Metaphor: ReFantazio Review – THE BEST OF ATLUS?!

Is Metaphor: ReFantazio just a Persona game with a new coat of paint, or does it truly offer a unique RPG experience? Well, to be honest, it’s kind of both. Now it’s no surprise that, being developed by Atlus, Metaphor: ReFantazio heavily leans into its Shin Megami Tensei and Persona roots, from the stylistic turn-based combat and forming bonds to increase the strength of your Personas *ahem* I mean archetypes, to even including social stats that increase your ability to take on specific missions and create certain bonds. One thing for sure is that Metaphor: ReFantazio can much more fairly be compared to the Persona games than some of Atlus’ other series… Particularly one that came before Persona anyway…

A Delightful, Yet Dark Tale

Metaphor: ReFantazio is about a fight for the crown in the United Kingdom of Euchronia, after the assassination of its king causes the whole land to fall into dismay. Unlike most other kingdoms however, the new ruler is to be decided by, what the game calls, a popularity contest. As the main protagonist, it’s up to you to gain as much support from the people as possible to try and win the crown. Not for yourself though, but instead for the prince who has been long thought dead. But it doesn’t seem to be that straightforward as you have to face off against the king’s assassin Louis, who is power hungry and basically just a straight up prick, whilst on the other hand staving off the church’s rigged shenanigans through Sanctifex Forden.

Honestly, this narrative is strangely as far from a Persona title as it can be, whilst also seeming like it could fit into the Persona universe. I know that sounds confusing, but hear me out. There are certain aspects of the story that seem like vintage Persona, like meeting More in a strange library known as Academia, which all happens in the protagonist’s head, much like with the various forms of the velvet room. Some characters even comment on him standing around looking goofy whilst there.

The overall theme of choice is the discrimination of classes and races, which closely mirrors similar themes in the Persona series, with the protagonist and co being the marginalised people of society. However, much of the narrative flow is still very much its own. Going after the crown in this fantasy based universe and seeing the twists and turns along the way is thrilling and intriguing, and I honestly found myself seeing something new around each and every corner.

Turn-Based Combat at its Best!

The gameplay is definitely going to be the most familiar part for any longtime Atlus fans. The combat is at its absolute best here with many recognisable tropes! The stylistic UI for choosing attacks and tactics is front and center, with the aim being to find and exploit enemies weaknesses. You know the drill… However, unlike some of Atlus’ other titles, particular elements of the combat system have taken on a completely new approach. Instead of just a series of turn based battles, Metaphor: ReFantazio gives you the opportunity to smack enemies in real time, with a succession of blows causing enemies to be stunned giving you the upper hand when diving into the turn-based tussle. If an enemy is significantly weaker than you, it will be instantly defeated, meaning you can avoid many unnecessary fights! But on the flip side, if you get hit by an enemy, turn based combat begins and you are at a disadvantage. So it is very much a risk and reward system. But, you can always simply bypass it for traditional turn-based combat anyway!

In turn-based combat itself, the Press Turn Battle system is back. With each action consuming a “turn” icon, whilst critical hits and attacking weakness consuming only half a turn, resource management and understanding the enemy is a must! One wrong move can end up wasting a whole round of offense! Honestly, this combat style can be pretty challenging and frustrating at times, especially if initiated by an opponent, but is super rewarding when you come out on top. So, study each foe carefully, as most weaknesses do actually make sense to the opponent you’re facing. If the enemy has fire elements, chances are ice will do the trick, if they are wearing armour, probably best to not try and hit them with a blade. I know this is nothing new, but it is nice to see a more common-sense approach to the enemy weaknesses, as having to play a guessing game was one of my annoyances with the Persona games!

If you do find yourself making mistakes in combat, Metaphor: ReFantazio is slightly merciful and allows you to restart an encounter at any time, meaning you get back the HP and MP that was used up in that battle, but also retain the insight that you gained from it. Say what you will about a retry option, but I honestly really liked it, because it meant that I could learn how an enemy operated and then put that knowledge to the test at the start of the battle.

Archetypes: Metaphor’s Personas?

Archetypes are Metaphor’s version of demons or Personas, with each member of your party awakening to their power throughout the course of the story. There are many archetypes to unlock, but not in the way you might expect. Archetypes are unlocked through forming bonds with various characters in the world, because you know, this game isn’t all about dungeon crawling!

Meeting new allies, or followers as this game calls it, unlocks new archetypes and strengthening these bonds can add some nice little bonuses to the development of the archetypes. You can change them for each member of your party, giving you more freedom to choose how you approach each dungeon. Just be aware that once you’re in a battle, you cannot change the ones you’ve chosen, so a variety in the party is always encouraged. I also really liked the fact that you could inherit skills from other archetypes to the main one that you want to use, meaning that you could have a bit more flexibility when in combat.

Metaphor: ReFantazio’s Stunning World!

There are many areas to explore outside of the dungeons as well. This is where you can improve your social stats, or royal virtues as it’s called here. Some people can only be interacted with once a virtue reaches a certain level. It’s the classic, “you wanted to say that, but you didn’t have enough courage!” There are plenty of requests to take on within the various towns as well, from delivering packages to defeating certain monsters that have been causing problems for the town’s inhabitants. In this regard, it really is your typical JRPG. Also, I can’t get over how awesome it looks as you traverse each area whilst riding a flying sword. It makes the protagonist look badass!

Key moments in the game are built around the “Days Till” approach. When you are exploring main story dungeons or attempting to take down these bosses, they are often accompanied by a counter that will tell you when it has to be completed by. Failing to complete them by a certain date will mean you will need to restart that section of the game, so planning ahead will help you to tackle these dungeons whilst building up your various stats and bonds.

Like many other Atlus JRPGs, my default choice for the voice acting is English, and Metaphor: ReFantazio shows exactly why! The voice cast has done an absolutely stellar job in bringing each of these characters to life! I just love hearing the various English and Scottish voices throughout the game. Especially with the mixture of intense and witty dialogue! It gives opportunity for moments to feel heated, whilst still allowing space for humour and light-hearted banter.

Shoji Meg-eval

I have to mention the music here! As expected from Shoji Meguro and the team at Atlus, the soundtrack is absolutely spectacular! The classical orchestral feel mixed with powerful choir vocals is perfect for this game. I mean just listen to how intense these battles sound from the music alone! It really made me feel like I was on an epic adventure. Now I do have one very tiny criticism with the music, and it can be completely fixed in menus anyway, but the default mix occasionally drowns out the dialogue. It doesn’t happen often, and like I said it can be fixed in the settings, but it was just one of those small things that did stick out to me, and meant I actually needed to go into the settings to change the volume.

Also, I don’t think that the SFX department gets enough credit for these types of games! Like seriously, hearing each little click as you select different options in menus and battles, and the sound of each attack as it lands really takes the experience to the next level! The sound effects make everything feel like it has that bit more weight to it, which honestly you may not really notice, until you mute the SFX to see what a big gap is left.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is unsurprisingly stunning to look at. Not only is each character intricately designed, and looks great with this cell shaded approach, but the blend of what I can only describe as almost oil painting and pastel approach to the character portraits in the dialogue, makes the game look even more suited to the time period. Even the people that just fill out the world are quite a bit more detailed, which was one major criticism that Persona 5 received for its faceless NPCs, so it’s nice to see this level of care and attention here! The menus are also oozing with style. It basically screams at you to select different options with how vibrant they are! I mean how can I not want to select the equipment menu when the protagonist is looking all cool like that! But seriously, I know they are just menus. But given how much time you will spend in them, it is nice to see so much effort put in to make it feel like part of the game, rather than just a pause menu.

Decision

After investing so much time into Metaphor: ReFantazio, and being hooked for pretty much the entire journey, I absolutely recommend picking it up. The story is just so full of twists and turns, and interesting themes! There are moments to burst out laughing, grin from ear to ear, and even shed a tear or two. The stylised gameplay is so addictive, making you want to complete just one more day, or defeat just one more monster, until you’re in a loop and suddenly 50 hours in. Metaphor: ReFantazio is an absolute masterpiece and belongs on any JRPG fan’s shelf. The game is a true love letter to Atlus’ various titles. So if you’re a long-time fan, you will enjoy seeing new spins on familiar tropes. However, even if you haven’t played a JRPG before, Metaphor: ReFantazio is a fantastic starting point!

By Samuel Incze – Reviewed on PlayStation 5

Must Have

Metaphor: ReFantazio is a thrilling JRPG with a unique story and the typical engaging gameplay elements that Atlus is known for. The combat is challenging, featuring the press turn battle with a new risk-reward system adding depth to the classic turn-based formula. While the game shares some similarities with the Shin Megami Tensei and Persona series, such as social stats and character bonds, it carves its own path with a captivating narrative and stunning world. The excellent voice acting, music, and visuals further enhance the experience, making it a must-play for JRPG fans.

This game was reviewed using a download code provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The Beta Network uses affiliate partnerships, however, this does not influence reviews or any other content published. The Beta Network may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links that are on the website.

MORE LIKE THIS!

• REYNATIS Review – WHAT VERSUS XIII COULD’VE BEEN?
• The Plucky Squire Review – PAGES OF WONDER
• Astro Bot Review – A PLAYSTATION LOVE LETTER WRAPPED IN ADDICTIVE GAMEPLAY!
• Age of Mythology: Retold Review – UNLEASH THE TITANS!
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Review – MORE LIKE DULL-BLADE