Metaphor ReFantazio Review: Evocative, Empowering, Near-Perfect JRPG

In a post-Persona 5 world, it's unrealistic to expect an Atlus game to not lurk in its unprecedently successful shadow, and yet with Metaphor ReFantazio, Katsura Hashino and his team at Studio Zero have crafted an experience that simultaneously does just that, and soar higher than any other Atlus title in history. 

Metaphor ReFantazio feels unreal. Its wisdom-inducing, thought-provoking, fascist-hating story is thunderous, and its emotionally charged and complex characters are stellar traveling companions through and through. The traditional turn-based combat system is better than ever, with subtle quality-of-life improvements and a dial-up to the challenge of the pre-Persona 5 era.

Atlus wraps it all up in a bewitching, evocative art style whose fashion game knows no bounds and caps it off with a mystifying, highly original, reverberating soundtrack that dramatizes the game’s most climatic and anti-climatic moments. 

The result is a near-perfect JRPG adventure worth cherishing in every sense, with only a few mere hindrances along the way. 

A Fashion Fantasy Unlike Any Other

Metaphor ReFantazio has the elements of any good fantasy novel, movie, or video game. A romanticized adventure with a group of misfit companions, beautiful vistas, heightened theatrics, thrilling battles, and a fascinating world worth unraveling. 

But despite hitting all the widely accepted and appreciated notes, Metaphor ReFantazio feels like a fantasy adventure like none other. It mainly boils down to two things: its nature to question and ultimately answer, at every crossroad of the story, what fantasy is, and the perfect execution of the time-management system of the Persona games.

While these factors contribute the most towards making Metaphor a unique fantasy experience, Atlus’ commanding expertise with invigorating art styles and character designs is what takes it to new heights.

Gliding through the narrow corridors between the yellow-brown tainted buildings of the Royal Capital feels like flipping through a Renaissance-era picture book. It’s refreshing. It's easily the most visually distinct and detailed Atlus game of all time. 

Head to the Sunshade Row, the seedy underbelly of Grand Trad where only the minorities reside, and you will find heaps of clothes lined up across buildings, candidate posters peering through washed-out walls, beggars and homeless Paripus people, one of the inferior tribes with cat-like ears, loitering the street, oblivious and too detached to care about the political uprising happening across the country. 

Look closely, and you will find bandits and other degenerates unabashedly spurting out controversial opinions that would force any Sanctist (Church’s state religion) worshipper to bat an eye.

 Head uptown and you will find yourself in the broad streets of Sunlumeo, full of tall European buildings, impudent Clemar nobles, Sanctist Church members, and city guards who wouldn't think twice before passing derogatory remakes to the Elda (another minority tribe) protagonist you play as. 

Glance towards the foothold of the Royale Palace, and you will find the bustling merchant bazaar with dubious vendors who wouldn't sell their best items unless you mention you're acquainted with the nearby inn owner. It all reeks of revolution but with Atlus’ unique charm. 

The period, fantastical nature of the game has allowed the studio’s character artists to stretch their wings and paint new horizons, and they delivered effortlessly. 

Atlus’ characters have always had an impeccable design with a deep sense of individuality, in the same way as Nihon Falcom games or Studio Ghibli’s movies. Metaphor ReFantazio, however, feels like a class apart.

Brigitta, a dauntingly tall arms dealer you meet early on is easily one of the most beautiful characters Atlus have ever created. Her dusk skin tone perfectly compliments her blueberry-colored robes, contrasted only by her long-braided silvery hair and bangs that graze over her pink eyeshadow. Her appearance is an immaculate portrayal of her conflicting inner self, which the game diligently explores via her social link. 

Metaphor consistently enthralls with its art style and character design. It's a consistent affair throughout its 100-hour adventure. To that end, it truly feels like a next-gen title. 

With Metaphor ReFantazio’s stunning artistic and visual presentation, Atlus vividly captures the tone and power conflicts of an era lost to time. It’s a profound depiction of revolution that feels revolutionary. 

A 100-hour Journey Which is Always in a Crescendo

Metaphor ReFantazio’s main story revolves around a tournament to decide the new king of the United Kingdom of Euchronia. As one of the notable participants, the protagonist and his fairy companion, alongside other comrades, go on a cross-country adventure to complete various tasks and win people’s trust. 

It’s a premise established within the few hours of the game, a stark contrast to the slow-burn unraveling nature of modern Persona games, or so it seems. In the first 10 hours, I was introduced to the primary companions, sent to battle a gigantic dragon, and shoved with numerous spectacular cutscenes, both anime-style and in-game, which put the spotlight on the game’s antagonist. 

While some veteran Atlus fans and newcomers may appreciate the change in pace, I found these early endeavors slightly forced. It also doesn’t help that the first major dungeon is simply a tutorial to familiarize yourself with the gameplay mechanics rather than a meaningful narrative tool to push the story forward, as in the Persona games. 

However, in classic Katsura Hashino fashion, once you have crossed the first 15-hour threshold, Metaphor ReFantazio genuinely picks up the pace and never lets up until the credits roll. 

Making a perfectly paced 90+ hours game (75 if you don’t count the first 15) is an insurmountable task, but if there’s any studio capable of overcoming such an obstacle, it’s Atlus, and it does just that with this new IP. 

After acquiring a Gauntlet Runner, a teleporting amphibious vehicle like Dracula’s castle, the party sets sail to complete its first major task in Martira, a quaint mountain village overlooked by gloomy skies and the enigmatic Kriegante Castle.

 It’s a picturesque sight quite different from the hustle and bustle of Grand Trad, but a tad bit ominous, courtesy of the mysterious disappearance of the town’s children.

This is where Metaphor starts to flesh out its fantastical lore and blindsiding with heart-breaking stories about blatant prejudices, fascism, and racism and its regressive implications. 

It’s also where you meet Heismay, arguably one of the best-written and voiced (English) characters in Atlus’ history. If you’re one of those fans who have consistently been asking for adult Persona users, Heismay is Atlus’ answer to that, and it doesn’t get better than this. 

Heismay’s predicament ties to the occurrences at the Kriegante Castle, and it concludes in one of the most disturbing, emotionally distraught moments I have ever experienced in a video game, Atlus or otherwise. By the time I finished this section of the game, I had already cried twice, and I don't usually shed tears when playing a video game. 

The Martira arc makes a compelling argument for the game’s idealogy of fantasy, which is that fantasy or dreams have the power to color reality. It’s a simple notion but one incredibly powerful. 

Every arc in Metaphor is a self-contained story that puts this idealogy to the test and passes admirably without a hitch, building continuously towards an ever-growing crescendo, which erupts right before the finale and hits like a color-coded whiplash of worthy expositions. 

And yet, seldom, I found Metaphor ReFantazio lurking under the shadow of the Atlus' magnum opus, Persona 5. Atlus games have a niche narrative structure, and every subsequent title seems to tread that same familiar path. 

If you’ve played any of the modern Persona games, specifically Persona 5, it’s easy to identify that structure and decipher where the story is going. 

There were moments in Metaphor Fantazio where I got a feeling of déjà vu, knowing that something tragic was going to happen in the next story junction, or how the next big boss fight isn’t a real battle but a pseudo encounter to push the narrative forward. 

That sense of déjà vu didn't diminish the impact of such crucial moments, but I wasn’t exactly blindsided by them either. 

If Atlus ends up making Metaphor 2, it would be nice if the studio takes more risks in how it unfolds its story, irrespective of how good it is. 

A Politically Divided World Explored With Unabashed Boldness and Utmost Sincerity

In its pursuit of conveying its fantastical aspirations, Metaphor’s story delves deep into the nitty-gritty reality of its politically divided world, one that ironically mirror some of the most notable real world issues. 

Fortunately, it’s no juvenile undertaking nor an edgy anarchism promotion. Instead, it takes a diligent approach, trying its best to validate and justify the sentiments of both sides of the spectrum. 

There are enough instances early on in the story to convince one that Sanctism, the state religion officiated by the Church, and the Sanctists, people who practice Sanctism, are the bad guys, but as the story progresses, that strong sentiment dissolves somewhat into neutrality. 

Likewise, early on, it’s easy to believe that the preachings of Louis, the eloquent king slayer and the antagonist of the game, are righteousness, as he seeks to build a world based on equality. It makes it initially difficult to see him as a hard-boiled villain. 

This push and pull of acknowledging and understanding the ideologies of the people on both sides of the spectrum and then addressing with utmost sincerity is perhaps Metaphor’s biggest strength. Time after time, it boldly distinguishes right from wrong without canceling one or the other. 

Metaphor: ReFantazio tackles racism head-on. It doesn't just showcase its immediate outcome for a punch-in-the-gut moment, but also its long-term implications on its victims' mindset and ideologies. It's sad. It's brutal. It's very much real.  

As a person of a minority cast, I have experienced my own share of injustices in the country I grew up in, and in Metaphor, there are multiple insolent moments that hit me like a truck. Atlus addresses these sensitive subjects with such brutality and elegancy, that it's hard not to be wonderstruck and feel terrible at the same time. 

The protagonist belongs to the most inferior tribe in the game, Elda. The Sanctists, and even other minority tribes like Paripus, are quick to make derogatory remarks about him even when he's taking an innocent walk through the city. 

There’s one early moment in the game, part of a side quest, in which the protagonist has to buy medicine from the Church. Unsurprisingly, the Sanctist leader in charge of the Church unhesitatingly offers to sell them at an extremely high price just because of the protagonist’s tribal status. 

It’s a relatively less harmless instance of injustice but one that perfectly exemplifies the deeply rooted prejudices of this fantasy world. 

In Traveling a Companion, in Life, Compassion

As soon as you hop on to the Gauntlet Runner and select your next destination, the camera pulls back to show a vibrant, handcrafted map of Euchoria, followed by a calming voice of the narrator briefly summarizing the journey so far and overviewing what’s on the horizon. 

 In this brief moment of respite, you can spend time with companions to increase bonds or raise one of the five Royal Virtues (social stats) of the game by indulging in various activities, like sitting next to the window alongside Gallica reading a book as the Gauntlet Runner races into the unknown. 

Every so often, Neuras, the eccentric pilot of the Gauntlet Runner, would stop for sightseeing, and the party would be bestowed with one of the most breathtaking views of their lifetime and a small dose of lore drop to further flesh out Metaphor's fascinating world. 

As more comrades join your cause, the Gauntlet Runner slowly but steadily transforms from being an empty, uncomfortable, nausea-inducing vehicle to a cozy home full of familiar faces. 

And just like that, Metaphor induces a strong feeling of going on a life-changing adventure with your best friends in a faraway land. 

In Metaphor ReFantazio, there are fewer social links to pursue than in the Persona games, but they are all so incredibly fleshed out that I have nothing to complain about.

While all these characters are unique with different personalities, what connects them all is their troubling past, tangled in the web of insecurities, prejudices, and unwillingness to embrace change. 

It’s one thing to see high-school teenagers take off their masks of illusion, only to discover their true potential. It’s more harrowing, inexplicably empowering to witness adults rip out their cold, sheltered hearts to the piercing winds of reality and learn to dream again. 

Their stories are full of grief,  brought to life by top-notch voice acting across the board. Every earnest conversation with these characters is heartwarming, with enough power to make a grown man cry buckets of tears. 

Since every comrade is of a different tribe, their social links are a direct portal to that tribe’s beliefs and cultures. While stories of Heismay, the former knight of a shunned out minority tribe Eugief, or Eupha, a pagan priestess who had idealized her death countless times for the sake of a ritual, are more susceptible to sympathy, in Metaphor's world, injustice and inequality aren’t limited to those of lower status, even if that seem that way initially. 

Strohl, the Clemar noble who is the first companion you meet, has immense survival guilt since a Human monster burned down his village. Going through Strohl's redemption arc is just as heavy and profound of an experience as any other main character in the game. 

What caught me off guard, however, were the stories of people outside of the main cast. Alonzo, a Nidia con artist, has one of the best-written arcs in the game, full of unexpected twists and revelations that kept me on edge until its final moments. 

Surprisingly enough, every optional social link is full of such intriguing stories, and I would be lying if I said they aren’t a massive step up from the Persona games. 

There are plenty of stories to discover in the broader world as well, and it’s where Metaphor’s more light-hearted nature emerges from its grim shadows.

 Loveless, a flamboyant Paripus candidate, sought to make alcohol free in every tavern if he became the king. On the other hand, Lina, an endearing Eugief, vowed to make Gauntlet Runner for everyone if she became the queen. 

As much as Metaphor takes its writing seriously, it's also not hesitant to cool off once in a while with these silly encounters. These are spread across the game, some in the main story and others solely left for you to discover in the world. These moments feel refreshing after intense story events and help maintain the game’s overall momentum. 

Archetypes Revitalize Traditional Atlus’ Combat System, but Copy-paste Dungeons Leave a Sour Taste

The turn-based combat system in Atlus’ games have mostly remained the same across all modern Persona games and Soul Hacker 2, with few notable adjustments and improvements here and there.

Persona 3 Reload added Theurgy skills - new ultimate abilities exclusive to each party member. Metaphor ReFantazio makes the most effort to evolve this long-running combat system, which results in something much more flexible and fun.

At the heart of Metaphor’s combat is the Archetype system. These are swappable Personas that look like giant mecha or Evangelion units, which isn’t a sheer coincidence by any means, as Ikuto Yamashita from Neon Genesis Evangelion is indeed the mechanical designer on this game. 

Every Archetype possesses unique abilities, most of which will feel familiar if you have played any Persona or SMT games. However, there are some unique additions, most notably evident in Archetypes such as the Merchant and Tycoon, whose primary skill consumes money instead of MP to use abilities that deal high-crit damage. But since it uses money, you wouldn't want to be too greedy and save it for the toughest encounters in the game. 

There are more than twenty Archetypes in Metaphor ReFantazio, and while it’s a feat to unlock every single one of them, the grind isn’t abysmal (looking at you, Honkai Star Rail). It’s actually the opposite, and the excitement to pursue and unlock a new Archetype to alter build and playstyle never gets old. 

That said, most Archetypes are just a medium to pad out abilities in the game. For instance, maxing out the Mage Archetype will only give you access to weak elemental abilities. If you want to deal medium Fire or Ice damage, you would have to unlock the intermediate Mage Tree Archetype - Wizard.

Knowing that you won't unlock decent skills even if you max out an Archetype is disheartening at times, but you can improvise by effectively utilizing the game’s skill inherit feature.

In Metaphor ReFantazio, every Archetype can inherit skills from the previously unlocked Archetypes. It’s a feature that should feel familiar if you have used Persona Fusion in the Persona games.

However, skill inheritance is a more streamlined mechanic ewhich lets you easily swap in and out various abilities to alter your build. The more Archetypes you unlock and master, the more skills you can inherit. 

It’s a great motive to unlock and test more Archetypes to carve custom hybrid builds that suit your playstyle or are more beneficial for certain encounters.

The endgame Archetypes in Metaphor: ReFantazio are beasts of their own, with majestic designs and powerful abilities. While I’m not allowed to go into the details, these are worth grinding to overcome some of the toughest encounters in the game, optional or otherwise. 

The combat itself feels more fast-paced than Persona 5 Royal and Persona 3 Reload. You can't baton pass in this game, sadly, but dealing crit or weakness damage to enemies grants extra Turns. 

One of the most subtle yet game-changing additions is the option to pass a Turn. It may seem like a redundant feature at first, but it's quite helpful in tough late-game encounters.

Instead of wasting the Turn icon, you can pass it to another party member who can either protect or deal damage to the enemies. I can't recall how many times I survived brutal encounters solely by passing Turns at appropriate times.

Fortunately, Metaphor brings back the challenge of turn-based combat, so proper strategizing and assembling teams is more vital than ever. It’s still not as brutal as the SMT games, but on normal difficulty, there’s enough challenge to keep you on edge in even the most random encounters in the game. 

That said, Atlus have also found ways to make Metaphor’s combat more accessible than ever. In the overworld, you can deal damage in real-time and chip away an enemy’s stun meter to deal a massive AOE crit damage when you transition to turn-based.

It’s a great way to deplete a decent amount of an enemy’s health before the real battle begins. Raising bond with Heismay also unlocks a passive ability, which greatly increases his ambush damage against stunned enemies, so it's something you wouldn't want to miss out on. 

Conversely, if enemies ambush you, the battle could end sooner rather than later, except it would be your party on the dying side. Thankfully, you can dodge enemy attacks in the overworld, though it becomes quite a challenge of its own when surrounded by a group of enemies. 

Sadly, most enemy encounters happen in dimly lit dungeons that are mostly indistinguishable from one another. Often, you will pick a side quest or bounty hunt that requires you to slay a monster within one of these places. 

There are only three or four types of dungeons in the game, and these quests get repetitive quite easily. That said, I never despised venturing into another dungeon because the rewards you can find within these treacherous locales are worth the trouble, not to mention the excitement of trying out the game’s combat and testing out new Archetypes. At the same time, I also couldn't help feeling that Atlus pulled a Tartarus on us. 

The game’s main dungeons (Palaces?), on the other hand, felt like a missed opportunity. There are fewer of them this time around, and they are not quite different, structurally and thematically, from one another. It's a major step down from Persona 5 and even Persona 4 and just doesn't get the attention to detail as other aspects of the game. 

A Bug-free Fantasy which Occasionally Stutters

I played Metaphor ReFantazio on a high-end PC and Xbox Series X, frequently swapping between the two to test fidelity and performance in different sections of the game.

On the PC at the highest settings, my RTX 4080 sometimes struggled to maintain 60 FPS in crowded city areas. Fortunately, I was able to significantly boost performance by adjusting the Rendering Scale in the Graphics setting. 

However, a cross-gen game built reportedly on an updated Persona 5 engine struggling on a next-gen PC isn’t something anyone would find appealing.

It’s worth noting that my impressions are based on the game’s pre-release version, and these issues are likely to be fixed with a day-one patch. 

On the Xbox Series X, the performance is surprisingly more consistent, and I would have preferred playing the entire game on console if not for its bizarre HDR issue. Metaphor’s lighting is all over the place on XSX. It’s surprisingly dim compared to the game’s PC version. 

I don’t recall any recent releases having such heightened HDR differences across their PC and console versions. It's definitely a cause for concern if you’re planning to pick Metaphor on the latter. Here’s hoping the day-one patch addresses this issue as well.