Metaphor: ReFantazio Review

Contending the Crown

Back in 2016, Atlus teased a full-scale fantasy RPG featuring staff that had worked on some of their most successful releases. With Atlus gaining a solid fanbase in recent years due to its high-quality RPGs, it came as no surprise that Metaphor: ReFantazio immediately caught the attention of many RPGamers. While sharing common ground with the Persona series, it stands apart thanks to the novel use of its mechanics as well as its original fantasy setting. The balance between combat, exploring, quests, and deepening bonds is excellent and the story, world-building, and presentation providing superb support to make Metaphor: ReFantazio a game contending to be among Atlus’s greatest titles.

Metaphor: ReFantazio takes players to a fantasy land inhabited by different races where the king has just been assassinated and the crown prince is believed to be dead. Consequently, players become part of an intriguing dispute for the throne. The late king planned the rules for the succession and participants are protected by magic that prevents them from being killed, making it a race based on earning the citizen’s faith through political or other manipulation. Players take on the role of the much-maligned Elda tribe. The other races despise the Elda, making gaining support from people an even tougher mission. He is accompanied by a likable and loyal fairy called Gallica, who serves as a guide and moral support throughout the story. Their mission is to lift the curse that is actually afflicting the prince, and as more allies join their cause, the pathway towards doing so lies in joining the contest for the throne. Several tragic events make this story highly dynamic, unpredictable, and heartwarming. As the story progresses, the protagonist enjoys reading a fantasy novel about a utopian world, inspiring him to create a better world with the writing doing great by blending the two elements.

The game has a great antagonist called Louis, who is believed to be behind the tragic events of the king and the prince. Other contenders to the throne are effectively depicted with deceitful intentions and shady pasts while others have naive ideals of how the kingdom can be changed for the better. The party of allies is varied and motivates the protagonist by sharing their fears and dreams, be they nobles proving their worth of that word or just a powerful royal guard. There are also some societal outcasts in the group, such as Heismay’s mission to clear his name and then find a resting place for his son, which plucks the heartstrings. The songstress Juna is a charming yet reckless character who stands out as a charismatic party member while the rest of the followers who support the protagonist have fascinating backstories that are revealed as he deepens his bonds with them. Every town the party visits and every character they meet help with world-building, making this magical land a wonderful setting that invites players to complete every quest.

This world is full of magical creatures and dark dungeons.

Simple tweaks to battle system staples make combat entertaining and varied. Players can strike enemies while exploring, immediately defeating them if they are considerably weaker or stunning them if they manage to land enough damage. Taking advantage of this not only prevents unnecessary fighting but also mixes it up with turn-based battles to make combat and exploring flow together. When players stun enemies, this allows them to attack first in the turn-based battle, with agility determining the order in which party members act. Enemies can also surprise players and win the upper hand when engaging in combat if they attack the party members while they are distracted. Shin Megami Tensei and Persona fans will be familiar with the turn-based battle system that uses different types of attacks and elements, with each enemy and party member having their own set of weaknesses and resistance to these varied types of attacks. Players begin with one action per character during their turn, yet exploiting a weakness or landing a critical attack only consumes half an action, allowing players to use that extra action later on their party’s turn. However, being blocked or missing an attack also takes actions away.

Players can also use synthesis skills that consume two actions and the MP of two characters but which are considerably stronger than normal abilities. Using buffs, debuffs, and ailments also forms a crucial part of the strategy, especially when engaging in combat with foes with a lot of HP or strong attacks. With a large variety of ailments and skills to buff or debuff, players can find several ways to take down enemies. The inclusion of synthesis skills is also a welcome twist, as it provides more options during combat. The variety of enemies and bosses has players learning how to deal with them and enjoying engaging in combat throughout the game. The way in which all combat elements blend makes combat stand out by being utterly fun, challenging, and never getting boring or tiresome.

Archetypes work as the game’s class system. They are unlocked by forging bonds with followers, and by deepening these bonds, stronger versions of the same lineage are unlocked. For instance, the Summoner Archetype has the Devil Summoner as the last part of its lineage, invoking demons that fans of other Atlus entries will instantly recognize. Players spend points called MAG, which are obtained after combat or by interacting with followers, to activate an Archetype for a character, with some Archetypes having other conditions such as needing one or more other Archetypes to have reached a certain level. Archetypes affect the abilities characters learn, the stats, and the equipment that can be used. Players can also use Skill Inheritance to equip abilities unlocked from other Archetypes, which enables deep customization options. Players are free to choose which Archetypes to equip for each character and can freely change them, though the base abilities of some characters may make them more suited to some than others. This system works nicely as a job system and enables players to have a highly personalized party.

The key element of combat is discovering enemies’ weaknesses.

The calendar-based gameplay borrows somewhat from Persona but puts its own distinct spin on it. While in towns, the protagonist can explore and talk with their denizens to take on requests, shop, or improve royal attributes through events and activities. The five royal attributes are imagination, courage, tolerance, wisdom, and eloquence, making the protagonist a more solid leader and contender for the crown. The protagonist can also deepen his bonds with party members and other followers, with different abilities and bonuses granted by leveling up these relationships. The game is time-limited, with many activities that consume time and force players to plan their actions wisely. Outside of towns, players can spend time traveling to and exploring dungeons full of monsters. Some dungeons require players to solve puzzles to advance or have several hard-to-reach yet valuable objects. Unfortunately, dungeons are not as varied as one could want, making some of them, primarily the ones where bounties hide, feel generic. Metaphor shares a similar issue that Persona games have, as managing MP is often a frustrating enterprise.

The protagonist and his allies have main objectives that need to be completed before specific deadlines to progress in the main story. Players are free to choose how they want to spend their days and when to tackle the mission, with players generally limited to one activity during the afternoon and another one during the night. Time will need to be spent improving royal attributes as they are requirements for certain conversations with followers and are needed to deepen these relationships. There are, however, several ways to improve these attributes and the game has a good balance to allow players to raise all royal attributes and maximize everyone’s bonds in one run without needing to follow a guide. The balance between characters who can be found during the day and night is superb, allowing players to not feel like they are wasting precious time. The rewards players get for strengthening relationships aren’t just unlocking new Archetypes, but also include bonuses such as recovering MP after battles or getting discounts in shops, making these relationships have a significant impact on the main mechanics of the game.

Strengthening bonds rewards the protagonist with great backstories and abilities that make the journey easier.

Metaphor: ReFantanzio has a distinct and overall impressive visual style. Menus, dialogues, and even the model of characters make the user interface a refreshing take on the norm with its use of colors, shapes, effects, and other elements. Cutscenes and battle animations are a treat for the eyes. Enemies also have cool designs, especially bosses with weird and exaggerated features, while archetypes look extraordinary. The music helps deliver the grandeur of a fantasy world, including tracks with soft and emotive pianos, melodic strings, and chants that are both solemn and epic. Voice acting is superb, with each actor delivering high-quality lines, and having very convincing performances such as Joseph Tweedale as Louis and Alejandra Reynoso as Gallica.

The long wait for Metaphor: ReFantazio was worth the time. Everything is well planned, balanced, and executed, making it a game that has gained the recognition of fans and the media. There is a novelty in how the mechanics are implemented. Metaphor: ReFantazio is an amazing title and a strong contender for this year’s awards. Time will tell how iconic the game will be, but it will undoubtedly please Persona fans, hardcore RPGamers, and casual players alike.

Disclosure: This review is based on a free copy of the game provided by the publisher.

BATTLE SYSTEM

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INTERACTION

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ORIGINALITY

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STORY

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MUSIC & SOUND

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VISUALS

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ps5

60-80 HOURS

MODERATE

Great balance between the two main mechanics
Nice tweaks to combat
Soild story with great characters

Dungeons are a little repetitive
Managing MP can sometimes become frustrating