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When I think about the games that have significantly impacted my life, I can’t help but reminisce about RPGs. I play many more and delve into distinct genres, but only RPGs evoke a sense of permanence. Whereas other games try to make the experience as short as possible so you can get to the endgame, role-playing games are all about the journey. Metaphor: ReFantazio reminded me of that across the dozens of hours I’ve spent in it. It is an unparalleled adventure with a profound story that will leave you in awe more than once. And while there are many words to describe this 80-hour voyage, one can sum it up: impeccable.
Something peculiar ensued as I started my journey in Metaphor: ReFantazio. I promised myself I would not compare it to Persona 5, one of Atlus’ masterpieces. However, its DNA is so strong in ReFantazio that it is difficult to separate the two. Fortunately, that only lasted for a few hours. After I got fully absorbed into this beautifully crafted world, I realized that Studio Zero’s newest venture has the bones of what made Persona 5 a quintessential RPG, but it has so much more that it earns the right to stand next to that game and even above it.
An Oathkeeper, A Cursebreaker
Initially, I was scared to jump into a new world full of never-seen lore. If you think about it, we all have our safety RPG bubbles. For instance, jumping between Final Fantasy installments is easy because they share elements—it’s all familiar at the end of the day. The same happens with other big franchises. However, new RPGs that try their hand at world-building usually don’t hit the right spot. And then comes Metaphor: ReFantazio, which does its world-building to perfection. It never overwhelms or confuses you. On the contrary, it leads you through every juicy detail and entangles you in an intricate, surprisingly easy-to-navigate web.
Thus, our young protagonist’s adventure begins in a world full of political turmoil, racism, xenophobia, and other social issues that mirror those of our reality. Our now-fully-voiced protagonist’s job is to break a curse affecting the nation’s prince—the rightful heir to the crown. After the current king gets assassinated, a contest for the throne begins, and you and your merry band of characters join the race to break the curse from the prince and prevent a wrongful ruler from taking the crown.
I’m aware I’m just talking about the skeleton of the story, but mentioning the meat of the matter would spoil the journey, and I’m against that. Yet, I can speak about the broader spectrum of things. First and foremost, the topics the game touches. Anyone who’s played Atlus and Studio Zero’s RPGs knows they don’t hold back on delicate matters. The Persona and Shin Megami Tensei franchises have never been shy about sensitive topics, but Metaphor: ReFantazio takes it to a new level.
For instance, the xenophobia and racism the protagonist suffers. As one of the last Elda in the nation, everyone looks at him with disdain. After all, this race is the bringer of bad omens, according to superstition, and the game will remind you of that at every turn. Most characters will always look down on you despite how much you help them. Even after entering the race for the throne, you’ll be frowned upon. Still, that’s where the determination from the protagonist appears and how he yearns for an ideal world. Oddly enough, the game represents the ideal society as the one we have in real life, which I found terrific and ironic.
Furthermore, Metaphor: ReFantazio‘s plot is one of the best. Strangely, I felt connected to it even more than the ones taking place in a modern setting. There were so many shocking moments that I felt my journey was a twister of neverending raw emotions. I laughed, cried, and even had to step away in moments that unsettled me, but I always returned. The astounding thing about everything is how this new IP does a better job of hooking you into its world than many other franchises. As someone who’s always longing for the next immersive and impactful adventure, ReFantazio gave me that every minute of my playtime.
Never a Dull Moment
If there’s one flaw all long RPGs have, it is how they handle pacing. Think about your favorite RPG, and then remember that moment you always dread playing. All of them have one. This becomes even more evident the longer the game is. However, I didn’t experience that with Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Here is where the Persona comparison has to kick in. Why? Due to ReFantazio’s structure. Like the Phantom Thieves’ grand adventure, you also have daily activities. You can do one in the morning and one in the evening. They all vary, from speaking with your companions to increasing your bond with them, doing something to increase your Royal Virtues or social stats, or heading to a dungeon if there’s one available. Yet, Persona, especially the fifth one, made things tedious at specific intervals. Where that one felt like a 20-hour tutorial before the good rolled in, Metaphor: ReFantazio gives you free reins as fast as possible and showers you with new mechanics and surprises at every turn.
For instance, you’ll get a mission to infiltrate a specific place in the third city you visit. You’ll have more than twenty days to do it. While you can wing it and head to the main quest instantly, preparation is key for everything you do here. In my case, I grabbed my Gauntlet Runner and plotted a route to tackle three dungeons in the span of six days. As I traveled on my moving base, I encountered two rival contestants; monsters invaded the deck and stopped by a flooded town to do some shopping. The variety of activities and places to visit makes a structure we’re familiar with even more engaging.
Furthermore, the flawless pacing doesn’t stop there. In other RPGs, even parts of the main story feel like a slog. You know there is a big baddie at the end of a dungeon, but traversing said dungeon is PTSD-inducing. Or there’s the case of a big event happening and all the heroes taking a break to go for a swim. It doesn’t happen here. Metaphor: ReFantazio keeps things so cohesive that even the side activities blend perfectly with the main story. It removes unnecessary filler content and puzzles in favor of hands-on moments that give more meaning to what your character is doing.
An Archetype for Every Occasion
My absolute favorite thing about Metaphor: ReFantazio was the in-depth Archetype system. While I don’t mind summoning otherworld creatures to do my bidding, transforming into a suit of armor is as cool as it gets. Plus, the fact that characters aren’t tied to one specific class is a boon and something that paves the way for many customizable builds.
Initially, I let my followers use the Archetypes they awoke. Strohl was my Warrior, Hulkenberg my Knight, and so on. However, the more Archetypes I unlocked by gaining new non-playable followers, the more I wanted to experiment. Beyond that, I had to experiment. For example, if you want to unlock Magic Knight, you need to level up Knight and Mage. If you want the advanced version of Gunner, you need to level up Seeker, too. This reminded me of Final Fantasy Tactics, which I enjoyed a lot. I ran with different builds most of the time, and they were quite useful in all of the content. Plus, the fact that gearing up your Archetypes is so easy makes the process even more encouraging.
During the combat scenarios, they work like any element-based RPG. Enemies and Archetypes are vulnerable against elements, and hitting a weakness will give you an extra turn. You also have regular attacks that you can use to save your MP. Beyond that, you get Synthesis skills, which combine the power of two Archetypes in flashy moves but spend the turn of both characters. Overall, Metaphor: ReFantazio has a terrific combat familiar to genre veterans and easy to grasp for newcomers. But more than that, it is extremely modern due to one small yet impactful reason: action combat.
Metaphor: ReFantazio allows you to defeat enemies and even stun them before the fight begins. If an enemy is too weak, you don’t have to enter the turn-based fight. You only have to slice them with your sword and reap the rewards. However, if the enemy is at your level or stronger, you can spam your basic attack to break their stun bar and get an advantage in the first turn. Yet, the same applies to you. If the enemy hits you first, they’ll get an advantage. It might seem like a small change in the turn-based RPG formula, but it is the best QoL feature Atlus and Studio Zero have added. Plus, it keeps you on your toes during a dungeon run and avoids the hundreds of turn-based scenarios in favor of something more fast-paced.
An Enthralling Fantasy
Whenever a new RPG set in a fantasy world comes out, I feel the world we’re presented with is like a stew. The ingredients to make one have been there for years. Studios take some of them and throw them into the put to cook something. Often, the stew is fantastic. In other cases, it is a flavor you’ve experienced many times before and doesn’t stand out. But in the rarest of situations, it is a perfect dish, such as the case of Metaphor: ReFantazio.
ReFantazio‘s world-building doesn’t limit itself to the visuals we may or may not be accustomed to. You have a religion-centric city, dilapidated towns, and coastal locales that remind us of other places we’ve stumbled upon during our gaming years. However, the way it presents these elements in conjunction with the lore is what makes it so unforgettable.
Take the capital, for example. The races in the city aren’t there just to adorn the streets. You can see how the Clemars stand on top of the food chain and look down on other minor races, which are only cannon fodder for the army. If you venture deeper into some alleys, you can see children of the discriminated Paripus tribe in the streets without food or a roof to protect themselves with. It is a rough world, but one that is so well-designed and has so much coherence that you can feel part of it. In a way, it reminded me of the greatly designed world of The Witcher—it all enhances the immersion.
Visually speaking, the game may not have the best graphics, but I’ve never cared for that. I’d rather see a well-put color scheme with cohesive elements than a dull photorealistic environment, which is a modern staple of the industry. Metaphor: ReFantazio is a visual masterpiece through and through. From its brand-new monsters to the unsettling Humans, everything is as unique as it is memorable. I only experienced a few frame drops at the beginning, but that was it.
Lastly, and something that deserves its separate praise, it is the audio. Atlus and Studio Zero have always been great at putting out terrific soundtracks. However, Shoji Meguro brings the best for Metaphor: ReFantazio‘s OST. The combination of orchestral instruments with religious-like chants and even a sprinkle of Nier-like tunes makes it one of the best works of Meguro. Even a fight against a lowly level 5 wolf turns into a full-blown concert that will make you crank the volume up as much as possible.
And The Crown Goes To…
I’ve wanted a new Persona game for years, but now I can only think of how Metaphor: ReFantazio has established itself as the best RPG of 2024 and one of the best of this decade, hands down. Its story hits so many controversial and sensitive topics but does it in a way that doesn’t get uncomfortable. On the contrary, it serves to paint a picture between fantasy and reality, which culminates in some of the best gaming moments I’ve seen in my life. The combat is welcoming yet deeply customizable for those willing to go the extra mile. Every enemy, character, and locale is memorable and is among this new world’s most vital elements.
For once in many years, I feel satisfied. Nowadays, we all face the struggle to find the perfect game. Often, there’s always one feature that is missing and prevents the experience from being flawless. Yet, Metaphor: ReFantazio left me sated. As I played it, I remember the days of yore where exploring a new land was a full-blown adventure. There were no guides, no tips, nothing—just a landscape ripe for discovery. With one of the most memorable cast of characters ever, a top-notch narrative, and a fantastic combat system, Metaphor: ReFantazio is a lengthy and unforgettable journey that will go down as one of the best RPGs of all history.
Review copy provided by Publisher.
Metaphor: ReFantazio (PC Reviewed)
Metaphor: ReFantazio is a once-in-a-lifetime RPG. Despite how stacked the genre is, it goes out of its way to innovate it while keeping the familiar feel. Even if you've never played a game as lengthy as this one, you'll surely find yourself immersed in this intricate fantasy world.
Pros
- Top-notch storytelling
- Highly customizable combat mechanics
- An excellent cast of characters
- Superb world-building
Cons
- A few frame drops at the beginning of the game
