PHANTOM BRAVE (PLAYSTATION 2 PS2)

Phantom Brave is a strategy RPG set in the world of Ivory. Ivory consists of vast seas and many islands; it was once a peaceful place, but an ancient (and powerful) force now threatens life in the various lands. The character you control in the game is Marona, a 13-year-old orphan. Marona has the ability to communicate with ghosts, an ability that brings a lot of resentment from others, but will help her navigate the world and solve any problems that arise. A ghost known as Ash acts as Marona's guardian; as the game progresses, other ghosts will join your party, each with different abilities.

The game features a turn-based combat system. During battles, Marona is able to attack enemies on her own, and she can also summon ghosts to her party to help her. To summon ghosts, you'll need to confine them to an object on the screen (like a rock or a tree). Once confined to an object, you will then be able to control the ghost in combat, although ghosts only remain controllable for a limited number of turns. The item you confine a ghost to will affect its abilities; for example, a rock can make a ghost stronger but move slower. By defeating enemies in battle, you gain experience points to level up and become more powerful.

The story of the game unfolds in 20 episodes. Each episode has a unique objective to complete before moving on. Between episodes, you can visit your home on Phantom Island; here you can summon additional ghosts to join your party. Initially, only a few types of ghosts can be summoned, but more become available as experience is gained. You can also replay already completed episodes or enter a random dungeon to upgrade your party and earn extra money to buy items.