It’s not every day Atlus develops a game and it’s a new IP. The last time they tried something new was Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore in 2015, but it’s honestly more of a one-time crossover. You’ll have to go all the way back to 2011’s Catherine to find a new IP from Atlus.
What I’m trying to say is that Metaphor: ReFantazio is Atlus finally trying something new that isn’t Shin Megami Tensei, Devil Summoner, or Persona. After finishing it I can confidently say that the result is… well… a game that’s quite similar to Shin Megami Tensei, Devil Summoner, and Persona.
Is that a problem? No, not even slightly. In fact, Metaphor: ReFantazio might just be the best damn video game I’ve played this year.
When Katsura Hashino took his all-star team and started a new internal studio at Atlus there was excitement in the air. After the enormous success of Persona 5, the proof was in the pudding. These people knew how to make a good video game. When it was announced their new project would be a fantasy RPG (in contrast to the contemporary or futuristic settings seen in Persona and Shin Megami Tensei), I was ready to pay the price for the game up front.
The allure of RPGs to me, especially the Japanese RPGs that I love, has always been the combination of a fantasy world and intricate turn-based gameplay systems. When the world shares too much with something known (present-day Tokyo, medieval Europe, D&D, etc.) I tend to miss the sense of wonder and discovery I got from those old Final Fantasy games that shaped me.
Luckily the United Kingdom of Euchronia, where Metaphor: ReFantazio takes place, is a tour de force of world building. To be fair, none of it is particularly groundbreaking. Prejudice and racism between humanoid races? Seen that before. Magic is mysterious and not quite understood? Check. Traveling by unconventional machines? Oh yes. A church that immediately makes you question its motives? Been there.
What really makes it all work is that thing I can only (perhaps with prejudice) describe as “a weird Japanese take on it”. It’s not humans, elves or orcs—it’s Clemar, Rouissante, Paripus, Eugief and so on. It’s not wizards with staffs—it’s magic igniters fueled by Magla. It’s not airships—it’s ridiculous contraptions called Gauntlet Runners. I could go on, but the point is that both the visual design and story takes somewhat traditional fantasy tropes and makes them feel fresh and exciting. The entire game looks fantastic too. Not in terms of advanced graphics or frame rate, mind you, but it oozes style. The art direction, illustration, and even the UI are nothing short of incredible.
Then there’s the other part I mentioned, the “intricate turn-based gameplay systems”. Once again Metaphor: ReFantazio delivers in a way that’s not groundbreaking yet fantastic. The Press Turn system from Shin Megami Tensei makes a comeback, giving the player extra turns for exploiting enemy weaknesses. This is done by using the skills granted by Archetypes, basically equivalent of jobs in Final Fantasy V. As more Archetypes are unlocked you can inherit skills and form your all-star team, trying to cover as many enemy weak points as possible. Since any character can learn any Archetype you can always adapt to challenging battles in the game—and there are quite a few. It’s both fun, strategic, and rewarding.
These Archetypes, then, how do you unlock them? Wouldn’t you know it… it’s another existing system! The social links from the Persona series makes a return. Key characters in the game are associated with Archetypes and by spending time with them you unlock new stronger archetypes. This works much like in Persona 5 where you (for story reasons) have a set number of days until something important needs to happen. Each day can be spent doing various things that takes a set amount of time, including socializing. Though I have to say I applaud Atlus for not making these social links romantic in Metaphor: ReFantazio. The interactions between characters and their reasons for supporting you are heavily tied in to the story and driven by their personal struggles. I believe dating would potentially have ruined this completely. Sorry, Baldur’s Gate 3 crowd!
Another marked improvement in Metaphor: ReFantazio’s take on time management is that the game offers you more choices and environments in your free time. There are optional dungeons and battles to explore and you actual have to travel there in your Gauntlet Runner. This takes a few days so of course you have to pass the time there too, perhaps by reading a book or talking to your party members. Throughout the story you also end up in different cities, offering even more intriguing context to whichever pastime activities you choose. Compared to Persona 5 and its choice of Tokyo or subway tunnels it’s a welcome change of scenery.
As for the story itself, I’ll refrain from talking about it too much. I thought it was great but I find that most RPGs are more enjoyable when you go in blind. Let’s just say there are relatable themes, great characters, surprising twists, and much at stake.
I could probably write quite a few more paragraphs. I could write about how the dungeon design is the perfect mix of old school and accessible, how the optional bosses feel peak JRPG, how fantastically weird and delightful the music is, how riding a sword like a skateboard is genius, how the bosses are all like Hieronymus Bosch paintings… the list goes on. But who has time to read all that? So let me leave you with this: Metaphor: ReFantazio is the best Japanese RPG to come out in years and you should play it.
Things I liked:
- Takes all the best parts of previous Atlus games and makes them even better
- Interesting characters in an intriguing fantasy world
- Turn-based battle system tuned to perfection
- Absolutely jaw-dropping visual style
- A story that feels both serious and has that classic over-the-top JRPG feel
- The music is uniquely fitting and very different from most other games—quite a feat
- Stellar voice acting, for once!
Things I didn’t like:
- Honestly can’t think of anything… that’s good, right?