Metaphor: ReFantazio is a stunning RPG epic, but has it bitten off more than it can chew?

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As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I must say that Metaphor: ReFantazio has certainly piqued my interest. The blend of real-time combat and turn-based elements is an intriguing twist on traditional RPG mechanics, reminiscent of the Trails Through Daybreak and Fantasian, but with its own unique flavor.

As a gaming enthusiast, I can’t help but be enthralled by the upcoming masterpiece, ReFantazio. Much like how some of the brilliant minds behind iconic Persona games have crafted it, this RPG promises to be nothing short of stunning. The innovative combat system, which incorporates sharp real-time elements, aims to minimize tedious skirmishes against enemies that lack potency.

In the novel combat of ReFantazio, there are some notable differences compared to Persona’s turn-based system. Primarily, when exploring the field, you can attack enemies repeatedly without initiating a menu-driven fight. Instead, you can dodge and even stun enemies to gain an advantage before launching your turn-based offensive. Essentially, this dynamic combat resembles real-time battle mechanics, similar to those found in the recently launched Trails Through Daybreak.

In this updated battle system, instead of taking turns like in many Persona games where both your team and the enemies take actions alternately, here there isn’t a set order for turns. Instead, you are given a certain number of crystals prior to the enemy’s attack. The number of crystals depends on the type of enemy or enemies you are facing. Each attack uses a different amount of crystals. This means that if you have four party members and four crystals, you might perform a powerful action as the main character and not get to act with all your team members before the enemies’ turn. It’s reminiscent of games like Fantasian or the SaGa series where the battle system is less structured by turns.

In this setup, you may encounter intriguing dilemmas where at one point, you’ll only have three crystals available for use, but the character in your team who can heal the group is four actions away. Consequently, you’ll need to devise an alternate strategy to restore everyone’s health.

In the richly detailed combat of Metaphor, the depth of its world-creation seems even more profound. From the get-go, we encountered various races, species, territories, and clans, along with necklaces that serve both as fashion statements for the wealthy and means to cast spells. There was also a character puffing on a fantasy e-cigarette. This game doesn’t gradually introduce new terms; instead, it immerses you immediately in a sea of proper nouns and made-up words. Fortunately, this immersion enhances the experience as it truly feels like exploring a brand-new realm.

There is one problem though…

As a gamer, diving into ReFantazio feels like getting whacked on the head with a two-by-four! When I first boot up the game, it asks for my character’s name in this fantasy world, which turns out to be the grim, medieval-inspired United Kingdom of Euchronia. It doesn’t take long before I realize that I’m lugging around a “fantasy book” that transports me to a modern-day Earth – a refreshing change from the biased and prejudiced Euchronia filled with various species. Here, everyone is just one race: the human race, shedding light on the game’s exploration of racism, bigotry, and the institutions upholding them.

After experiencing Persona 5 Tactics last year, it’s not astonishing that the upcoming game shares similar themes, as the previous title served as a foundational guide to political sociology. Remarkably, it presented strikingly progressive viewpoints and delivered a potent message about youth’s influence in maintaining accountability among those in power. However, it’s important to note that this game is not being developed by P-Studio. Instead, it’s a fresh studio under Atlus named Studio Zero.

Studio Zero is essentially a star-studded group of veterans from the Persona series, with Katsura Hashino, the creative director of Persona 3, 4, and 5, being one of its most notable members. Hashino’s work often carries social messages, but as a writer, he can be quite untidy compared to the younger team working on current Persona games. This is particularly evident in how his games have historically handled queer characters, with Persona 3 being a notable example. In that game, the portrayal of queer characters was so insensitive that the controversial “beach sequence” had to be significantly reduced for this year’s Persona 3 Reload to eliminate any hint of the older woman who Junpei had feelings for being transgender. Even ten years later, Persona 5 continued to make light of LGBTQ+ characters, with Ryuji frequently finding himself in uncomfortable situations involving a recurring stereotypical gay couple.

Despite the fact that Persona 5 was released nearly a decade ago, it’s important to acknowledge that both the world and the creators have evolved significantly since then. However, when I encountered repeated references to Elda’s tribe being “tainted” in Metaphor, I had reservations about whether this team could effectively tackle a narrative centered around systemic bigotry and societal ills, given their use of such broad strokes. While Persona 5 Tactics aims to dismantle the systems that restrict us for the sake of progress, it’s worth noting that Makoto’s story in the original Persona 5 concluded with her choosing to become one of the ‘good cops’.

We won’t truly be able to judge the effectiveness of Metaphor: ReFantazio in dealing with these themes until we’ve played through the entire game, but fortunately, the release date isn’t too distant – October 11th, 2024 for PC, Xbox One, Series X|S, PS4, and PS5. On that day, we’ll learn if fantasy indeed surpasses reality.

This preview is based on an early demo from Gamescom 2024. The final product is subject to change.

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2024-08-29 18:57