Summary

• Metaphor: ReFantazio draws inspiration from Persona and Shin Megami Tensei, aiming to combine their best elements with something new.
• The game features a dual-faceted narrative with dark themes and potential for interesting story twists.
• Combat in Metaphor involves exploiting weaknesses for extra turns and forging bonds for new transformations, blending Persona and SMT strengths with a fresh look.

When people compare Metaphor: ReFantazio to Persona, they're not doing so in a way that invites detractors. First impressions are everything when it comes to new releases, and to be observed alongside some of the JRPG genre's very best is an indication of respect from on-lookers. The bar is being set very high, and Metaphor will need to sur or redefine it to escape those comparisons coming to encapsulate how it's ed; but as far as ideal starting points go, similarities to one of the all-time greats isn't the worst.

Metaphor: ReFantazio has Persona in its blood. Developed by Studio Zero, it's the first game from that outfit, which was founded by Persona series director Katsura Hashino, composer Shoji Meguro, and character designer Shigenori Soejima. First announced in 2016, the game existed under a project codename until 2023, when more details finally emerged - and first glimpses that were immediately reminiscent of Phantom Thieves and Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squads.

I'll be honest - when I first saw Metaphor, I thought it would slot nicely into the niche of "games like Persona that aren't quite on its level." The type of JRPG many enthusiasts are happy to sink 60 hours into without complaint, but one that won't shake things up too broadly. After an hour-long hands-on at Gamescom 2024, I now think Metaphor: ReFantazio is a combination of not just Persona's best elements, but Shin Megami Tensei's, too. It's top of my list of games I want to play in 2024 and I think it could be a year-defining JRPG from Atlus.

Metaphor: ReFantazio's Story Seems Mindbending In A Fun Way

Early Indicators Suggest A Dual-Faceted Narrative

It's not like Atlus' Persona stories have always been perfect. They're deeply flawed, if not only because they span upwards of a hundred hours of content, but also because they try to juggle intricacies between a slew of cast who, depending on playthrough, might only be present in half as many scenes as they might be in others. But they're memorable stories at their core, crafting dizzying worlds that sprawl across the human psyche and borrow from legends across the world. And they're human, too - rooted in common, relatable struggles, all while trying to forget relationships with the people we care about.

Obviously one hour isn't enough to judge whether Metaphor: ReFantazio manages to do something similar with its story. It is enough to show that it's aiming for the same goal, however, and starts off on the right foot. A seemingly omnipotent narrator asks you to provide your name, before indicating that the name of the protagonist in the story will be selected later, and that jarring idea of a dual-sided story that transcends immersion within its fantasy world is immensely appealing at the jump.

Later, while exploring the world and engaging in some more traditional fantasy fare, the player comes across their first boss character. A winged monstrosity with apples dangling from its appendages, it slaughters a camp of soldiers with ease before it is named by the protagonist's companion at the time - it's a human. I have no idea what that means, currently, other than that it is exactly the sort of twist I'd expect from the best of Atlus' repertoire to this point.

There's also a darkness more pervasive in the story and the world's design - a character is hanged within minutes of making it to the main city, just one of many examples of racial prejudice and inequality being central themes. That reminded me much more of some of Shin Megami Tensei's more intense story beats, and I think there's potential to explore an interesting fusion between Persona's social links and companionship styles and SMT's more visceral and angry source material.

Metaphor: ReFantazio's Combat Will Be Intimately Familiar

But A Combination Of Style & Hopefully Substance Will See It Through

No one familiar with Atlus' library of JRPGs will be surprised by what's on offer in Metaphor: ReFantazio's battle systems. Players control their protagonist while using a variety of normal attacks or skills to exploit weaknesses; exploit these well enough and you'll be granted an extra turn in combat to press the advantage further. I think that this general conceit has been on offer for quite some time and would love to see a bit more innovation later in the game, but it hadn't worn out its welcome with me while hands-on.

Rather than capturing demons or familiars to expand the protagonist's range of combat options, Metaphor will instead see the player character forge bonds with those in the world around them and then begin on a path that will unlock a new transformation in combat. These changes swathe the protagonist in fancy, fantastical armor and offer him a new range of abilities and strengths. In the hands-on, I only got to try The Seeker, so I can't comment on how different they'll be from each other - but it's a promising amalgamaton of some of the Persona and SMT games' strengths with a new look on top of it all.

One thing Metaphor: ReFantazio isn't lacking is style.

One thing Metaphor: ReFantazio isn't lacking is style. UI, whether it be in combat or out, has clearly borrowed inspiration from the wide praise Persona 5's menus received when that game launch; they're not identical, more befitting a high fantasy setting, but they're not dull. Some cutscenes feature great animation to heighten the presentation, while the overworld map eschews sprinting between locations, instead letting the player connect from place to place by selecting them on the map screen.

Cities are bustling with chatter and intrigue, while the world itself contains a slew of early secrets begging to be unraveled. It's not the familiarity of a real-world Japanese setting, but it's better for it, with plenty of Metaphor: ReFantazio's early moments remaining inviting even in a more foreign, magical backdrop.

Keep Your Eyes On Studio Zero's Debut Game

At Worst It'll Be A Solid JRPG - At Best, It Could Be Something Far Bigger

60 minutes isn't enough to decide if a game will be great. Sometimes, that first hour can be an illusion, painting a pretty picture that slowly decays under under-developed mechanics or a short-sighted narrative. I'm confident that, at its worst, Metaphor: ReFantazio will be another solid, if a little overcooked, JRPG for fans of the genre to sink their teeth into. That's the floor - but what I am excited about is the ceiling for the game, which feels like it could be a breakout hit that establishes another lineage of excellent JRPGs down the line.

A combination of Persona and Shin Megami Tensei's best traits and vibes, then coupled with a combat system that knows what it's doing and could be refreshing for an Atlus-led project, is something to pay attention to. The talent at the studio is undeniable and its first hour leaves a lasting impression - if Metaphor: ReFantazio keeps that momentum into the rest of its runtime, I'll be shocked if it isn't in the discussion for one of this year's best games.

Screen Rant attended a hands-on demo during Gamescom 2024 for the purpose of this article.