Let’s start with the required disclaimer, this op-ed does not reflect the feelings of the entire Gamer Social Club. Just one gamer who was pleasantly surprised to see her game of the year nominated.
If you stay up to date with the Game Awards, you’ve already heard the name Metaphor: ReFantazio. Like many people who don’t keep up with JRPGs, you might be wondering, where did this game come from? Buckle in for a quick history lesson.
A quick history of Atlus
These days, Atlus might be best known for its Persona series. However, it’s worth noting Persona was not their first IP. In the late 1980’s, Atlus created the Megami Tensei (SMT) series, which would eventually spawn the Persona series (among others). The Megami Tensei series is where many Atlus fans can find the first iterations of their favorite monsters/personas/demons. This is also where you’ll find the Atlus mascot Jack Frost for the first time. Don’t let his cute looks fool you, he is deadly.
In 1996, Atlus would release what the Western audience would know as their first Persona game Revelations: Persona. In Japan, this game would be introduced as Megami Ibunroku Persona. When the third Persona game (Persona 2: Eternal Sin) was released, it would drop the Shin Megami Tensei name. The series continued to diverge even further to stand on it’s own. While it included nods to its parent series, it’s harder to find the link in later games without looking history. Throw in Persona games having their own spin offs and you can imagine how the child has surpassed the parent.
It’s important to have the above context as we introduce Katsura Hashino, game director and producer. Hashino worked on the SMT series as well as Persona from 1994 to 2016. In 2016, Hashino left those series and established Studio Zero, a development team at Atlus, to create a new IP. One guess on what that ended up being. Did you get it? Two days after the announcement of Studio Zero, their first game was announced as Project Re:Fantasy. Last chance for your guess. This would become Metaphor: Re:Fantazio.
A Work in Progress
While Persona and SMT have found their footing in less traditional fantasy aesthetics, Metaphor goes back to basics. In the United Kingdom of Euchronia, you’ll find a magic, a king, and a variety of races for you to meet. Studio Zero focused on bringing a game that would ask, “how can we bring a meaningful fantasy game into this world?” It would be five years (2021) before a concrete direction for the game would have been decided.
It doesn’t mean that this would completely deviate from aspects that have made the Persona series so beloved. Metaphor would still have a day night cycle, personal relationships, and finding inner strength. Don’t get too attached to any of these characters as there is no romance option in this game. Honestly, I didn’t miss it. The core of the game is hope, fighting for a fair future, and that fate is in your own hands. That’s more important than a teenage romance.
Shoji Meguro, another Persona holdover, would return for the music but it would have a different feel. The lyrics would be in a language many may not recognize Esperanto and chanted by a Buddhist monk. As the kids say these days, that monk “has bars”. Do they still say this?
By 2023, wider audiences would get a taste of what was in store for them. That June, a trailer would launch on the Xbox Games Showcase with other trailers to follow through August 2024. It wasn’t too much longer before a playable demo was released to the masses to try it out. Depending on who you ask, that demo will last anywhere from 4-8 hours. If you’ve read this far, keep in mind, that like many JRPGs, your introduction will be at least an hour or so of cut scene before the game play begins. Otherwise, enjoy!
The Release and my Review
In case you previously missed our news article, Metaphor: ReFantazio managed to sell a million copies in its first day. This beat Atlus’ previous record, also set in 2024, by Persona 3 Reload. This should come as no surprise when viewing the ratings from many critics. You’d be hard pressed to find a news outlet that gave it a low score, there’s a good reason why.
If you played the demo, you could port your save data into your new game. I know few people who chose this route. Instead, many people I know (myself included) started from scratch.
The game takes no time introducing you to what will drive the basic plot. You’ll watch an anime cut scene, which reveals the death of the King all too soon. Shortly after, you’ll meet our protagonist and his fairy companion Gallica, who are on their way to save the prince and set things right. On their journey, they’ll meet a cast of characters often representing the various races within the world. All with their own flaws, but none more apparent than the racial injustices in this world. The king candidates may seem similar to modern-day politics, which is the point, so tread carefully as you explore. Mixed in with politics will be forging bonds and building your royal virtues in hopes of wearing the crown.
All of your actions in this game feel very important to moving the plot. One issue I’ve had with some JRPGs is the side quests do little more than bloat out the game. These side quests will all work towards garnering support of the people, your main goal. There will also be many actions that provide you the opportunity to increase your stats. Don’t forget to hit the washroom on each Idlesday, you’ll thank your lucky stars later.
The combat is a turn based combat system. You control each character in combat so you can prepare any synthesis required for the win. It’s very clear on turn order and how many actions you’ll have before your opponent has their chance. While in early combat you won’t have to worry about being too strategic, later battles will require much more thought. As you swap in and out of archetypes, you’ll want to be sure you keep a balance between all party members and not just your main character. It’s worth having your supporting party be almost just as diverse as our MC. A nice touch here is that once you are stronger than the monsters you encounter, you can quickly beat them in over world combat. This is a great way to gather EXP without sitting through tedious battles each time.
Metaphor’s real strength comes in with the story and themes that may resonate too close to home in 2024. The idea of a fantasy, a utopia, a peaceful world that the protagonist will strive for. How does one achieve such a beautiful dream? The story will tell you this is often achieved through hard work, hope, and embracing diversity of those around you.
While each character may represent a different race, they are all fighting and struggling against a system or a world that has let them down. Your social links will tell you stories that resonate with you or those around you. Your party members will ask you to join them as they fight the oppression and in the end, they’ll tell you they couldn’t do it without you. It’s through the personal connections that strength is found. Metaphor reminds us that we can’t do it all alone, but together we achieve greatness.
While at times Metaphor can feel too optimistic, it does feel meant to have you reflect upon your own choices. Occasionally, it may feel as if it has become preachy, but these moments are balanced by the moments that make you feel you are just among friends. Everyone has a mission, everyone has a story, and yet here we are, together. After 100 hours with these characters and their dreams, I’ll admit, I felt empty when it was over. What would I do moving forward? How would I fill the void these characters left in my heart? I still haven’t quite found the answer to this, but I do know, I am eternally grateful to have met them.
Atlus hit a slam dunk with this and I know I am not alone in hoping we continue to explore this new IP in the near future. While we’re more likely to get Persona 6 before a new Metaphor game, I have no doubt it will be well worth the wait.
