, or disruption roles without extensive training.^[48] Agent progression occurs through experience gained in missions, leading to level-ups that unlock training options for enhanced abilities and weapon proficiencies across categories including firearms, close-quarters combat, stealth gadgets, and technical tools like lockpicks or heartbeat sensors.^[47] Training functions as a branching system, where players select perks such as "Fearless" for immunity to suppressive fire or "Freediver" for reduced gas vulnerability, often gated by mission completions or prior proficiencies to encourage specialization in aggressive assault, infiltration, or support roles.^[47] ^[49] Perks and abilities integrate with backgrounds for hybrid builds; for instance, a Mossad agent's innate "Buckshot" shotgun cone attack can pair with trained stealth perks for versatile operatives.^[45] This system supports replayability by allowing roster compositions that favor uniform agency-aligned backgrounds for cohesive teams or diverse mixes for adaptive tactics, though mismatched backgrounds may trigger loyalty events risking defection or inefficiency.^[50] Customization extends to equipment, where agents craft and modify gear at the base using unlocked blueprints progressed through the campaign story, incorporating scavenged mission loot for items like upgraded magazines or grenades.^[29] ^[47] Certain perks, such as those enhancing fabrication efficiency, reduce costs or enable rare prototypes, while injuries from combat necessitate recovery periods or risk permanent stat penalties, forcing players to rotate rosters and adapt builds over extended campaigns.^[51] Weapon slots—primary with modification bays, secondary pistols, armor, and two utility items—allow tailoring to playstyles, with visible armor potentially alerting enemies and heat levels tracking exposure for strategic depth.^[47] Such mechanics promote varied outcomes, as purging disloyal or underperforming agents via events clears slots for specialized recruits, fostering emergent narratives tied to team ideology and operational history.^[45]

Reception and analysis

Critical reviews

Phantom Doctrine received generally favorable reviews from critics, with aggregate scores reflecting a mix of praise for its tactical innovation and criticism for execution flaws. On Metacritic, the PC version earned a score of 74 out of 100 based on 35 reviews, while OpenCritic reported an average of 73 out of 100 from 59 critics.^[2]^[52] Console ports fared slightly worse, with PlayStation 4 at 73 and Xbox One at 67, often citing performance inconsistencies.^[2] Critics lauded the game's immersive Cold War espionage atmosphere and deterministic turn-based combat system, which eliminates random hit chances found in titles like XCOM, allowing for precise planning and execution.^[4]^[42] GameSpot awarded it 9 out of 10, highlighting how the integration of complex mechanics—such as agent infiltration, stress management, and ideological manipulation—creates a compelling spy thriller experience that sustains engagement over its 40-hour campaign.^[28] Reviewers appreciated the innovative emphasis on stealth, deception, and base management, positioning it as a fresh take on strategic espionage simulation amid repetitive genre conventions.^[53]^[54] However, common criticisms centered on repetitive mission structures, a steep learning curve exacerbated by opaque user interfaces, and resource scarcity that encourages grinding for upgrades.^[4] IGN scored it 7.4 out of 10, noting strong tactical stealth elements undermined by tedious administrative "paper-pushing" and underdeveloped narrative delivery that fails to fully leverage its conspiracy-laden plot.^[4] Some outlets pointed to technical shortcomings, particularly on consoles, including frame rate drops and control scheme awkwardness, which disrupted tactical flow.^[2] Overall, while the game's ambitious systems were seen as a strength, its pacing and accessibility issues prevented broader acclaim.^[55]

Player responses and modding community

Player reviews on Steam indicate a "Mostly Positive" reception, with approximately 72% of over 4,500 user reviews rating the game favorably as of recent data.^[56] Community feedback frequently highlights the replayability enabled by procedural generation of maps, agents, loot, and missions, drawing comparisons to the XCOM series for its randomized elements that encourage multiple playthroughs across the game's two campaigns.^[57] However, some players report burnout due to the campaign's length, often exceeding 40 hours, compounded by repetitive tactical challenges and a steep difficulty curve that can lead to frustration in prolonged sessions.^[1]^[58] The subreddit r/PhantomDoctrine remains a hub for ongoing discussions, with threads focused on optimal agent builds, such as sniper or scout configurations emphasizing awareness and action points, and explorations of the game's lore involving the Cabal's ideological struggles against global conspiracies.^[59]^[60] Players often praise the depth of these narrative elements, valuing the alternate-history thriller aspects for their engagement with Cold War-era paranoia and factional intrigue, which sustain interest among tactics enthusiasts despite limited mainstream critical enthusiasm for the conspiracy themes.^[61] Modding support, introduced via a 2019 update, has fostered community extensions primarily hosted on Nexus Mods, as the game lacks Steam Workshop integration.^[62]^[63] Available modifications include balance adjustments like a higher difficulty mode for veteran players and cheat options such as accelerated travel speeds or reduced enemy recon threats, addressing complaints about alert mechanics and endless guard spawns.^[64] While mod variety is limited compared to larger titles, these tweaks enhance longevity by refining combat pacing and resource management, with community guides aiding localization and custom content creation.^[65]

Technical issues and patches

Upon release in August 2018, Phantom Doctrine suffered from several technical glitches, including line-of-sight and line-of-fire calculation errors that affected combat accuracy and AI behavior, as well as animation desynchronization during engagements.^[66] These were addressed in subsequent updates, such as Patch 1.0.4, which resolved the majority of such issues alongside improvements to pathing and visibility mechanics.^[66] ^[67] Further refinements appeared in Patch 1.0.6, fixing exploits and tooltip discrepancies, while the 1.1 "Full Clearance" update in late 2018 introduced broader stability enhancements.^[68] ^[69] The Nintendo Switch port, released in 2019, faced criticism for suboptimal resolution leading to small, hard-to-read text and an awkward control scheme ill-suited to the platform's interface, though frame rates remained relatively stable without major drops.^[70] Community feedback highlighted these as persistent hardware-specific variances, with PC versions faring better due to configurable settings like motion blur disablement via engine.ini edits for smoother performance.^[71] By 2025, official developer support from CreativeForge Games had ceased, with no patches issued since 2019 amid reports of the studio's disbandment.^[72] Players reliant on unofficial community workarounds, such as running the executable as administrator or disabling internet connectivity at launch to prevent crashes, continued to address lingering problems like random save failures and compatibility hurdles on modern hardware.^[73] ^[74] PCGamingWiki documentation underscores PC as the optimal platform, citing native mod support and extensive fix lists that mitigate crashes and enhance long-term viability over console variants.^[71]

References

[1]
Phantom Doctrine on Steam
Rating 3.5 (1,999) Phantom Doctrine is a turn-based espionage thriller set in the Cold War, where you lead a secret organization to prevent a global conspiracy.
[2]
Phantom Doctrine Reviews - Metacritic
Rating 74% (35) Set in 1983 during the Cold War, Phantom Doctrine is an alternate history thriller in which players lead The Cabal, a secret organization dedicated to ...
[3]
Phantom Doctrine - Good Shepherd Entertainment
Phantom Doctrine is a strategic turn-based espionage thriller set at the peak of the Cold War. Capturing the subtle intrigue of classic spy films, the game.
[4]
Phantom Doctrine Review - IGN
Rating 7.4/10 · Review by Michael EpsteinAug 14, 2018 · A Cold War-era espionage game that evokes the anxious energy that we've come to associate with cat-and-mouse spy stories.
[5]
Phantom Doctrine Review - A Slow But Satisfying Burn
Aug 17, 2018 · Phantom Doctrine's abundance of systems takes a lot of time and experimenting to unpack, but if you've got the patience, the investment pays ...
[6]
Have You Played... Phantom Doctrine? - Rock Paper Shotgun
May 6, 2020 · You'll sneak into buildings, knock out guards, and gather intel before anyone spots you. It's this intel that can be used to uncover enemy plans ...
[7]
https://steamcommunity.com/app/559100/discussions/0/1734336452550923675/
[8]
Phantom Doctrine Critiques : r/PhantomDoctrine - Reddit
Sep 9, 2018 · I have some major criticisms with the game. Overall it's enjoyable for what it is but it needs a heap of refinement. Here are some of my biggest complaints.I'm having fun playing Phantom Doctrine : r/PhantomDoctrine - RedditExcellent game but here's a rant : r/PhantomDoctrine - RedditMore results from www.reddit.comMissing: controversies | Show results with:controversies
[9]
CreativeForge Games - LinkedIn
Founded in 2011 by veterans of the Polish games industry and infused with creativity of talented newcomers, it has since shipped two different projects: ...
[10]
CreativeForge Games 2025 Company Profile - PitchBook
CreativeForge Games was founded in 2011. Where is CreativeForge Games headquartered? CreativeForge Games is headquartered in Warsaw, Poland. What is the size of ...
[11]
CreativeForge Games: Main
CreativeForge Games is a development studio creating its own games for PCs and consoles. With previously produced games, the Company used global publishers.<|separator|>
[12]
Phantom Doctrine, a turn-based tactical Cold War thriller from the ...
Aug 22, 2017 · Its name is Phantom Doctrine, and it's a Cold War thriller about global conspiracies and double agents. They put together a fancy live action ...
[13]
Phantom Doctrine is a Cold War take on XCOM with spies instead of ...
Dec 20, 2017 · Phantom Doctrine takes the framework of XCOM, with its turn-based tactical combat wrapped in a strategic metagame but applies it to the quiet conflict of spies ...
[14]
XCOM-like tactical espionage thriller Phantom Doctrine was my ...
Aug 30, 2017 · Phantom Doctrine divides your time between a world map, where strategic decisions and team-building take place, and hand-crafted tactical environments where ...Missing: Bourne Identity
[15]
https://steamcommunity.com/app/559100/discussions/0/1734336452575443961/
[16]
Phantom Doctrine Devs Explain Inspiration For Cold War Setting
Nov 17, 2017 · Set in 1983, it asks players to step into the shoes of a KGB or CIA agent working to stop a global conspiracy during the height of the Cold War.
[17]
Phantom Doctrine (Video Game) - TV Tropes
Aug 14, 2018 · An espionage thriller set in an Alternate History 1980s during the Cold War, where mind control programs such as MKUltra were much more advanced and dangerous.
[18]
Phantom Doctrine is like XCOM for spies - PCGamesN
Aug 22, 2017 · Phantom Doctrine is an alternate history thriller in which you'll lead a counter-espionage group called The Cabal.
[19]
COSMOCOVER - The best PR agency for video games in Europe!
Aug 22, 2017 · CreativeForge Games is currently working on Phantom Doctrine, a Cold War conspiracy tactical game, set to be published on PC and consoles in ...
[20]
GOOD SHEPHERD ENTERTAINMENT AND CREATIVEFORGE ...
Aug 13, 2018 · Phantom Doctrine is a turn-based espionage tactics game set at the height of the Cold War. As the leader of a covert organization battling a ...
[21]
Phantom Doctrine Review | Switch Player
Aug 8, 2019 · The game features some cinematic POV changes in the midst of intense combat sequences, and some of the textures (or lackthereof) will have you ...
[22]
Phantom Doctrine Patches and Updates - SteamDB
Rating 72% (4,570) Curated patch notes for Phantom Doctrine on Steam. Updates and changelogs ... Content Descriptors (Including DLC), Frequent Violence or Gore (2), General ...
[23]
COLD WAR STRATEGY GAME PHANTOM DOCTRINE RELEASES ...
Oct 30, 2018 · Phantom Doctrine now features double the number of Investigation Board aliases, as well as improvements to UI, animations and mechanics. It also ...Missing: patches | Show results with:patches
[24]
Patch 1.0.8 | Scare Tactics DLC | Dev Livestream - Steam News
Greetings, Agents! Patch 1.0.8 & Scare Tactics DLC go live We are back with another set of updates and additions to mark the upcoming Halloween season!
[25]
Phantom Doctrine Gets Halloween Scare Tactics DLC
Good Shepherd Entertainment have released a new free content update for Phantom Doctrine & free “Halloween Scare Tactics” DLC Too.Missing: patches | Show results with:patches
[26]
The Near Nuclear War of 1983 | Air & Space Forces Magazine
Dec 2, 2022 · The most dangerous moment came when Able Archer 83 reached its climax: a simulated request to the national command authority for nuclear weapons ...
[27]
Inside Able Archer 83, the Nuclear War Game that Put U.S.-Soviet ...
Dec 6, 2016 · Able Archer 83, by the National Security Archive's Nate Jones, tells the story of this dangerous but largely unknown nuclear exercise.Missing: Phantom Doctrine
[28]
Phantom Doctrine Review: Tactical Espionage Action - GameSpot
Rating 9/10 · Review by GameSpot StaffAug 14, 2018 · In Phantom Doctrine, you have the choice of playing as either an American CIA or a Russian KGB agent in charge of their own group of spies.Missing: depiction | Show results with:depiction
[29]
[PDF] Official Phantom Doctrine Manual - Akamaihd.net
Recruiting enemy moles, or hiring and firing many Agents in a row. The MK Ultra facility can help mitigate this. • Initiating Combat in an Infiltration mission.
[30]
Timeline | Phantom Doctrine Wiki - Fandom
Beholder Initiative is founded as an international lobby group. 1956. Operation Gladio is officially established. 1963. November 22nd - President JFK is ...
[31]
NATO's Secret Armies: Synopsis - Parallel History Project
Secret Warfare: Operation Gladio and NATO's Stay-Behind Armies Synopsis of the Book. Chapter One: A terrorist attack in Italy. This chapter describes the ...
[32]
'Phantom Doctrine' Tackles Turn-Based Tactics Without Dice Rolls
Jan 3, 2018 · This alternate history war between the CIA, KGB and Mossad aims to provide turn-based gunplay with almost no randomness at all.
[33]
https://www.britannica.com/event/Iran-Contra-Affair
[34]
MK-Ultra: The CIA's secret pursuit of 'mind control' - BBC
Mar 30, 2022 · The CIA ordered the creation of a secret programme intended to find ways of mind control. They funded an army of psychiatric institutions across the United ...Missing: Phantom Doctrine inspiration
[35]
The Spy Games of 'Phantom Doctrine' Offer More Style Than ... - VICE
Aug 23, 2018 · Phantom Doctrine is a Cold War espionage-themed stealth tactics game, though most of what you'll be doing is far more Mission: Impossible than Tinker Tailor or ...Missing: historical inspirations
[36]
Phantom Doctrine - Playthrough Information / Brief Roadmap
Sep 10, 2019 · - There are three "factions" you can play as. KGB, CIA and Mossad/Israeli Nazi Hunter. Mossad doesn't unlock until you finish the game once.
[37]
Not getting how missions work... :: Phantom Doctrine General ...
Aug 18, 2018 · Assault missions against enemy agents allow only two agents, attacks against beholder cells allow six and for the story missions the numbers ...know what type of mission and team size - Steam CommunityHow many maps? :: Phantom Doctrine General DiscussionsMore results from steamcommunity.com
[38]
Need a bit of help understanding combat and being consistently ...
Aug 24, 2018 · Scout the enemy positions out yourself before starting combat, use the Spotter support ability, the Heartbeat Sensor ability, or find a spot ...General thread for questions/answers about gameplay mechanics.Going into missions guns blazing works, just armor up and play smart.More results from www.reddit.com
[39]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?l=french&id=1484583120
[40]
Overwatch system - Game Feedback - Snapshot Games Forums
Nov 13, 2018 · In Phantom Doctrine, you choose where and when you Overwatch. The further you set the Overwatch the thiner and sharper the Overwatch cone is. ...Missing: suppression momentum
[41]
For Your Eyes Only: 22 Tips For Surviving In Phantom Doctrine
Aug 18, 2018 · There are a few caveats to this move: Your agent needs to be standing right next your target, and needs to have more hit points than they do.Missing: espionage | Show results with:espionage
[42]
'Phantom Doctrine' Review: A Cold War 'XCOM' Without Die Rolls
Aug 21, 2018 · Much like 'XCOM', the grenades in 'Phantom Doctrine' provide a guaranteed amount of damage as long as you can make the throw. But beware ...
[43]
Review - Phantom Doctrine - WayTooManyGames
Sep 24, 2018 · Phantom Doctrine is a turn based tactics game that focuses on combining turn based stealth and combat to tell a story of CIA and KGB espionage.
[44]
Phantom Doctrine: Gameplay mechanics - Gamepressure.com
Aug 14, 2018 · Learn which gameplay mechanics have huge impact on the gameplay and what can be used against your enemies in Phantom Doctrine.
[45]
Full list of agents' backgrounds : r/PhantomDoctrine - Reddit
Aug 18, 2018 · A comprehensive list of all the possible backgrounds, and the associated benefits. Keep in mind that my list is not yet completed, and it will be updated.Agent Loyalty Event Choices : r/PhantomDoctrine - RedditCanonically, who are you actually playing? : r/PhantomDoctrineMore results from www.reddit.com
[46]
Agent backgrounds :: Phantom Doctrine General Discussions
Aug 18, 2018 · Here is the list of backgrounds I've encountered so far: Military/state agencies, BND / MPK / Pickpocket (ammo replenish from KO-d enemies), CIA / .44, BM / ...Phantom Doctrine General Game Feedback (non-technical)Collecting Unique Agents :: Phantom Doctrine General DiscussionsMore results from steamcommunity.com
[47]
Phantom Doctrine: Character development - Gamepressure.com
Aug 14, 2018 · In the picture above you can see a character sheet - their level, stats, perks, training, equipment, heat level and current location. Here, you ...
[48]
Guide :: Bits and Pieces, Nicely organized. - Steam Community
Aug 28, 2018 · Every Agent has a background. Each Background gives a Trained weapon and a Skill / Perk that would normally be aquired by training.
[49]
Skills | Phantom Doctrine Wiki - Fandom
Control Phrase, Takes control over an enemy agent subjected to Control Phrase. Automatically available on missions where enemy agents with the Cabal Control ...Missing: recruitment trees ideological shifts
[50]
Is it worth to recruit new agents at the beginning of a game - Reddit
Jan 15, 2020 · Hi, I have a question if there is any living person here. Is it better to recruit agents at the beginning of a game like lvl 2/3/4 and train ...Full list of agents' backgrounds : r/PhantomDoctrine - RedditAnyone got Advice for New player? : r/PhantomDoctrine - RedditMore results from www.reddit.comMissing: skill trees ideological shifts
[51]
Guide :: The best perks - Phantom Doctrine - Steam Community
Jun 3, 2019 · This guide is meant to give an overview which perks are in which tier (god-tier to garbage-tier). There will be no spoilers other than me mentioning the ...Missing: progression ideologies
[52]
Phantom Doctrine Reviews - OpenCritic
Phantom Doctrine is rated 'Fair' after being reviewed by 59 critics, with an overall average score of 73. It's ranked in the top 49% of games...
[53]
Phantom Doctrine review | Rock Paper Shotgun
Aug 14, 2018 · In Phantom Doctrine, unpicking a tangled web of conspiracy does not involve applying a skill. You just need to scan documents for key names, ...Missing: summary | Show results with:summary
[54]
Phantom Doctrine Review | TheSixthAxis
Aug 14, 2018 · Phantom Doctrine sees the player take on the role of a covert operative working within the Cabal secret organisation.Missing: plot summary<|separator|>
[55]
Phantom Doctrine review scores - our round-up of all the critics
Aug 14, 2018 · The game sits at an aggregated 79 on both Metacritic and OpenCritic, though that mixed overall score hides a disparate range of impressions.
[56]
Phantom Doctrine Steam Charts - SteamDB
Rating 72% (4,569) User reviews history. Mostly Positive; 72.14% SteamDB Rating; 3,383 74.0% positive reviews; 1,186 26.0% negative reviews. Sign in to see reviews chart.
[57]
Replayability? :: Phantom Doctrine General Discussions
Aug 7, 2018 · The replayability will be akin to the XCOM series in which almost everything will be randomized and pre-generated including maps, agents, loot placement, enemy ...So the game length was 40h according to devs - Steam CommunityIs the game really that repetitive? :: Phantom Doctrine General ...More results from steamcommunity.comMissing: feedback | Show results with:feedback
[58]
Phantom Doctrine Review - Video Chums
Rating 7.4/10 · Review by A.J. MaciejewskiAug 28, 2018 · It'll likely take you over 40 hours to complete which is impressively lengthy, too. When you look at the different perspectives, randomness of ...
[59]
Phantom Doctrine - Reddit
Aug 23, 2017 · This will be a list of the agent events I've found in Phantom Doctrine, especially during Chapter 6 where multiple events proc one after the ...
[60]
https://steamcommunity.com/app/559100/discussions/0/2727382174645154887/
[61]
Just a couple endgame questions : r/PhantomDoctrine - Reddit
Jun 27, 2019 · There may have been an update since then. The replayability isnt very high, in my opinion. After my first game I decided to replay it as another ...SIB BattleTech or Phantom Doctrine : r/ShouldIbuythisgamePhantom Doctrine – A Brilliant but Flawed X-COM-a-likeMore results from www.reddit.comMissing: feedback | Show results with:feedback
[62]
Mod Support Added To Espionage Strategy Game Phantom Doctrine
Mar 6, 2019 · Stealth strategy and tactics game Phantom Doctrine now has mod support. ... This modding capability is not tied to the Steam Workshop ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[63]
No mods for this game? :: Phantom Doctrine General Discussions
Sep 26, 2019 · They added mod support but the company folded before they could add workshop. Try the Nexus. I did find some mods on Nexus...but none of them ...Phantom Doctrine Modding and Localization - DiscussionsNo mods for this game? :: Phantom Doctrine Discusiones generalesMore results from steamcommunity.com
[64]
https://www.nexusmods.com/phantomdoctrine/mods/5
[65]
Phantom Doctrine Modding and Localization - [Guide]
Feb 5, 2019 · Below you will find all the details necessary to have some fun with modding Phantom Doctrine, alter the texts in the game or add new localizations.
[66]
Phantom Doctrine Official Patch Notes, page 1 - Forum - GOG.com
We believe that with Patch 1.0.4, the significant majority of LoS/LoF, animation and combat system issues should now be solved. If necessary, we will keep ...
[67]
Phantom Doctrine Resolves Phantom Shots With New Patch
Aug 21, 2018 · The patch notes also included an "improved direction of leaning out from full cover," "increased visibility of CCTV terminals and loot/secret ...
[68]
Phantom Doctrine Patch 1.0.6 Released! - Steam Community
Removed an exploit resetting agent Heat with a tech unlock; Improved tooltips for armor, weapons and items when comparing them. Bugfixes: Removed an issue with ...
[69]
Phantom Doctrine Full Clearance Update 1.1 granted! - Steam News
Phantom Doctrine Full Clearance Update 1.1 Greetings, Agents! We are back with another patch for Phantom Doctrine, this time introducing Update 1.1!<|separator|>
[70]
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/189706-nintendo-switch/77766763
[71]
Phantom Doctrine - PCGamingWiki PCGW
Aug 30, 2025 · Disable Motion Blur. Go to the configuration file(s) location. Open Engine.ini . Add the following to the end of the file and save it.
[72]
Steam Workshop support? :: Phantom Doctrine General Discussions
Aug 13, 2018 · I saw a reviews that said the development group has disbanded so he doesn't think the game is going to get more updates or a workshop. You might ...Missing: ongoing 2024 2025
[73]
https://steamcommunity.com/app/559100/discussions/0/1744469130481566664/
[74]
A fix for the bug that's plagued many players.... : r/PhantomDoctrine
Jun 23, 2023 · Attempting to start the game with your internet on will cause it to crash as you boot up. There's a fix over on the Steam Community forums for it.r/PhantomDoctrine - Phantom Doctrine Patch 1.0.5 Notes - RedditPhantom Doctrine | Day 2 Update | Game Manual - RedditMore results from www.reddit.com