Metaphor Review: ReFantazio, An Exciting Adventure Wrapped in Cool Graphics

When mentioning the name ATLUS, most gamers would associate the Japanese game developer with the Persona game series. Naturally, because the two games are the most popular games made by ATLUS. In fact, I'm sure there are no JRPG fans who don't know what Persona is.

But did you know that there are many other games also developed by ATLUS? Games like Soul Hackers 2, Etrian Odyssey, and Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology are just a few of the dozens of games that ATLUS has successfully developed. However, the name ATLUS is still associated with Persona.

Of course ATLUS must be able to convince gamers that they also have other games that are no less exciting and interesting. One way is to make a game that can be "the next Persona" and that game in my opinion is Metaphor: ReFantazio.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is a JRPG with a turn-based battle system similar to the Persona series, but set in a medieval fantasy world that makes it very unique and different. Yes, this time you won't be playing the role of a teenager in a Japanese school.

But that's what makes Metaphor: ReFantazio, because the premise of this game is to bring something completely fresh without leaving the characteristics of ATLUS games as a whole.

Promising New Stories

Metaphor: ReFantazio is set in a medieval fantasy world, specifically in the United Kingdom of Euchronia which is entering a time of crisis. You will play the role of a boy who is sent to save the cursed prince of the kingdom who is in critical condition. The only way to save the prince is to find a way to break the curse.

Of course, as a young boy, finding a way to break the curse that made the royal prince critical is not easy. Moreover, you are part of the Elda race, which is often discriminated against among the people of the United Kingdom of Euchronia.

This is where your adventurous journey in Metaphor: ReFantazio begins. Just like the Persona series, in Metaphor: ReFantazio, you'll also meet various friends, each with their own unique characters and abilities.

Together with them, you'll be asked to cure the royal prince of his curse, unravel the mystery of the king's murder, and save the kingdom from the devastation caused by the contest for the throne that has claimed so many lives.

For me, the storyline of Metaphor: ReFantazio does feel new and fresh. I also really appreciate ATLUS for stepping out of their comfort zone to present this story. Although I can't tell you much about the plot, but for about 12 hours of gameplay, I feel quite satisfied even though sometimes I feel some of the dialog is a little boring.

PS: This game also has quite an interesting plot twist in the story.

One thing that intrigued me the most about Metaphor: ReFantazio is who Gallica is. Since the beginning of the game, Gallica is a fairy who always follows the main character wherever he goes. Gallica is also the main character's guide and assistant.

Just like the main character, Gallica is part of an elf race that is often discriminated against. Not even everyone can see her. The people who can see Gallica always say that they thought the fairy race was extinct. Knowing the background story of Gallica and the other fairy races will be a very interesting moment in the game.

New Gameplay Mechanics with Old Flavors

The interesting thing that I felt while playing Metaphor: ReFantazio is how it can present new gameplay mechanics but with an old flavor similar to the Persona series.

Metaphor: ReFantazio still uses a turn-based battle system, which means that you and your enemies will take turns performing actions while fighting. The difference this time is that there are no personas or daemons to fight with. Instead, the game introduces the Archetype system.

The Archetype system is similar to the class system in MMORPGs and consists of various types ranging from Scout, Healer, Knight, Mage, to Warrior. Interestingly, you can choose and change the Archetype for each character. For example, you can make Strohl (one of the starting characters in the game) to use the Knight Archetype if you want him to be a tanker or use a Mage if you want him to be a long-range damage dealer.

This Archetype system makes battle strategies more dynamic. One example of this was when I was assigned to eliminate a necromancer. In the dungeon where I was assigned, there were monsters that were effective against physical attacks and light elements. But there was also one monster that was immune to physical attacks and weak to wind elements.

Based on that information, I organized each party member with a specific Archetype so that I could conquer the dungeon more easily.

Of course, things won't be that easy because in order to unlock certain Archetypes in a character, you need to have a certain amount of Mag that can only be obtained from fighting or exchanging some money on the black market. The easiest way to get Mag is simply by venturing into dungeons. The problem is that it will take you half a day to get into the dungeon and time is one of the elements you should be most concerned about when playing this game.

Why can I say Metaphor: ReFantazio still has a similar flavor to Persona? One of them is the distinctive calendar system. Metaphor: ReFantazio brings back the calendar system complete with deadlines, so you can't just grind. If the deadline is missed and you haven't completed the mission, it will fail and could lead to a game over.

Character status is also an element that was brought back from the Persona series to Metaphor: ReFantazio. The main characters in Metaphor: ReFantazio has stats like Courage, Wisdom, Tolerance, Eloquence, and Imagination. All five must be honed so that you can win the battle for the throne.

In addition, there are certain missions that can only be accessed if you have enough status. At the beginning of the game, for example, you can only accept the quest from the Igniter Merchantess if your Wisdom is at level 2 or "informed". Of course, you'll have to sacrifice half a day to raise these statuses. So keep an eye on the calendar and make sure the main quest remains a priority.

Cool Graphics

Graphics are one of Metaphor: ReFantazio, especially on the interface or UI side. Remember the UI in Persona 3 Reload that combines modern minimalist elements and "bold" design? Metaphor: ReFantazio doesn't feature a similar UI but it still uses very cool animation, design, and interaction elements.

Just take a look at some screenshots of Metaphor: ReFantazio below.

It's clear that ATLUS seems to pay a lot of attention to each element of the UI. What's amazing is how the UI seems to have many elements but gamers like me can easily navigate and understand the function of each UI layer.

Metaphor: ReFantazio basically uses 3D cell shading graphics with various modern effects. If you look closely, you can see that in some areas it often looks like a glowing particle effect and makes this game more atmospheric.

Metaphor: ReFantazio also has highly artistic dungeon and area designs with eye-pleasing graphics. From castles damaged by monsters, wilderness, underground caves, to the royal capital that has various districts. Everything is represented very well and doesn't feel boring.

Why you should play

Metaphor: ReFantazio is a JRPG that, while generic at first glance, is not boring at all and feels fresh when playing it. Various elements are presented in detail with a new feel that still maintains its identity that ATLUS is the developer of this game.

For Persona fans, this is a series that you can't miss. All the hallmarks of ATLUS are in this game but presented in a better way thanks to modern graphics and a new fantasy feel.