Metaphor: ReFantazio Review
Metaphor: ReFantazio has been compared to the Persona series since it was announced, and for good reason. It uses many of the same storytelling techniques and game mechanics. However, the story it tells is more rooted in high, dark fantasy titles than Persona's urban fantasy coming-of-age.
The king of the United Kingdom of Euchronia is dead, murdered in his sleep. Since the prince died 10 years earlier, he has no heir. But at his funeral, as powerful figures discuss who should rule, the king's voice resonates. He affirms that his successor will be the one who wins the hearts of the people before a certain date.
Except the prince isn't dead. He is languishing under a curse, and the only hope for him (and Euchronia) is the mysterious Traveling Boy. Unfortunately, our protagonist is an Elda, a race of outcast weirdos. And it's never a good time to catch an outcast in the capital.
Soon, he is used as bait for one of the deadly creatures known as “humans.” The protagonist awakens a power known as Archetype and kills him. Now, he may finally have the power to save the prince and stop Louis, the man who killed the king.
But first, he must divert the hearts of the people from the king-killer. Since Louis is one of the most dangerous men in the world and a good public speaker, it will not be an easy task. The church is also trying to hijack the competition. And the humans aren't going to stop coming just because the kingdom is in chaos…
Classic fantasy meets democracy
Metaphor: ReFantazio has one important difference from Persona: the age of his group. The Persona games are fundamentally coming-of-age stories focused on teenagers. As a result, her focus is on the issues teens face: bullying, depression, and figuring out who they want to be. This title focuses on adults and, consequently, the topics it addresses are more mature. From systemic discrimination to mass murders and how difficult it is to achieve meaningful change. The results unfold with a certain somber glory.
However, this game often seems operatic in its scope and presentation. This results in some strange tonal choices at times when harsh reality clashes with storybook logic… and loses. The idea of a world where government cannot be taken by force is fascinating. The people of Eucronia themselves are carried away by the desire to be able to choose their ruler. It creates an atmosphere that is both somber and full of wonder.
The game is told like a storybook and the characters are based on classic fantasy archetypes. Between that, its meta elements, multimedia presentation, and a literal storybook as a recurring symbol, it's clear that Metaphor: ReFantazio has something to say about fantasy. And what it takes to truly change the world.
Something to keep in mind: this is a long game and the story events are tied to an in-game calendar. As a result, it's difficult to move through the title quickly. Just like in Persona, the calendar has a death grip on the pace of the game and refuses to give up on it.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is based on the foundation of Persona
Metaphor: ReFantazio's battle system, stats, party members, and relationship values are heavily inspired by Persona. If you like Persona and, to a lesser extent, Shin Megami Tensei, you'll probably like this game. If you don't like any of those titles, this may not be the game for you. Increasing your stats through events and side quests unlocks new options. And you must balance your time between activities in the city and dungeon diving.
Switching between archetypes allows you to switch between classes and entire move sets for any given situation. And you can set a skill from one class to remain accessible in another class. This allows for a lot of flexibility in combat, although it would be nice to switch archetypes mid-battle. There are five difficulty levels ranging from Story-Focused Storyteller to Brutal Regicide.
In dungeons, you can attack enemies in real time on the field or take them into a turn-based Squad Battle. If you're good at stalking enemies, you'll be able to take them out pretty easily on lower difficulties. Hitting an enemy's weak points will reduce their turn icons and vice versa. The game also encourages you to adjust your formation on the fly.
Eucronia's landscapes immediately look fantastic, but it can be difficult to know what's going on beneath the filters. And there are some interesting character designs on display, although it's very easy to tell which characters are important by design alone.
The bright colors and anime scenes seem a little strange when the content is so bleak and mature. I wish the animated sequences had a more stylized tone. On the other hand, the game's soundtrack is truly beautiful, with its sweeping orchestral anthems and sinister chants. It's perfect for such an atmospheric fantasy game.
Subtlety? What's that?
Metaphor: ReFantazio is not subtle, but its images are powerful. Racial discrimination is arguably the game's biggest conflict. To the point that it frames our Earth as a utopia compared to Eucronia. And the strange and powerful monsters currently besieging Euchronia are called “humans.” This presentation of discrimination and inequality will not be for everyone. If you can live with it, the game has solid writing and an interesting approach to the idea of fantasy wish fulfillment.
Aside from that, the game's biggest drawback is also a strength. That is, its rhythm. This is a long game and the story events are tied to an in-game calendar. As a result, it's difficult to move through the title quickly. Also, the combat is fun, so I don't know why the game likes to include stealth sections.
It offers voice acting in Japanese and English and the English voice cast is very strong. I wish the game had all the voices so I could hear more of them. The user interface is incredibly slick, possibly too slick. I kept having to move further away from the monitor or my eyes would get tired.
All in all, Metaphor: ReFantazio is fun, colorful, meta, and openly questions why we should accept a cruel and unjust world. Whether Earth or Eucronia, he maintains that everyone deserves to be safe and happy. If that theme and Persona's gameplay appeals to you, check it out.
***Xbox code provided by publisher***
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