Metaphor ReFantazio: Release Date, Story, Gameplay, Platform

Metaphor: ReFantazio is an upcoming RPG from Studio Zero, formed by the creators of Persona 3, 4, and 5. Unlike the modern-day contemporary setting of the Persona games, Metaphor takes place in a medieval European fantasy world plagued with inequality and discrimination.

It features a mixture of turn-based and real-time combat with the intricacies of SMT and Persona games. Metaphor also carries over the unique art style of the past Atlus games, with stunning character and menu designs. 

Metaphor: ReFantazio looks to become the third pillar for Atlus, proudly standing next to the Shin Megami Tensei and Persona franchise. It looks vastly different from anything Atlus has put out before, yet carries the soul of its previous titles. In short, there's plenty to be excited about.

In this article, we have compiled everything you need to know about Metaphor: ReFantazio, including its release date, platform, story, and gameplay.

Metaphor: ReFantazio Latest News

You can find all the latest news on Metaphor ReFantazio here. We will keep an eye on all of Atlus' social media channels as well as for any notable leaks that pop up, and you can all find them here. 

Metaphor: ReFantazio Release Date & Platform

Metaphor: ReFantazio will be released in the fall of 2024 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. We will update this section once Atlus confirms the exact release date for the game. 

Metaphor: ReFantazio Story

Metaphor: ReFantazio takes place in the United Kingdom of Euchronia, a fantastical land deep in turmoil after the murder of its king. Things take a dire turn when a mysterious ancient magic invokes a royal tournament for people to compete for the throne. 

You play as a young boy from the Elda Tribe, a minority race in the Euchronia whose people are deemed "tainted" and treated poorly. One thing leads to another, and the protagonist gets entangled in the royal tournament. 

The story kicks off with the main character, alongside his fairy companion Gallica, going on a journey to forge alliances with various tribes to prepare for the election. Their journey takes them across vast, vibrant, and deadly lands of Euchronia as they understand the intricacies of the kingdom, get caught up in political conspiracies, fight deadly creatures, and meet new companions. 

Metaphor: ReFantazio Gameplay

Metaphor: ReFantazio features a mix of turn-based and action combat. There's a new battle system called the Squad system. You can play in real-time before triggering Squad to transition into turn-based combat. There's no restriction on how to play, and you can choose to play in real-time or use Squad to activate turn-based. The former is more suited for taking out low-level enemies, whereas the latter is essential for taking down bigger and tenacious foes. 

In turn-based, characters can choose between four different combat options. They are Call Powers (more on that below), Pass, Guard, and Melee. Similar to Persona games, you can also use items between turns. 

Powers are secret weapons called Archetypes, which every character can transform into to deal unique damage. Forging bonds can unlock new hidden Archetypes for your party members. It works similarly to Persona games, where raising one's confidant rank could transform that character's Persona and unlock new skills. 

Enemies can also trigger Squad, though it isn't clear what advantage they can gain from it in the battle. There are also plenty of other new mechanics that never made into titles like Persona 3 and Persona 5. For instance, defeating all enemies without taking any damage provides bonus rewards. 

Outside combat, the player character can explore different towns on foot or on a flying sword that works like a skateboard. Gigantic vehicles called Gauntlet Runners are also part of the United Kingdom of Euchronia, with one of them being your home base where you can cook and talk to your companions. These Gauntlet Runners were designed by Ikuto Yamashita, who is most notably known for his work on Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Metaphor: ReFantazio Social System

It wouldn't be a Katsura Hashino game without a twig of social elements, and Metaphor ReFantazio is implementing one of Persona's most notable features in this upcoming title. 

While we don't know if there are ways to romance party members in Metaphor ReFantazio, you can increase your bonds with them, which will have different gameplay implications.

Like Persona 5, the protagonist in Metaphor ReFantazio will also have five different stats. If you didn't know, the stats in Persona 5 were Knowledge, Guts, Proficiency, Kindness, and Charm, which you could increase by indulging in various in-game activities. 

While the names of these stats haven't been confirmed, their icons, as evident in a recent trailer, suggest they depict something like weapon damage, investigation, vitality, persuasion, and intelligence. The player character can give speeches to earn the trust of different tribes and raise their persuasion stat. 

Time management will also be crucial to the story and gameplay in Metaphor: ReFantazio, though we are not sure to what extent. However, we do know that there will be a lot of player freedom in terms of what you want to pursue and how to prepare for the next major story event like it was in the Persona games.

You will have limited time allotted for traveling and going to different places. You will also have to fight plenty of battles and gain supporters from various tribes at a given time. Does this mean there will be a deadline by which you will need to complete various activities and win the trust of that particular tribe before it's game over? It seems so, but it's best to wait for an official update from Atlus on this.