Phantom Doctrine aims to right two particular wrongs in one fell swoop. The first would be for it to tackle the moderately underused XCOM-ish gameplay mechanics: the strategic meta-layer, and the tactical combat features. The second is the fact that it is spy-themed, which isn't something you see every day.
Set at the peak of Cold War, Phantom Doctrine will have players take over The Cabal, a clandestine organisation tasked with preventing a global conspiracy from coming to head. They will do so by carrying out secret missions, completing interrogations, assassinating targets, and investigating classified data.
Phantom Doctrine aims not only to repurpose the features that we've come to know and love in the likes of XCOM, but also to build upon this chassis by adding, say, variable Overwatch modes, the ability to breach rooms and more. There's also the Investigation Board feature, where players will use the classic pinboard-and-string technique to figure out what's what.
Though Phantom Doctrine does feature multiplayer capability, developers have come out to give a rough estimate of the game's singleplayer campaign mode, which will be about 40 hours long for non-completionists, which sounds like just the right amount of playtime for one such title.
Phantom Doctrine is slated for release on 14th of August, and if you're eager for something new and potentially innovative in the genre, why not give the game a once-over, if nothing else? Here's hoping that the developers are as good at making games as they are at showcasing interesting features.
