The team behind the “Persona” games has become legendary among RPG fans. They keep the hits coming, and “Metaphor: ReFantazio” is no different. It’s a unique take on the fantasy genre that retains a lot of the elements that make the “Persona” games stand out.
You play as a young man who is on a mission to break a curse that is keeping the prince of the kingdom in a coma. The prologue does a great job of establishing its central characters, the unique world and the scale of the mission.
One of the first things the player will notice is that the game’s presentation is unique. The art style is like an eclectic twist on traditional fantasy tropes. Some enemy designs are downright surreal, and the environments found in the world map can be breathtaking at times. A lot of the character designs also show influence from British Mod fashion, which helps the game stand out.
The world of “Metaphor” is occupied by diverse tribes, and each one has a different place in the pecking order. Ironically, the lowest tribe is the one that doesn’t have any distinguishing features, the Elda, and that’s the tribe the main character belongs to. The plight of the lower tribes is a compelling plot point through the whole story.
The social commentary is thinly veiled, but it’s an interesting portrayal of how political upheaval affects everyone differently. It tackles the themes of class disparity and democracy in a creative way. It also helps that the main villain, Louis, is a great character and one of the best villains I’ve seen in an RPG.
The gameplay loop is very similar to “Persona” where the player has to balance combat and developing bonds with their teammates. The big twist here is the job system. Every character can embody a different “archetype,” which gives them access to all sorts of different skills. It’s not the deepest job system out there, but there’s still a lot of room for experimentation.
There are two issues with it, however. More advanced archetypes can be a pain to unlock, especially if you want multiple characters using the same archetypes as each other. Each one needs a lot of experience points to unlock, and getting one for a character doesn’t unlock it or any of your other party members. It’s a system that requires a lot of grinding.
The other issue is that as you get further in the game it becomes clear that archetypes that are based on magic are largely better than physical ones. Magic is very flexible in this game, and it can achieve big damage output to groups and bosses alike. Atlus’ games are usually well balanced, so it’s really surprising that physical builds are so lacking.
Like “Persona” games in the past, this title is going to take a long time to complete. It’s not as drawn out as, say, “Persona 5” — but I would say “Metaphor” finds a better sweet spot for overall play hours. This is also a more challenging game, which means that the optional dungeons feel a lot more necessary for finishing the game.
This game is a home run, even with its balance problems. The story, voice acting, gameplay and art style are all top-notch. The plot twists and scale of the story give the game the grandiose feel that classic fantasy RPGs had, and it makes “Metaphor” feel like a great fusion of past and present.
“Metaphor: ReFantazio” earns 4.5 stars out of 5.
Source: Paradise Post
