**Note: We were given a free copy for review purposes and may earn revenue from links!
Portal Fantasy is a new addition to the monster-capture genre—very much in the vein of Pokémon—from a studio called (and I kid you not)… Portal Fantasy Team. I know, I know, the name makes it sound like a high school group project that forgot to come up with a team name. Combine that with the fact that this is their first-ever game, and you’d be forgiven for thinking it might be a clunky mess.
But let me tell you: I am so glad I gave this a shot.
Portal Fantasy takes a big scoop of Pokémon (cough cough—I mean capture games, we don’t need another Palworld incident here), adds a bunch of its own creative spice, and manages to stand proudly on its own two pixelated feet, while still hitting that sweet nostalgia spot for fans of the OG genre.
When I say throwback, I mean way back. Not quite Game Boy Red-and-Blue era (there is colour, after all), but it definitely shares a vibe with the Gold/Silver and Ruby/Sapphire gens. And honestly? That’s some pretty solid company to keep.
Portal Fantasy uses retro-pixel graphics with a bird’s-eye overworld, where you’ll spend half your time, and side-view battle scenes where your Porbles (your cute but ferocious collectible minions) throw down.
There are tons of Porbles spread across several biomes (I played through three and felt like I was just scratching the surface). Most of them are lurking in—yep, you guessed it—tall grass. Some traditions are sacred.
Once the battle starts, the Porble-on-Porble combat will be instantly familiar to genre veterans. You’ve got your starter Porble squaring off against your opponent’s, with others on the bench waiting to jump in. There’s the classic elemental strength/weakness system, a slew of shared and unique abilities, and new powers unlock as your Porbles level up. You know the drill—but it’s polished and satisfying.
Before I get into the gameplay twists, let’s talk about the MUSIC.
Holy pixels, this soundtrack has no business being this good for a debut indie game. I tried to hunt down the composer but came up empty-handed—which is tragic because they deserve a medal or at least a pizza. Every biome has its own theme, and every single one slaps. Genuinely, I think this is the best music I’ve heard in a game I’ve reviewed in The Unsung Gamer.
Okay, back to the actual game.
The portals (yes, the ones in the name) are a fantastic feature. They let you jump between biomes quickly, which is a godsend when you’re trying to chase down that elusive Porble or collect biome-specific crafting mats.
Even better, the adventure maps are puzzle-rich. Instead of just wandering aimlessly looking for battles, you’ll find secret areas, hidden rewards, and a world that actually feels alive. One of my biggest gripes with Pokémon is that the overworld often feels like a pretty hallway to the next battle. Portal Fantasy improves on that in a big way.
The base combat doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s tight and responsive. You use basic maneuvers and attacks while waiting to fill your meter and unleash your Porble’s primary or unique abilities. There are nice additions like group passives and a stun mechanic via an armor system—break the armor, stun the Porble. Strategic, satisfying, and just different enough.
But the real fun comes after the fight:
Defeated or captured Porbles drop parts that you can use for crafting, upgrading stats, and even customizing your Porbles’ colors and appearances.
Now… the game says you’re not sacrificing captured Porbles. You’re sending them back to the raw magic from whence they came to “help” your other Porbles grow. But look—I’ve played enough games to know ritualistic transmogrification when I see it. Still, if that’s the price of power… I mean, who am I to judge?
Jokes aside, this system is a brilliant addition. Nintendo, take notes. I get that every Pokémon is basically a mini IP, but for players who love personalization, this system is going to hit hard.
Despite being from a tiny dev team with a very “placeholder” name, Portal Fantasy Team delivered something genuinely special. This isn’t a knock-off. It’s a loving homage with smart upgrades and a personality all its own.
Monster capture fans—do not sleep on this game. It’s fun, charming, nostalgic, and just innovative enough to stand apart. I can’t wait to see what this team does next.
