Metaphor ReFantazio review - the crowned prince of turn-based JRPGs

Blending everything that makes Atlus' RPGs so special, Metaphor ReFantazio presents the most exciting election you'll experience this year.

Our Verdict

Metaphor ReFantazio is the culmination of everything that makes Atlus’ turn-based RPGs so special. Sporting a fantastic cast of instantly lovable characters, a gripping tale that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster, and a robust evolution of its combat systems, Metaphor ReFantazio is a must-play for anyone with even a passing interest in JRPGs.

When Atlus revealed Metaphor ReFantazio as the first original project under its new Studio Zero division, I was licking my chops in anticipation. An all-star team of ex-Persona devs with series director Katsura Hashino at the helm, working on a post-medieval acid fantasy turn-based RPG? Get in me. Having rolled credits after spending just over 80 hours uniting the kingdom of Euchronia, I can confidently assert that Metaphor is so much more than the Persona reskin many feared would materialize and that this bold, beautiful adventure might be Hashino’s finest project yet.

Initially, Metaphor ReFantazio has all the telltale signs of a classic succession thriller after Euchronia’s monarch is murdered, promising bloody conflict between its myriad factions – chiefly the crown theocracy, led by his holiness Sanctifex Forden, and the young upcoming military superstar Count Louis. However, just as the threat of civil war palpates, the royal magic wielded by the late king kicks in, forcing the throne’s candidates to lay down their arms (sort of), pick up their picket signs, and start campaigning. If you were looking for an escape from election season, I’m sorry to say this thrilling RPG isn’t it.

Despite the promise of its name, the ‘United Kingdom of Euchronia’ is about as united as oil and water – a disparate collection of different creeds and races divided by what appears to be a eugenically-informed caste system. If you’re a horn-donning Clemar or a long-eared Roussaint, you’re near the top of the food chain. If you’re a bat-like Eugief, a dog-like Paripus, or worst of all a human-like Elda like Metaphor’s protagonist, you’re shit out of luck. What’s more, magic use is controlled by the state and confined to big death sticks called Igniters – it’s not hard to figure out who gets to use them.

While Forden flexes papal power and the militarian Louis looks to promote equality through an extreme form of ‘might is right’ Darwinism, our plucky hero is driven by a book from the old world that describes the perfect utopia based on modern Earth – uh-huh. More interesting is that the main character (MC hereafter) isn’t even trying to win the throne for himself, but for the kingdom’s lost (presumed dead) prince who lies comatose after being cursed a decade prior.

Metaphor ReFantazio’s setup makes for an ever-expanding lattice of intrigue, as you’re constantly introduced to new candidates with different motivations throughout the race for the crown. Its perfectly-paced plot is filled with twists, turns, and more red herrings than you can fill the Atlantic with. Though some are more predictable than others, Atlus blew me away with every reveal – the studio doesn’t care about your media literacy, it’ll knock your socks off regardless.

Every part a rags-to-riches hero’s journey, Metaphor sends you on a voyage of ascension as you travel the world making friends and proving to the masses that you’re a stand-up guy. As a result of being sufficiently pleasant, I found myself flanked by probably my favorite Atlus cast to date, which at the point in the game I can discuss includes fairy companion Gallica, eccentric engineer Neuras, fallen noble strategist Strohl, gourmand guardian Hulkenberg, group dad Heismay, whimsical songstress Junah, and pagan priestess Eupha.

Each party member represents a different Euchronian tribe, and while they all get on for the most part, Studio Zero isn’t afraid to work in age-old prejudices and uneasy alliances. These slightly more complex dynamics help elevate the gravitas of the MC’s feat to bring the people together and exemplify the studio’s ability to get the absolute most out of characters built on well-trodden tropes. I adore the decision to ground the main cast in different parts of the United Kingdom – my own country – in the English dub, with each regional dialect further accentuating that sense of otherness. The actors’ performances are sublime, and Atlus finally opting to give a voice to its protagonist does wonders for helping us form a connection to him.

In classic JRPG style, our otherwise unassuming captain – and eventually the whole gang – possesses an otherworldly power that helps him go from forest-dwelling bumpkin to god-tier powerhouse. In Persona it’s the power of, well, personas, or demons if you’re more familiar with the main Shin Megami Tensei series. In Metaphor, it materializes as Archetypes – a job-based skill tree system that departs from the creature-capturing escapades of Atlus’ earlier work. Archetypes require a currency called MAG (short for Magla) to unlock, and a separate form of EXP known as A-EXP to level. It sounds a bit extra having both, but trust me, it works.

Archetype design is tight, with each providing a distinct suite of abilities. Some are more suited to combat – the default jobs for each character naturally fall into this category – while others may be dedicated to debuffing spells (Faker) or healing magic (Cleric). One class, Merchant, even has you throw Reeve (the local currency) at monsters, some of which are particularly prone to giving up their turn while they greedily gather up your coin. The thematic link between characters and Archetypes is cleverly designed, too – Hulkenberg is primarily a defense-focused Knight, for example, while Strohl is a hard-hitting Warrior. Atlus has traditionally excelled at creating these parallels, and Metaphor is no exception.

Perhaps the biggest departure from Persona comes in the form of Metaphor’s combat, not only due to Archetypes but also in the way its turn-based mechanic works. Based on the ‘Press Turn’ system found in both SMT and the Digital Devil Saga games, each active party member is given a turn icon. Run out of icons, your turn’s over. To spice things up, you can tap into ‘Synergy’ abilities by sacrificing two characters’ turn icons in return for a considerably more powerful effect. You can elongate your turn or shorten your enemy’s through things like hitting weaknesses and applying status ailments, necessitating careful preparation for each encounter.

Even more so than Persona’s ‘One More’ system, Metaphor’s approach stresses the need to make every action count as your turn can still end despite chaining weakness-targeting abilities together. Turn manipulation becomes much more crucial later on, as bosses begin to deploy ever-more sophisticated tactics. Though the difficulty may spike at times, it never feels like foul play – Metaphor pushes you to use every trick at your disposal, and take advantage of the rich tapestry of available Archetypes and consumables.

Metaphor’s combat takes place within dungeons scattered across its beautifully crafted map, the design of which having seemingly been informed by the illustration from Sir Thomas More’s ‘Utopia’ – a 16th-century descriptor of an ideal world that definitely has nothing to do with that little book the protagonist carries around with him.

Though I was slightly disappointed to see an element of repetition in the design of some dungeons, Metaphor’s showstoppers are splendid, varied, and a joy to explore. Some have puzzles littered throughout, though these tend to fall into the category of what I would call ‘environmental obstacles’ – they don’t require much brain power to solve, and don’t have many moving parts. Nonetheless, at their best, these domains rival and even surpass Persona 5 Royal’s palaces through how they inform and drive the narrative forward.

Within these dungeons, you’ll also find a slew of ghoulish monsters to dispatch – be it through instanced turn-based combat, or by slapping them to death in the overworld provided you’re a few levels above the target. While turn-based combat is Atlus’ bread and butter, this new real-time approach is entirely new for the studio and presents a bit of a balancing headache.

If you farm a dungeon too much to the point that you’re significantly ahead of the level curve, you’ll be able to persistently cleave through entire dungeons without ever really having to enter combat, trivializing an entire portion of the game as you continue to amass EXP with ease. That being said, it does grant you even more agency over how tough you want to make the experience outside of the base difficulty options – an extra sub-lever if you will. If you want to experience Metaphor as intended, leave the grind until new game plus. I never found myself under-leveled to the point that major bouts became impossible to clear.

Aside from other candidates for the throne, the humorously named ‘humans’ represent the biggest threat to your chance at the crown and Euchronia as a whole. Here, Studio Zero draws on the post-medieval period’s more off-piste art – specifically Hieronymus Bosch’s depiction of Hell. Bosch’s pre-surrealist stylings are made manifest here, as we face down against giant knife-encompassing ears, cracked egg-like bodies that house small congregations, and a Kraken who looks like a ‘James,’ or maybe even a ‘William’ to name a few examples. They’re horrifying, warped creatures that have been around since antiquity – the age-old question ‘are we the bad guys?’ answered with a resounding yes.

Bosch isn’t the only way Atlus has baked religiocentric imagery into Metaphor’s villains. I adore the positioning of the militant iconoclast Louis as this juxtaposing angelic figure to the Sanctist church, replete with flowing golden locks and blinding white armor. He’s positively Lucifian, Clemar horns and all, and it would not surprise me in the slightest if character designer Shigenori Soejima gleaned influence from works like Legends of Galactic Heroes, Devilman, and by extension, Berserk – the Reinhard, Ryo, and Griffith comparisons draw themselves. Though I can’t speak of his exact motivations, Atlus has succeeded in creating a fantastic villain – an embodiment of pure evil that you eventually can’t help but sympathize with, even if you are repelled by his brutal methods.

While the lure of the sort of individual power Louis espouses is incredibly tempting, Metaphor champions collectivism at every turn. The power of friendship is the oldest trope in the book, but it’s executed effortlessly here through Metaphor’s narrative and in-game systems. After awakening to our first Archetype, the Seeker, we’re introduced to the author of MC’s book, More – I wonder where the devs conjured that name from – who is locked away in a dreamlike plane called Akademiya, Metaphor’s version of Persona’s Velvet Room.

Considering More’s work, it’s unsurprising that he allows me to open up my party members to new Archetypes, diversifying my tactical options and increasing my overall strength. You can also ‘inherit’ a set number of skills from the different Archetypes unlocked while in Akademiya, allowing you to draw on their power even when they’re not actively in use. Of course, while you can allocate all your resources to maxing the protagonist’s skill tree, it’s impossible to be everything at once, so let your teammates share the burden.

Initially, you’ll only be able to inherit a single skill per Archetype, though as you work on your social links or ‘Bonds’ – another feature adapted from Persona – more slots will gradually open up. Metaphor rewards you for nurturing your relationships at every turn, molding you into the model monarch as you make new allies and expand your power base through episodic milestones. Unlike Persona, this is a rizz-free zone, though I’m glad the team didn’t crowbar romance where it wasn’t needed. I was just about able to max out all of my links on my first playthrough, granting me numerous bonuses. Some offered turn manipulation options, while others offered more EXP from fights, and even expanded shop inventories.

It can be tempting to allocate all of your time to min-maxing bond progression – you get two major actions each day due to the familiar day/night cycle Atlus slots into both Persona and SMT. However, triggers for the next bond chapter may be time-gated, or require you to up one of your five royal virtues (social stats) to a specific level. As every ruler needs to possess all of these in spades, you’ll need to distribute some of your time to the various side activities scattered throughout Euchronia to get up to snuff. You’ll also have to factor in the time it takes to travel to and between dungeons on your gauntlet runner – a magnificently large ship with legs – when planning your next move. Fortunately, you can still spend time with certain companions while on the road.

The promise of battle-defining upgrades and sweet gear options may be enough to push you to pursue as many bonds as possible, but if anything it’s Studio Zero’s incredible character work and storytelling that will keep you invested. Be it in these smaller subplots or the broader narrative, Metaphor spins a story about overcoming fear and anxiety – its two thematic pillars. Whether it’s a parent trying to find the will to move on after losing their child, a fallen noble attempting to claw their way back up the societal pecking order, or a shuttered-off arms dealer learning to feel again, Metaphor can get incredibly heavy – bring tissues.

That’s not to say there aren’t moments of reprieve, but considering the narrative’s tone, you’re going to find less comic relief here. When you do get to breathe, though, Metaphor lets you take in a deep gulp of whimsy, with smaller, sharper breaths of humor scattered throughout. What remains consistent is the deep sense of awe that this adventure continuously leaves you with – it’s Ghibli-esque in that regard.

This is also true for Metaphor’s visual presentation. From its map to its major city hubs, and its boss designs down to its breathtaking UI, the game is drop-dead gorgeous – swordskating through Grand Trad, Martira, and beyond never grew tiring. Though many will insist Persona 5’s high-contrast aesthetic is Atlus at its peak, the grungey and hand-painted elements here are perfectly imperfect – each brush stroke oozing with personality (I have not shut up about the menus since I first laid eyes on them). Yes, the combat UI is a little on the busy side, but I never had an issue keeping track of the action.

The general vibe of Metaphor is ridiculously cool, too. How many post-medieval fantasy games have you played where the characters literally rip out their hearts and use them as microphones to hail the awakening of their powers? Atlus hasn’t quite reinvented the wheel here, but it’s made it so much more stylish by chucking some spinners on the hubcaps, painting the tire gold, and dousing it in sequins.

Metaphor’s OST follows this magpie-friendly trend. Musical maestro Shoji Meguro’s back in the lab concocting the most immaculate tunes imaginable, building off an operatic base of strings, percussion, and woodwind – common fare for a post-medieval mix. Once again, though, Metaphor breaks new ground with its genre-mashing score – forget Persona 5’s acid jazz stylings, we’re in the realms of Esperanto-inspired yodeling now.

For the uninitiated, Esperanto – meaning ‘one who hopes’ – was designed to be the second international language after English. Suffice it to say, everything the language symbolizes – hope and unity – make it the perfect choice thematically. Whether you’re deep in a dungeon or taking a stroll around town, Metaphor’s soundtrack covers all the bases beautifully. It might not quite get the same Spotify mileage as ‘It’s Going Down Now’ or ‘Last Surprise,’ but don’t let that detract from its brilliance.

We often turn to fantasy as an escape from reality, but Metaphor argues that we can, in fact, channel those same fantasies to give us the strength to conquer our fears in the real world. The line between fantasy and reality really isn’t as well-defined as we think it is, and Metaphor drives this point home repeatedly. Through its exploration of our worst nightmares, Metaphor reminds us to keep daydreaming to ensure the light of hope never goes out.

If there’s a major point to take away here, it’s that Atlus is more than happy to flip the bird at nuance – be it in how it presents its narrative, utilizes its influences, or discusses its central themes. It’s like a jackhammer smashing away at the concrete of your cerebrum, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Great art doesn’t always have to be implicit, and Metaphor ReFantazio screams how big, bold, and clever it is from the rooftops. It’s a champagne JRPG that will get you buzzed off the bubbles but will never leave you feeling hungover – only thirsting for more. It’s the first 100-hour game to hook me in for another round since I was introduced to Persona 5 over half a decade ago, and if anything it’s cemented Atlus’ place on the turn-based throne.

A truly magnificent gaming experience, Metaphor ReFantazio is the distillation of Atlus’ learnings from decades of development. While some may see it as Studio Zero playing safe and relying on crutches from its other series, I’d say it’s an example of a team playing wholly to its strengths and successfully pushing the boundaries of what those systems can achieve. Atlus’ most stylish JRPG to date with the writing and gameplay chops to boot, it’s the best game I’ve played all year, and I’m confident it’ll be the best game you’ll play this year, too.