Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade, an action-packed RPG inspired by the anime, made its global debut on November 7, 2024. Dive into thrilling, fast-paced combat, relive iconic moments with beloved characters, and embrace strategic team-building gameplay. This Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade Review will explore the game’s standout features and evaluate its overall quality.
For this review, I played Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade on an iPhone 11, clocking in around 50 hours of cumulative gameplay. My journey began with the game’s early access release in Japan and continued into its global launch. Drawing from my hands-on experience and extensive research, this review provides a well-rounded evaluation, showcasing the game’s strengths while addressing areas that could see improvement.
Additionally, I can provide insights on essential topics, including redeem codes, beginner tips, reroll methods, team-building strategies, a customer support guide, a cube resource guide, and tier lists to help you start strong.
Battling Curses as the Story unfolds
Starting this review, let’s first explore the storyline of Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade, which is a critical aspect of any anime-inspired game. Since the game is rooted in the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, a series renowned for its compelling plot and emotionally charged moments, expectations are naturally high.
What I liked about the storyline is how it weaves in elements from the anime while introducing original content that feels authentic to the universe. Familiar events from the series, such as battles against iconic curses and pivotal moments involving Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, and Nobara Kugisaki, are reimagined in a way that feels dynamic and engaging. This creates a sense of nostalgia while keeping the experience fresh for players who already know the series.
One thing I noticed is that the main character’s interactions are a standout. The game effectively captures Yuji’s determined personality, Gojo’s playful yet mysterious demeanor, and even the darker undertones of the antagonists. However, I feel that some of the side characters don’t get as much attention as they deserve. While they are visually stunning and well-voiced, their stories sometimes feel rushed or overshadowed by the main events.
Another aspect worth noting is the pacing. The story progression aligns well with the combat, making battles feel purposeful. However, there are moments when filler-like missions interrupt the flow, which can slightly detract from the experience.
Overall, the storyline strikes a balance between fan service and new content. While there is room for improvement in fleshing out the side stories and pacing, it remains a strong pillar of the game that will resonate with fans of the series and newcomers alike.
The gameplay features a basic turn-based combat without much to offer
The gameplay of Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade is straightforward, featuring a turn-based combat system where players assemble teams of characters with a basic elemental triangle: red beats green, green beats blue, and blue beats red. While this element system is easy to grasp and makes combat approachable, it doesn’t offer the complexity that some players, like myself, might crave.
What I like about this system is that it keeps things fun and accessible for casual players. You don’t need to spend hours researching or crafting intricate strategies; you can jump in and enjoy battles with your favorite characters right away. The simplicity of matching elements means that players can focus on upgrading characters and enjoying the story.
However, for someone like me who enjoys theory crafting, experimenting with unique team compositions, and finding great combos, the gameplay doesn’t deliver much excitement. It’s basic—there’s not much room for creativity or synergy beyond picking the “right color” for the situation. Combos or chaining skills are minimal, and battles often feel like a rinse-and-repeat routine rather than a puzzle to solve.
Another thing I noticed is that while the animations are polished and true to the anime, they can’t make up for the lack of depth. The lack of variety in mechanics and team dynamics means that the gameplay might feel stale after a while, especially if you’re someone who loves testing different setups or finding niche strategies.
In short, while the gameplay is fun because it is simple, easy-to-learn combat, it’s not something I’d consider exciting or innovative. It works for quick sessions and anime fan service but falls short for players looking for a more rewarding, strategic experience.
Character Design succeeds in staying true to the Anime’s Spirit
One of the strongest aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade is its character design. The characters are beautifully crafted, staying true to their anime counterparts in both appearance and personality. What really stands out to me is how detailed the character profiles are as they feel alive, with animations and expressions that mirror the series perfectly. Even in a turn-based format, they manage to retain the essence of what makes each character unique.
The banners are another highlight. Despite the repetition of certain characters with different elements and classes like a red-element Gojo versus a blue-element Gojo, the game does a good job of differentiating them. The new roles and skill variations for these versions provide just enough distinction to keep things interesting without feeling redundant.
I also noticed how much effort went into making the designs as anime-accurate as possible, despite the limitations of the turn-based genre. Every detail, from the characters’ outfits to their combat animations, reflects their personalities and abilities from the series.
Whether it’s Yuji’s raw determination or Gojo’s playful confidence, it’s clear that the developers prioritized staying faithful to the source material. While the repetitive nature of elemental variations might feel overdone in other games, here it works because the designs and animations make each character feel fresh.
If you’re a fan of Jujutsu Kaisen, seeing your favorite characters brought to life in this way is satisfying. Overall, the character design in Phantom Parade not only captures the spirit of the anime but also enhances it, making the game visually engaging and emotionally connected to the source material.
The in-game Environment Design effectively highlights the World of Curses
What I like about Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade is how the game brings the world of curses to life with its amazing environment design. The settings are dark and creepy, capturing the scary and mysterious vibe of the Jujutsu Kaisen universe.
You will notice how much detail goes into cursed areas and city landscapes, making them feel real and immersive. Fans of the anime will appreciate how closely the game matches the original tone. It’s like stepping into the show, and this adds a lot to the overall experience.
However, the game has its downside too. After playing for a while, the stages can feel repetitive. The layouts don’t change much, and this makes the exploration less exciting over time. It feels like you are stuck in similar areas rather than discovering new places. This can make the game a bit boring, especially if you like variety in your games.
Skill Effects look better with Audio and Graphics
The audio and graphics in Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade does a decent job of showcasing the skill effects. The sound effects are sharp and match the flashy visuals of each attack, giving some weight to the combat.
The voice lines during battles also add energy, especially when iconic characters shout their moves. The graphics for skills are vibrant and colorful, with animations that bring the cursed techniques to life. They capture the intense and chaotic feel of the Jujutsu Kaisen universe, which fans will enjoy.
But while the audio and visuals are good, they don’t feel groundbreaking. The graphics are nice but look like what you’d expect from most anime-inspired mobile games. There isn’t much uniqueness in the effects that make the game stand out. Also, some sound effects can feel repetitive after a while, which might make battles less exciting over time.
Overall, the audio and graphics do their job but don’t go above and beyond. If you’re a fan of the series, you’ll appreciate seeing your favorite techniques in action, but if you’re looking for something truly special, it might leave you wanting more.
Decent turn-based controls with thematic UI
The turn-based controls in Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade are simple and easy to learn, which is great for both beginners and seasoned players. The game provides clear prompts during battles, so you always know which moves to pick.
The UI (user interface) fits the theme of the Jujutsu Kaisen universe well, using dark colors and cursed-style elements to keep the game’s look consistent with the anime. It’s nice to see a clean layout that doesn’t feel too overwhelming, even with so many features to explore.
However, while the controls and interface work well, they don’t offer anything particularly new. The turn-based combat is standard for mobile games, with little innovation to keep things fresh. At times, the UI can feel cluttered, especially during events or when navigating menus. It’s functional but not as polished as it could be.
Overall, the turn-based gameplay does the job, and the thematic design adds charm, but it doesn’t go beyond basic expectations. Fans of the series will enjoy the familiar style, but if you’re looking for groundbreaking mechanics, this game might feel average.
The game’s Gacha System might curse your luck and wallet
Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade has a typical gacha system, where you can spend in-game currency or real money to pull for characters and items. It offers a battle pass and bundles that give extra rewards if you spend money.
While the gacha rates are decent compared to some other games, luck still plays a huge role. This can make it frustrating if you’re aiming for specific characters, especially since pulling duplicates is often needed to make them stronger.
The battle pass and bundles give a small edge, but they’re not game-changing. You can play without spending, but progression might feel slower. The IAPs feel overpriced, especially for players who want quick progress or need rare characters.
The system might appeal to fans of Jujutsu Kaisen, but for most, it feels like a money trap rather than a fair deal. Overall, the gacha system works fine, but it doesn’t stand out. It provides chances for good pulls but leans heavily on spending, which can take away some fun for free-to-play players.
Final Verdict
Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade is a decent mobile RPG that will appeal to fans of the anime. It does a great job of staying true to the series with its character designs, engaging storyline, and atmospheric environments. However, the gameplay is simple and lacks depth, which might not satisfy players who enjoy complex strategies.
The gacha system provides fair rates but leans heavily on in-app purchases, which can frustrate free-to-play users. Overall, the game is fun for casual play and anime fan service but doesn’t offer much innovation for experienced gamers. It’s enjoyable but not groundbreaking.
Gameplay Mechanics – 6
Storyline – 7
Character and Environment Design – 9
Graphics and Music – 6.5
Controls and UI – 7
Free-to-Play Elements – 6.5
7
Average
Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade has done a great job of staying true to the series with its character designs and engaging storyline, albeit its gameplay lacks depth, while the gacha system relies heavily on IAPs.
That’s all from us for the Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade Review! Did you find my Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade Review helpful? Do let us know in the comments!
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