Deal | This tactical co-op top-down shooter is 50% off on Steam for a limited time

The first game by developer Ctrl Freak and published by Super Rare Originals, Phantom Squad, released in July of 2025, is a tactical co-op top-down shooter in which player coordination is vital for success. Recruits will need to strategize their approach, taking advantage of the environment, like key positioning, taking advantage of blind spots and bottlenecks. The game was inspired by many other amazing tactical shooters, such as Doorkickers, Ready or Not, and Rainbow Six Siege. ” Plan your entry, cover each angle, and move as one unit.”

Synchronizing movements also plays a key role in missions, as each strategy often depends on squadmates executing their actions with precision. “One shot can make or break your mission.” So team up with your friends or play online public matches in a 3-man team, but be careful of friendly fire. 

Gamers can choose their play style; whether they adopt a slow-and-steady approach or a more run-and-gun style is completely up to them. As long as they utilize the tools given to them, like the in-game voice chat. “Firepower isn’t enough.” Squad members will have access to over 20 tactical gadgets, such as scouting devices and breaching tools, to give them the edge they need on their missions.

Many avid tactical shooter fans have praised the game for its unique take on the tactical shooter genre with a top-down view, especially because its inspirations were highly rated in their respective genres, like Doorkickers for its top-down perspective or Ready or Not for its heavy focus on tactics and realism. 

Some have voiced concerns, even though they enjoyed the game, about the lack of single-player offline play. However, it turns out that this was a bug and was fixed by the devs in a later patch. They are also very good at communicating with their audience, even addressing issues raised in negative reviews. While a few avid fans have lamented the lack of friends to play with, matchmaking was a feature being worked on at the time and has since gone live. In both cases, the developer has made it a point to address the issue and respond to the reviews. 

Phantom Squad is currently ranked Very Positive on Steam, with over 350 positive reviews, and can be purchased at a 50% discount for $6.99.

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