Metaphor: ReFantazio Showcase Reveals More Election Candidates, Allies

Atlus held its third dedicated showcase presentation for Metaphor: ReFantazio. The eighteen-minute video, hosted by director Katsura Hashino, introduces more of the characters vying for the throne of the United Kingdom of Euchronia, as well as some of the additional allies players will find during their journey.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is set in the United Kingdom of Euchronia, which is made up of three constituent countries populated by eight different tribes. The game begins with its king assassinated. The game’s protagonist — accompanied by the fairy Gallica — is in the capital for the king’s funeral, on a mission to save the crown prince from his current curse by assassinating Louis, the one responsible for it. However, in order to fill the power vacuum, a special spell is cast that announces a tournament for the throne, where the person who has earned the most faith of the citizens as of the October Day of the Hero will be granted the throne.

Those who participate in the tournament are tasked with visiting the kingdom’s major cities and garner support by completing challenges set for them. The first challenge sees candidates head to Port Brilehaven, where they must try and bring in the biggest monster head. Those who get through this round will head to Altabury Heights for the next challenge. During the tournament, Sanctist crier Batlin is responsible for keeping the public updated and engaged with the tournament. Some of the major candidates competing against the protagonist in the tournament include:

• Forden — The Sanctifex and supreme authority of the state religion of Sanctism, as well as the head of theocratic government. He has gained wide support as the leader of a moderate faction.
• Louis — An army officer who believe in establishing a true meritocracy. He has great martial and magical skills, and is gaining support among young radicals.
• Gideaux — Forden’s primary bodyguard and captain of the Monk Army. He supposedly is not interested in becoming king, but acts hostile to the protagonist due to him being from the elda tribe.
• Glodell — Louis’s ambitious subordinate, he is also openly hostile to the protagonist.
• Milo — A member of ishkia tribe, he wants those of beauty to strip the hideous of their titles and has a legion of screaming fans.
• Loveless — The third son of a tavern owner who uses the slogan “All you can drink, all year round!” that reflects his hedonistic traits.
• Rudolf — A roussainte who pledges to establish a military dictatorship with the roussainte at its head.
• Lina — A eugief and the daughter of the family behind the Kayden Workshop, who is running to promote their gauntlet runner business.
• Goddard — A rhoag demolitionist who wants to give preferential treatment to the elderly, taxing the young to pay for it.
• Roger — A young clemar man who pushes for “true freedom” with no taxes, laws, and religion.
• Jin — A nidia man who changes his campaign pledges depending entirely on who he needs to please at that moment.
• Julian — A ishkia man who is conscious about the rights of animals and monsters, even those who threaten people.
• Edeni — A mustari island chief who advocates religious freedom.

All of the above candidates are powerful people in their own way, each with expansive gauntlet runners (giant armoured vehicles) at their disposal. However, their interactions with the protagonist and the protagonist’s actions will see some of the candidates throwing their support behind the protagonist. Players will be able to hear people’s opinions of the candidates as they wander around towns. There is also a popularity ranking that players can check, with the protagonist starting out below 8,000th reflecting his unknown status, though this is entirely story-based.

In addition to their party allies, there are other allies who will support the player and their campaign. Players can find more allies by helping those with problems in the cities they visit, and build up relationships with them. These supporters, known in-game as followers, can provide players with new Archetypes to use in battle. Some of the followers available include:

• Brigitta — A rhoag who owns a magic igniter shop in the capital. She is interested in the protagonist being a member of the elda tribe, testing his strength and granting the Merchant Archetype.
• Maria — A girl who lives at the Hushed Honeybee Inn in the capital. She has mixed rhoag and ishkia background and is separated from her parents, she looks forward to the protagonist’s stories of his travels and grants the Healer Archetype.
• Bardon — A roussainte guard corps captain in Martira. He is a simple and earnest man who faces multiple problems in his town. He grants access to the Commander Archtype.
• Alonzo — An enigmatic nidia man in Martira. He encourages the protagonist to undertake a certain quest and gives access to the Faker Archetype.
• Catherina — A paripus bounty hunter and a tournament candidate herself looking to stand up for her tribe. She awakens the Brawler Archetype.

In addition to these followers, players can also build follower relationships with their party members including Strohl and Hulkenberg. Upgrading relationships with followers will unlock evolutions of Archetypes as well as additional abilities.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is created by the team behind Persona series. It will release worldwide on October 11, 2024, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.