Metaphor: ReFantazio Review (PS5) – A Remarkably Grand Take on the Persona Formula

Metaphor: ReFantazio is one of those rare video game gems that does not even wait for the player to actually start playing it before the appreciation for the title already begins to take over.

While Persona fans have been waiting for the sixth mainline installment, Atlus has been spending its time in the most effective way possible, as the debut title by Studio Zero has managed to create its own distinct path in the JRPG space while simultaneously sticking to the strengths of what made the best entries in the series so memorable to begin with.

Which should not exactly be a surprise considering that veteran Persona developers were helming the project, but the end result has proven to be extraordinarily remarkable, bringing a brand new IP to the forefront of the genre and leaving an extremely strong impact that not many games have been able to achieve in recent times.

Composer Shoji Meguro’s Music Promises an Unforgettable Adventure

Before one even prompts the PlayStation 5 to start the game, just hovering over the Home Screen icon introduces composer Shoji Meguro’s presence in Metaphor: ReFantazio, as the main theme music begins playing and keeps getting grander with each passing segment of the song.

It is music that has the power to instantly grab the player’s attention, promising an unforgettably epic adventure that the traditional JRPG genre had been missing for a while.

The opening piano notes in Metaphor: ReFantazio’s theme music are absolutely heavenly; there really is not any other way to describe them, and that is only elevated even further when the choir makes its entrance and takes the score to greater heights, beautifully setting the stage and the expectations that one should have as they step foot into the United Kingdom of Euchronia.

It would not be surprising if Metaphor: ReFantazio actually ends up winning the Best Music awards at upcoming major events, as Meguro keeps the momentum going by giving every section of the game its own distinct sound, proving to be a constant highlight throughout its run.

For example, winning an intense or perhaps even an easy turn-based battle is satisfying enough in Metaphor: ReFantazio, but the exciting music that accompanies each victory only helps make the experience more exhilarating.

Shoji Meguro has already proven his musical capabilities with the Persona series in the past, but this may be the greatest video game soundtrack that he has ever done, leaving quite the impression before the journey even properly begins.

The United Kingdom of Euchronia Is an Absolutely Fantastic Setting

Creating worlds that absorb the player as soon as they step foot into them has become a staple for director Katsura Hashino at this point, but while Persona has always focused on high school settings, the medieval fantasy departure that Metaphor: ReFantazio takes is truly a welcome direction.

This not only gives Atlus’ latest JRPG its own identity in a genre that has seen many ups and downs, but it also provides it with the palette to execute new and improved ideas that may have kept the Persona series a little limited with its own concepts.

The Royal Capital, for instance, is a place that clearly has a lot of hustle and bustle going on, regardless of the time of day, as the world genuinely feels alive with how much activity there is happening all around the protagonist.

Divided into sections that feel varied from one another due to the social differences among them, the Grand Trad, which is the Royal Capital’s center, gives off a completely distinct vibe from its much shadier counterpart where the “inferior” races and people reside.

While the Grand Trad has numerous merchants trying to sell their stock and families just going about their day, it is the back alley and the areas that surround it where the protagonist will come across drunk individuals simply trying to make the best out of their circumstances, or a sort of black market that offers goods that are not found in the Royal Capital legally.

Of course, the capital city is just the tip of the iceberg, as the United Kingdom of Euchronia is a massive place that begs to be explored, ranging from desert terrains to forts and mines lurking with interestingly designed monsters, resulting in a world that feels like the perfect setting for the story that Metaphor: ReFantazio is trying to tell.

Metaphor: ReFantazio’s Characters Instantly Click With the Player

A major part of the reason why the tale told in Metaphor: ReFantazio proves to be so effective is the instantly likeable group of characters that accompany the protagonist throughout his journey, as not only are they charming in their own ways, but they also have clear motivations to join forces and take on the evils that have engulfed the world of Euchronia.

Considering that the player has to spend a lot of time with their party members, it would’ve been unfortunate if the supporting characters were dull and present just for the sake of being there, but whether it’s the fairy Gallica who guides the protagonist or the first member called Leon Strohl, the fuel that drives their fire to save the kingdom from peril feels justified.

Similar is the case with Roussainte Kingsguard Eiselin Burchelli Meijal Hulkenberg and the rest of the crew, as they not only add more layers to the narrative as a whole but also bring their own set of powers that the player can experiment with in various scenarios.

A lot of the personality that oozes out of these characters is owed to the wonderful voice acting all across the board, regardless of whether it is in a stunning anime cutscene or just general dialogue in the game’s engine.

In addition to the main cast of characters and villains that shape Metaphor: ReFantazio’s story, even the NPCs that populate the Royal Capital and other areas of the kingdom serve as excellent instances of nuanced storytelling, as the protagonist can overhear many conversations to understand how the common people feel about everything that has been happening in Euchronia.

Being in the middle of the action is thrilling, but there are countless other perspectives that people would’ve regarding their individual or collective predicaments, which is where the NPCs talking to one another adds to the gravity of the situation, motivating the player and the protagonist even more to try and make things better for the regular folk using everything in their power.

Director Katsura Hashino Learns From Persona’s Mistakes and Refines Various Familiar Elements

Aside from shifting his focus from a high school setting, director Katsura Hashino has also made some other crucial changes to some of Persona’s staple elements, which include the addition of real-time combat mixed with turn-based battles, doing wonders for the overall gameplay pacing of Metaphor: ReFantazio.

No longer do players have to engage with weaker enemies in turn-based battles while exploring a dungeon or the world in general, using real-time combat elements to power through them and progressing quickly towards the next big boss.

Speaking of pacing, this is an area where Metaphor: ReFantazio most definitely outshines its Persona counterparts, as the latter usually have a lot of filler content that the protagonist has to take part in while waiting for the upcoming major event, but this time, the wait doesn’t feel like a chore, as for one, it isn’t too long, and two, the progression system in this game is top-tier.

Every activity or interaction that the protagonist takes part in while preparing for the next main mission rewards him with some sort of important element, including Royal Attributes such as Tolerance, Wisdom, and Courage, all of which serve a clear purpose and are needed to embark on certain quests and improve the character’s overall ranking in the world among the people.

In addition to that, the game is also quite generous with its social simulation aspects, as each new bond comes with a fresh addition to the player’s Archetype roster, which are Metaphor: ReFantazio’s versions of Personas, but now they can be assigned to any character in contrast to the pre-set combinations in Atlus’ previous JRPGs.

For example, if the player wants to solely focus on the Warrior Archetype, there is nothing stopping them from assigning it to every single character in their party, but of course, they will learn soon enough that having a variety of different Archetypes in their arsenal will come in handy while dealing with the wide array of enemy types that plague Euchronia.

A Scale Bigger Than Ever Before Mixed With Some Extremely Enjoyable Dungeons

One of the biggest issues with Persona 3 Reload was its only dungeon, Tartarus, which quickly became quite repetitive and absolutely tiresome to get through, but fortunately, Metaphor: ReFantazio’s implementation of dungeons provides a great fix for that problem.

The dungeons in Atlus’ latest JRPG are placed strategically within the narrative, with a lot more personality sprinkled in each of them through numerous enemies, exploration opportunities, convenient save points, and constant rewards, which keep them from getting too frustrating to navigate and actually serve a direct purpose in the grand scheme of things.

Additionally, while Persona feels much more grounded with bigger forces at play secretly underground, the United Kingdom of Euchronia is much larger in scale, resulting in the game feeling like the ultimate fantasy experience set in, for example, Westeros or Middle Earth.

Despite dealing with problems on a personal level, the player never has the luxury to forget about the overarching narrative that is taking place in the world around them, making every action and decision feel important in achieving the objective of defeating evil.

Metaphor: ReFantazio also borrows many elements from various fantasy IPs and uses them to their utmost potential, an example of which is the escape from an early mine dungeon that might remind players of The Lord of the Rings, while other aspects, like the message against discrimination and racism, are reminiscent of stories like Attack on Titan.

Weaving all of these threads together and telling a cohesive story that never loses its footing or pacing is a feat that only director Katsura Hashino can pull off, and together with other JRPG veterans, the team has created a fantasy tale that is as simple as one wants it to be at face value but can get quite complex for those looking for deeper layers.

Metaphor: ReFantazio Is a Fantasy That Needs to Be Lived by Almost Every Player Demographic

Unless one is completely against turn-based combat and wants nothing to do with it, a wide array of players will likely find Metaphor: ReFantazio to be a highly satisfying gaming experience.

Atlus fans will be glad that such a spectacular IP has arrived to make the wait for Persona 6 a whole lot easier; JRPG players will be happy that such an extraordinary title has swooped in and pushed the genre forward; and even regular gamers will find that the turn-based battles are so fast-paced that they never break the immersion that director Katsura Hashino was aiming for.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is a remarkably grand take on the Persona formula, and everything about it, from the gorgeous presentation, phenomenal world-building, and charming characters to the stunning soundtrack, amazing pacing, and brilliant storytelling, makes it one of the best video games to be released in an already stacked year like 2024.